Alay Lago and Maikel Serrano were teammates this season with the Tren del Norte in the Liga Nicaragüense de Béisbol Profesional, well the talented duo now aspires to be teammates as well with Nicaragua in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. The two Cubans want to join the squad that recently qualified for the upcoming tournament slated to be held in March of 2026.
The league named Alay Lago its MVP this season, marking the second time he wins the award. Lago was also the circuit’s MVP in 2022 when he was also the league’s batting champion. This season Lago also led the LBPN in hitting once again with a .376 batting average, beating out his teammate Sabriel Polanco. The Cuban infielder was also first in the circuit in hits and runs, also marking the second time he leads the league in hits. Lago set the all-time record for hits in 2022 when he swatted 95.
The native of Santiago de Cuba has also seen action in the Atlanta Braves farm system, American Association and various winter leagues. Lago also won the American Association’s batting crown in 2019 when he hit .339. Last summer he played in the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol hitting .179 in 10 games with the Tigres de Quintana Roo.
“I have the desire and intention to play in the World Classic with Nicaragua. Logically I want to participate in the tournament, but it depends on their interest and whether they give me the opportunity to play with the team. There is still nothing certain about whether they will let me play, but there have been conversations about going through legal process to make me a Nicaraguan national, declared Lago about his intentions to represent Nicaragua in the tournament.
This winter in the LBPN Serrano was a key component of the league runner-up Tren del Norte’s attack. In 48 games the outfielder slashed .348/.440/.464/.904 with two longballs and 29 runs batted in during the league’s regular season and playoffs combined. His addition to the squad will add an experienced bat to the roster that has seen plenty of action in a few circuits in the Caribbean. “I am very interested in playing with Nicaragua in the World Baseball Classic. I am investigating how I can integrate with the team,” said Serrano when I asked him yesterday about his desire to play with Nicaragua in the World Baseball Classic.
This will be the fifth season for the slugger in Mexico after being traded from Saltillo to Jalisco to Saltillo in the offseason, after a three-year stay with the Olmecas de Tabasco and one with the Charros. During his four seasons in the LMB, Serrano saw action has in a total of 248 games. In 846 at-bats he has smacked 262 hits (53 doubles, eight triples and 22 home runs) for and hits .310 over that span. He has also knocked in a total of 131 runs, scored 126 and slashed .383/.508/.891.