# Colombian Professional Baseball League

The Colombian Professional Baseball League (Spanish: Liga Profesional de Béisbol or LPB), is a professional baseball league based in Colombia. It is a five-team winter league that plays during the Major League Baseball offseason. In the past, the league's champion has taken part in the Caribbean Series.

## History

The history of Colombian professional baseball is commonly divided into three eras: from 1948 to 1958, from 1979 to 1988, and from 1993 to the present.
Professional baseball in Colombia has its origins in 1948, when two foreign teams — the Havana Sugar Kings of the Florida State League, and Chesterfield of the Panamanian League — played an exhibition series against the Colombian national team. Shortly thereafter, business interests in Cartagena created the country's two first professional teams: Torices of Cartagena and Indios of Cartagena. Indios would go on to be the league's most successful club in its early years, winning seven championships. The first era of Colombian professional baseball continued until the 1957–58 season, when a national currency devaluation forced it to cease operations. Attempts to organize a new league in 1958 failed to materialize, despite fan interest.
The professional league was revived in the late 1970s, and played host to some future major league stars including Cecil Fielder, Howard Johnson, and Jesse Barfield. However, Major League Baseball withdrew its support after the 1984 season, concerned about rising violence from the illegal drug trade in Colombia.
The Colombian league returned to operation in 1993 on a semi-pro basis, known as the Copa Kola Román-Davivienda, with seven brand-new teams from different departments of Colombia. In 1994, it returned to a fully professional format, with Caimanes, Vaqueros, and Rancheros returning from the previous era as well as a new team, Tigres, based in Cartagena.
The league added two teams for the 2010–11 season, both in non-traditional baseball markets in the country's central regions: Potros, based in Medellín, and Águilas, based in the capital of Bogotá. Additionally, the Toros moved from Sincelejo to Cali for economic reasons. These changes were reversed in the 2012–13 season, after Toros moved back to Sincelejo and the two expansion teams folded.
The league again added two new expansion teams for the 2019–2020 season: Gigantes de Barranquilla and Vaqueros de Montería. Vaqueros went on to become league champions in their inaugural season. They would also become the first team to represent Colombia in the Caribbean Series, after the LPB made its debut in the tournament's 2020 edition (replacing the Cuban National Series, which could appear due to visa issues).
After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the LPB established a "bubble" format for the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons, with all games being played in Barranquilla. The pandemic also saw both Leones and Toros withdraw from the league. Gigantes were expected to fold after the 2021–22 season, but managed to return the next year.
For the 2022–23 season, the league announced it was considering adding an expansion team in Bolívar. This was confirmed in September, when it was announced that the expansion team would be placed in Cartagena. Getsemaní Leones de La Trinidad, founded in 1933 as an amateur team, had petitioned to join the league for over a year, but their entrance was delayed by COVID-19. However, before the start of the season, the league announced that both Getsemaní and Gigantes would not play due to financial difficulties; instead, Toros returned after a two-year absence, keeping the league at four teams. In 2023, the league announced that Leones and Gigantes would return for the 2023–24 season, bringing the number of teams back to six.

## Teams and stadiums

Five teams from the country's Caribbean region compete in the league.
| Team | City | Stadium | Capacity | Founded |
| Caimanes de Barranquilla | Barranquilla, Atlántico | Estadio Édgar Rentería | 12,000 | 1984 |
| Leones de Barranquilla | Barranquilla, Atlántico | Estadio Édgar Rentería | 12,000 | 2003 |
| Toros de Sincelejo | Sincelejo, Sucre | Estadio 20 de Enero | 10,000 | 2003 |
| Tigres de Cartagena | Cartagena, Bolívar | Estadio Once de Noviembre | 12,000 | 1994 |
| Vaqueros de Montería | Montería, Córdoba | Estadio 18 de Junio | 7,300 | 1984 |

### Former teams

* Gigantes de Barranquilla (2019–2022)
* Potros de Medellín (2010–2011)
* Águilas de Bogotá (2010–2011)
* Willard de Barranquilla (1953–1983)
* Vanytor de Barranquilla (1953–1958)
* Torices de Cartagena (1948–1988)
* Indios de Cartagena (1948–2017)

## League structure

The league is organized by the Colombian Professional Baseball Division (Diprobéisbol), under the auspices of the Colombian Baseball Federation. The season is played from October to January. The top four teams at the end of the regular season, a first round robin phase of 50 games per team, advance to another round-robin (12 games for every team) with the two best teams contesting a best-of-seven final series to determine the league champion.
The league was previously owned by the Renteria Foundation, an organization run by former Major League Baseball shortstop Édgar Rentería. Its president was Edinson Rentería (brother of Édgar), whose management of the league was controversial. Rentería was eventually replaced as the league's administrator by Pedro Salcedo Salom, causing a dispute that has been cited as an issue preventing Colombia's entry to the CPBC.
Players such as former Major League Baseball shortstop Orlando Cabrera have owned teams.

