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Four wins separated the playoff teams in a top heavy Mexican League for 2022. Juarez returned to the North Division perch and the top seed at 102-60. The Jesters grew their playoff streak to nine years with their seventh division title in that stretch. Torreon was second at 96-66, which earned the second wild card. Although the Tomahawks have posted 23 consecutive winning seasons, their 2022 effort ended a four-year playoff drought.

Ecatepec at 99-63 edged out Mexico City at 98-64 in the South Division. The Explosion snapped a nine-year playoff drought. The Aztecs got the first wild card to earn repeat playoff berths. The next closest teams in the wild card race were defending CABA champion Tijuana (89-73) and Merida (88-74). Ecatepec led the ML in scoring by a healthy margin at 802 runs, while Juarez allowed the fewest at 547.

Mexican League MVP went to veteran slugger Noah Breton in his seventh year with Torreon. It was the first MVP for the 31-year old Puerto Rican first baseman despite leading in home runs for the sixth time. Breton socked 63 dingers and led in runs (117), walks (86), total bases (388), OBP (.403), slugging (.697), OPS (1.100), wRC+ (205), and WAR (8.5). He added 133 RBI and a .312 batting average along with his 7^th Silver Slugger.

Tijuana lefty Richard Wright won his third Pitcher of the Year in a row in only his fourth season. The 24-year old Jamaican led in ERA (2.01), strikeouts (384), WHIP (0.81), quality starts (27), complete games (13), and shutouts (6). Wright’s 18-6 record left him one win shy of a repeat Triple Crown. He had 8.8 WAR over 255 innings. Wright also threw his second no-hitter, striking out nine and walking two against Monterrey on May 22. The Toros locked up their star ace in spring 2023 to a seven-year, $131 million extension.

Despite the small wins differences between playoff teams, both division champs earned first round sweeps with Juarez over Torreon and Ecatepec over Mexico City. The Jesters earned their fourth consecutive Mexican League Championship Series trip and their ninth since 2012. For the Explosion, this was their first trip since falling to Juarez in 2012.

The Jesters reclaimed the crown with an MLCS sweep over Ecatepec, winning their sixth pennant in eleven years. Juarez now has 17 Mexican League titles, second only to Monterrey’s 18. It was the first time under the two wild card format that the Mexican League’s first round and the MLCS ended in sweeps. This was especially surprising considering how close together each team finished in the regular season.



The Caribbean League’s top two records fought for the Continental Division crown. Guatemala repeated and again was the top seed at 106-56. Suriname at 102-60 gave them a run, earning a third straight playoff berth. Over in the Island Division, Haiti finished first at 99-63. That ended a three-year playoff drought for the Herons and was their first division title since their 2015 CABA title.

For the second wild card, Santo Domingo (92-70) squeaked by Havana (91-71), Honduras (88-74) and Panama (88-74). This ended the Dolphins’ eight-year playoff drought and was only the second miss in seven years for the Hurricanes. Defending CL champ Puerto Rico was a non-factor at 77-85. The Parrots led in scoring at 782 and the Ghosts allowed the fewest runs at 513. Guatemala allowed 100+ fewer than the rest of the league.

In his second year as a full-time starter, Suriname’s Bertie Duncan won Caribbean League MVP. The 25-year old Trinidadian second baseman led in home runs (53), RBI (122), runs (126), total bases (410), slugging (.695), OPS (1.059), wRC+ (184), and WAR (10.5). Duncan added a .315 average and 69 stolen bases. The Silverbacks secured him after the 2023 season to an eight-year, $130,600,000 extension.

Guatemala’s Israel Montague repeated as Pitcher of the Year. The 25-year old Panamanian lefty led in ERA (1.92), WHIP (0.83), K/BB (11.1), FIP- (60), and WAR (8.3). Montague had 288 strikeouts over 239.1 innings with a 20-6 record. He narrowly beat out Suriname’s Angel Brea, who had the most strikeouts (359) and best record (26-4). It was only the sixth time a CABA pitcher had 26+ wins, but Montague’s ERA (1.92 versus 2.69) won the day.

Suriname survived 3-2 against Haiti in the first round while Guatemala swept Santo Domingo. This was the first-ever Caribbean League Championship Series for the Silverbacks, who joined in the 2003 expansion. For the Ghosts, they hadn’t gotten this far since their most recent pennant way back in 1983. Guatemala would end their 38-year title drought, stopping Suriname 4-2 to become seven-time Caribbean champs.



The 112^th Central American Baseball Association Championship was the second time that Guatemala and Juarez had met in the final. The Ghosts’ only prior CABA title came back in that 1974 encounter. The 2022 rematch was a seven-game classic with Guatemala earning their second championship. The Jesters moved to 3-5 in their finals trips since 2005. RF James Figueroa went on a tear in the playoffs, winning CLCS and finals MVP. In his 7^th year starting for Guatemala, the 28-year old Salvadoran had 15 playoff starts with 23 hits, 6 runs, 3 doubles, 3 homers, and 11 RBI.



Other notes: Matias Esquilin joined Wesley Dubar as the only players to score 2000 runs in CABA. The 38-year old Juarez LF finished the year at 2006, just behind Dubar’s 2028. In all of baseball history to this point, they were two of only 20 players with 2000+ professional runs. Esquilin was also already CABA’s stolen bases leader now at 1301 and became the 57^th member of the 500 home club.

Max Valentin and Noah Breton became the 19^th and 20^th members of the 600 homer club. Alva Cervantes was the 55^th to reach 2500 hits. Pancho Burgos was the 31^st to 1500 RBI. Jamarca Akim and Albert Villa was the 50^th and 51^st pitchers to 200 wins. 3B Jesus Lombranta won his 8^th Gold Glove. C Luis Moran won his 11^th Silver Slugger, tying the CABA position record.