Leones add Marlins’ top 2022 draft pick Berry to roster

Jacob Berry, the Miami Marlins top draft pick in 2022, is expected to bolster the Ponce offense with his versatility on offense and defense.

By THE STAR STAFF

The Leones of Ponce of the Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League (LBPRC by its initials in Spanish) on Wednesday announced the addition of Jacob Berry, the first overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft by the Miami Marlins, who will join the team on Dec. 1.

Berry, who recently won the Triple-A title with the Marlins affiliate in Jacksonville, will bolster the Ponce offense with his ability to hit from both sides of the plate and play both in the infield and outfield.

“Jacob is a versatile player, a switch-hitter, and capable of playing multiple positions,” Leones General Manager Edwin Rodríguez said. “He is projected to play right field with the Leones.”

During the 2025 season with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, Berry batted .261 with 27 stolen bases and eight home runs, highlighting his combination of power and speed.

“His playing style fits perfectly with the team’s chemistry, which will rely on the speed and versatility of its players,” Rodríguez said.

Berry’s signing joins Anthony Calarco, Dalton Guthrie, Will Simoneit and D’Shawn Knowles, among the imports announced by Ponce so far.

Criollos sign 5 import pitchers for upcoming LBPRC season

Earlier in the week the Criollos of Caguas announced the signing of five import pitchers for the upcoming winter league season.

The signed pitchers are right-handers Wyatt Olds, Roel Ramírez, Luke Taggart and Harrison Francis, and left-hander Brendan Cellucci.

“As you know, all these years we’ve focused on pitchers,” Criollos General Manager Jesús “Motorita” Feliciano said in a written statement. “Obviously, this year we’ll have most of our native arms available for this season, but it’s always important to reinforce that area, especially late in the game.”

“The pitchers we’re bringing in are going to be extremely important, along with the mix of native players we’ll have from the start,” he added. “We know they’ll be invaluable to our team. Francis, who was part of the Criollos’ championship team in the 2022-23 season, joins a solid starting rotation alongside José de León, Dereck Rodríguez and Héctor Santiago. With this group, we know we’re well prepared.”

Olds is a member of the Boston Red Sox organization, where he reached Triple-A.

“Wyatt Olds has a strong arm, with good resources, that will be able to help us in different game situations,” the GM said.

Ramírez, with Major League experience with the St. Louis Cardinals, has pitched in winter and summer leagues in Mexico. “We know he’ll be very important in our bullpen, along with the group we already have, like José Espada and Yacksel Ríos, who will be with us from the first day of the season,” Feliciano noted.

Taggart, meanwhile, comes out of the Colorado Rockies organization, where he missed much of last year due to injury. “He is known for his ability to consistently throw strikes, and we know he will be an important factor during the first month of the season,” Feliciano stressed.

Cellucci, a southpaw with Triple-A experience in the Boston Red Sox organization, was recently released and joins the Criollos in search of a new opportunity.

The Criollos will open their season on Nov. 7 at home against the Gigantes of Carolina at Yldefonso Solá Morales Stadium.