## International competition

In 2004, the Colombian Professional Baseball League was provisionally accepted into the Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation (CPBC). However, the league was not allowed to participate in the Caribbean Series until the level of play and the quality of baseball facilities improved.
LPB first participated in the Caribbean Series in 2020, and appeared in four editions of the tournament until 2023. In the 2022 Caribbean Series, Caimanes became the first Colombian team to win the championship, defeating the Dominican Republic's Gigantes del Cibao. Despite this victory, controversy ensued when the Colombian league was again denied full membership into the Caribbean Professional Baseball Confederation (CPBC).
On April 22, 2023, it was announced that LPB would not participate in the 2024 Caribbean Series; it was dropped from the tournament along with Cuba's Elite League and Panama's PROBEIS league. The Colombian Baseball Federation said that the league refused to pay a $200,000 participation fee to enter as a guest, alleging that it had previously been promised full membership into the CPBC. Instead, the league champion was slated to participate in a new Intercontinental Series organized by the Team Rentería Foundation, to take place in Barranquilla in January 2024; however, that tournament was ultimately canceled

## Champions

Key :
| † | Champions also won the Caribbean Series that season |
| † | Champions also won the Latin American Series that season |
| Season | Champion | Record | Final Series | Runners Up | Manager |
| 1948 | Indios de Cartagena | 11–7 | – | Filtta de Barranquilla | Juan González Cornet |
| 1949 | Filtta de Barranquilla | 20–6 | – | Torices de Cartagena | Rafael Alvarado |
| 1950 | Indios de Cartagena (2) | 32–17 | – | Cerveza Águila de Barranquilla | Juan González Cornet |
| 1951 | Filtta de Barranquilla (2) | 18–12 | – | Indios de Cartagena | Gil Garrido Sr. |
| 1952 | Indios de Cartagena (3) | 29–13 | – | Hit de Barranquilla | Juan González Cornet |
| 1953 | Torices de Cartagena | 18–33 | – | Willard de Barranquilla | Pedro Pagés |
| 1953–54 | Torices de Cartagena (2) | 34–26 | – | Indios de Cartagena | Pedro Pagés |
| 1954–55 | Willard de Barranquilla | 41–24 | – | Torices de Cartagena | Spud Chandler |
| 1955–56 | Indios de Cartagena (4) | 33–32 | – | Vanytor de Barranquilla | Gaspar del Monte |
| 1956–57 | Kola Román de Cartagena | 37–29 | – | Willard de Barranquilla | Frank Scalzi |
| 1957–58 | Vanytor de Barranquilla | 35–25 | – | Hit de Barranquilla | Ted Narleski |
| No professional baseball from 1958 to 1979 ||||||
| 1979–80 | Indios de Cartagena (5) | 18–32 | 4–2 | Torices de Cartagena | José Martínez |
| 1980–81 | Indios de Cartagena (6) | 34–26 | 4–3 | Olímpica de Barranquilla | Rigoberto Mendoza |
| 1981–82 | Café Universal de Barranquilla | 31–25 | 4–2 | Cerveza Águila de Barranquilla | José Martínez |
| 1982–83 | Café Universal de Barranquilla (2) | 39–25 | 4–3 | Willard de Barranquilla | José Martínez |
| 1983–84 | Cerveza Águila de Barranquilla | 39–21 | 4–3 | Torices de Cartagena | Carlos Alfonso |
| 1984–85 | Caimanes de Barranquilla | 38–22 | 4–2 | Indios de Cartagena | José Tartabull |
| 1987–88 | Indios de Cartagena (7) | 29–20 | 4–1 | Rancheros de Sincelejo | Curtis Wallace |
| No professional baseball from 1988 to 1993 ||||||
| 1993–94 | Phillips Atlántico | – | 4–0 | Pilsen Antioquia | Boris Villa |
| 1994–95 | Caimanes de Barranquilla (2) | 22–14 | 4–2 | Tigres de Cartagena | Tomás Soto |
| 1995–96 | Tigres de Cartagena | 23–24 | 4–2 | Caimanes de Barranquilla | Jolbert Cabrera |
| 1996–97 | Rancheros de Sincelejo | 30–17 | 4–1 | Cerveza Águila de Barranquilla | José Tartabull |
| 1997–98 | Caimanes de Barranquilla (3) | 18–13 | 4–1 | Indios de Cartagena | Édinson Rentería |
| 1998–99 | Caimanes de Barranquilla (4) | 17–7 | 4–2 | Indios de Cartagena | Édinson Rentería |
| 1999–00 | Vaqueros de Barranquilla | 13–14 | 4–2 | Indios de Cartagena | Noe Maduro |
| 2000–01 season canceled due to financial concerns ||||||
| 2001–02 | Eléctricos de Barranquilla | 20–10 | 4–1 | Caimanes de Barranquilla | Noe Maduro |
| 2002–03 | Eléctricos de Barranquilla (2) | 22–14 | 4–1 | Aguila de Cartagena | Brent Bowers |
| 2003–04 | Tigres de Cartagena (2) | 16–14 | 4–2 | Leones de Cartagena | Bill Madlock |
| 2004–05 | Tigres de Cartagena (3) | 13–17 | 4–3 | Toros de Sincelejo | Bill Madlock |
| 2005–06 | Tigres de Cartagena (4) | 17–13 | 4–1 | Caimanes de Barranquilla | Neder Horta |
| 2006–07 | Tigres de Cartagena (5) | 28–26 | 4–0 | Caimanes de Barranquilla | Neder Horta |
| 2007–08 | Caimanes de Barranquilla (5) | 33–20 | 4–0 | Indios de Cartagena | Walter Miranda |
| 2008–09 | Caimanes de Barranquilla (6) | 28–25 | 4–3 | Leones de Montería | Walter Miranda |
| 2009–10 | Caimanes de Barranquilla (7) | 30–24 | 4–2 | Leones de Montería | Boris Villa |
| 2010–11 season canceled due to weather conditions ||||||
| 2011–12 | Toros de Sincelejo | 25–17 | 5–3 | Leones de Montería | Neder Horta |
| 2012–13 | Caimanes de Barranquilla (8) | 26–16 | 4–2 | Tigres de Cartagena | Wilson Valera |
| 2013–14 | Tigres de Cartagena (6) $^†$ | 32–9 | 4–1 | Leones de Montería | Donaldo Méndez |
| 2014–15 | Leones de Montería $^†$ | 20–22 | 4–1 | Caimanes de Barranquilla | Luis Urueta |
| 2015–16 | Caimanes de Lorica (9) | 26–16 | 4–2 | Leones de Montería | Luis Urueta |
| 2016–17 | Leones de Montería (2) | 22–19 | 4–2 | Toros de Sincelejo | Jair Fernández |
| 2017–18 | Leones de Montería (3) | 24–18 | 4–3 | Toros de Sincelejo | Jair Fernández |
| 2018–19 | Caimanes de Barranquilla (10) | 29–12 | 4–1 | Toros de Sincelejo | Fred Ocasio |
| 2019–20 | Vaqueros de Montería (2) | 21–19 | 4–1 | Gigantes de Barranquilla | Ozney Guillén |
| 2020–21 | Caimanes de Barranquilla (11) | 13–11 | 4–3 | Vaqueros de Montería | José Mosquera |
| 2021–22 | Caimanes de Barranquilla (12) $^†$ | 23–13 | 4–1 | Vaqueros de Montería | José Mosquera |
| 2022–23 | Vaqueros de Montería (3) | 27–15 | 4–1 | Tigres de Cartagena | Ronald Ramírez |
| 2023–24 | Caimanes de Barranquilla (13) | 26–15 | 4–1 | Vaqueros de Montería | José Mosquera |
| 2023–24 | Caimanes de Barranquilla (14) | 26–12 | 4–3 | Vaqueros de Montería | José Mosquera |

