Licey announces the continuity of its manager Gilbert Gómez and the return of Wellington Cepeda

SANTO DOMINGO. — The Tigres del Licey announced the continuation of Gilbert Gómez as manager for the next autumn-winter baseball tournament, in addition to the return of Wellington Cepeda as assistant manager.

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Gómez will enter his sixth season with the blue organization, where he has held various roles, from quality control coach to manager. In the 2023-24 campaign, he led the team to the championship and two consecutive Finals Series, becoming the youngest champion manager in LIDOM history, at 31 years and 324 days old, surpassing the previous record of Audo Vicente (33 years and 175 days in 2012-13). Furthermore, he became the seventh Dominican leader to win a title in his debut season in the league. In Major League Baseball, the New York Mets designated him during the break as first base and outfield coach for the upcoming season, solidifying his growth as one of the most promising young coaches. Gómez began his professional career after signing with the Mets in 2009 and was selected by Licey in the 2012 Rookie Draft. In 2017, at just 25 years old, he decided to retire as a player to dedicate himself entirely to instruction and technical direction. In the development area, he was a hitting coach in the Rookie League in 2021. In 2022, he took over as bench coach in Class A with St. Lucie and a year later was promoted to manager. In 2025, he celebrated the championship as manager of the Brooklyn Cyclones (Advanced Class A), guiding the team to its first title in the South Atlantic League and third in its history. Under his leadership, the team recorded 72 wins in the regular season and finished the postseason with a perfect 4-0 record. That same year he was selected as the leader of the “Breakout Game” of the MLB preseason. He also joined the coaching staff of the Dominican Republic national team that won the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, serving as a batting and third base coach. For his part, Cepeda currently serves as a bullpen instructor for the Arizona Diamondbacks in Major League Baseball. In the Dominican League, he has worked as a pitching instructor with the Estrellas Orientales, Gigantes del Cibao, Leones del Escogido, and Licey itself. With the Gigantes, he also served as a manager, being recognized as Manager of the Year in the 2023-24 season. With these moves, Licey is betting on continuity, experience, and technical stability for the next championship.