González to return as PR manager for U-23 World Championship Qualifier

Former major leaguer Juan “Igor” González will return as manager of the Puerto Rico U-23 National Baseball Team for the 2025 World Championship Qualifier, to be held Sept. 28-Oct. 4 in Panama.

By THE STAR STAFF

Former major leaguer Juan “Igor” González will return as manager of the Puerto Rico U-23 National Team for the 2025 World Championship Qualifier, Puerto Rico Baseball Federation President José Daniel Quiles announced on Monday.

“Puerto Rico will seek qualification for the U-23 World Championship at the Pan American Championship, which will be held from September 28 to October 4 in Panama,” Quiles said in a written statement.

Under González’s leadership, the Puerto Rican team won its first silver medal at the U-23 World Cup in 2024. This time, he will be assisted by Eduardo Núñez as bench coach, Dennis Pérez as third base coach, Eddie González as first base coach, Ramesis Rosa as pitching coach, and Josué Montañez as bullpen coach.

The two-time American League Most Valuable Player has coached the U-23 team in two qualifying tournaments and two World Championships. As a player, he spent 17 seasons in the majors, and as a manager he has led Puerto Rico to gold medals at the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games in Barranquilla, Colombia, the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, and the 2022 Caribbean Series.

González was also part of the coaching staff for the national team in the 2017 and 2023 World Baseball Classic, and he will return as the hitting coach in 2026. At the local level, he led teams to championships in the Puerto Rican Double-A Baseball League with the Grises of Humacao in 2021 and with the Toritos of Cayey in 2022.