## Championships by team

| Rank | Team | Wins | Years |
| 1 | Caimanes de Barranquilla | 14 | 1984–85, 1994–95, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2023–24, 2024–25 |
| 2 | Indios de Cartagena | 7 | 1948, 1950, 1952, 1955–56, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1987–88 |
| 3 | Tigres de Cartagena | 6 | 1995–96, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2013–14 |
| 4 | Leones de Montería | 3 | 2014–15, 2016–17, 2017–18 |
| 5 | Filtta de Barranquilla | 2 | 1949, 1951 |
| 5 | Willard de Barranquilla | 2 | 1953, 1954–55 |
| 5 | Café Universal de Barranquilla | 2 | 1981–82, 1982–83 |
| 5 | Eléctricos de Barranquilla | 2 | 2001–02, 2002–03 |
| 5 | Vaqueros de Montería | 2 | 2019-20, 2022–23 |
| 9 | Torices de Cartagena | 1 | 1953–54 |
| 9 | Rancheros de Sincelejo | 1 | 1996–97 |
| 9 | Kola Román de Cartagena | 1 | 1956–57 |
| 9 | Vanytor de Barranquilla | 1 | 1957–58 |
| 9 | Cerveza Águila de Barranquilla | 1 | 1983–84 |
| 9 | Vaqueros de Barranquilla | 1 | 1999–00 |
| 9 | Toros de Sincelejo | 1 | 2011–12 |
| 9 | Phillips-Atlántico | 1 | 1993–94 |