Mexico Region LLWS 2026: Municipal de Tijuana Little League Tijuana, Baja California
Municipal de Tijuana Little League proudly represents the Mexico Region at the 2026 LLWS. The Tijuana, Baja California team went a strong 7-1 through the entire regional. They earned their third-ever Williamsport trip after beating Matamoros in the final.
| Team | Municipal de Tijuana Little League |
| City | Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico |
| Region | Mexico |
| Regional Record | 7-1 |
| LLWS Opener | August 20 at 12:00 PM ET vs Australia Region |
| Venue | Volunteer Stadium, Game 5 |
| TV | ESPN |
| Manager | Francisco Fimbres |
Municipal de Tijuana beat Matamoros 8-2 to win the entire 2026 Mexico Region title. This marks Mexico’s 38th total trip to Williamsport since the distant year 1957. They open the LLWS on August 20 at 12:00 PM ET on ESPN.
Municipal de Tijuana LL, Full 2026 LLWS Roster
| # | Player | Position(s) | Bats | Throws | Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Matias Garcia | P / 2B / OF | R | R | 5’4″ |
| 8 | Gael Santamaria | P / 2B / SS | R | R | 5’4″ |
| 10 | Emiliano Kerber | P / 3B / SS | R | R | 5’4″ |
| 13 | Oscar Mateo Montañez | P / OF | R | R | 5’3″ |
| 14 | Gareth Garcia | C / 1B | R | R | 5’3″ |
| 15 | Jorge Fonseca | P / 2B / OF | R | R | 5’7″ |
| 17 | Tadeo Paez | OF / P | L | R | 5’8″ |
| 18 | Paul Lavenant | P / OF | R | R | 5’3″ |
| 19 | Esteban Bautista | P / OF / 3B | R | R | 5’3″ |
| 21 | Nestor Melchor | P / SS / 3B | R | R | 5’3″ |
| 22 | Iker Gonzalez | C / 1B | R | R | 5’6″ |
| 24 | Rafael Mesina | P / 1B | L | L | 5’6″ |
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager | Francisco Fimbres |
| Coach | Fidel Lopez |
| Coach | Marcelo Santamaria |
Key Players for Municipal de Tijuana LL at the 2026 LLWS
Jorge Fonseca, #15
P / 2B / OF · Bats R · Throws R · 5’7
Jorge Fonseca earned the win as the entire starting pitcher in the championship game. He shut down Matamoros to send Municipal de Tijuana straight back to Williamsport. He also plays second base and outfield, giving manager Francisco Fimbres real flexibility.
Tadeo Paez, #17
OF / P · Bats L · Throws R · 5’8
Tadeo Paez currently stands as the single tallest player on the entire Tijuana roster. He brings a genuinely rare left-handed bat to Municipal de Tijuana’s entire lineup. He also pitches, giving manager Francisco Fimbres yet another genuine team two-way weapon.
Rafael Mesina, #24
P / 1B · Bats L · Throws L · 5’6
Rafael Mesina currently stands as the entire roster’s only fully left-handed-throwing team pitcher. That rare left-handed arm gives Municipal de Tijuana a genuinely different pitching look. He also plays first base, adding another steady bat to the entire lineup.
Gael Santamaria, #8
P / 2B / SS · Bats R · Throws R · 5’4
Gael Santamaria gives Municipal de Tijuana yet another reliable arm on the entire staff. He also plays second base and shortstop for manager Francisco Fimbres quite regularly. His surname matches that of coach Marcelo Santamaria on this entire talented Tijuana coaching staff.
Emiliano Kerber, #10
P / 3B / SS · Bats R · Throws R · 5’4
Emiliano Kerber adds yet another dependable two-way threat to Municipal de Tijuana’s entire roster. He splits his time between third base, shortstop, and the entire pitching mound. That versatility gives manager Francisco Fimbres many valuable options across the entire infield.
Municipal de Tijuana LL Mexico Regional Record, 7-1
Municipal de Tijuana Little League went a strong 7-1 through the entire Mexico Regional. They beat Matamoros 8-2 in the entire championship game to claim the title. This marks the league’s third-ever appearance at the Little League World Series.
| Round | Opponent | Result | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pool & Bracket Play | Multiple Mexican Leagues | 6-1 | Municipal de Tijuana advanced through pool and bracket play during the Mexico Regional Tournament. |
| Championship | Matamoros | Win | 8-2. Jorge Fonseca earned the victory as Municipal de Tijuana captured the Mexico Region title and finished with a 7-1 record. |
A third trip to Williamsport: Municipal de Tijuana clinched the Mexico Region title with a decisive 8-2 win. This marks the league’s third trip to Williamsport after appearances in 2013 and 2023. The 2013 team finished fourth overall in the world with a solid 4-2 record.
Mexico Region LLWS 2026 Schedule
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | Opponent | Venue | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 5 | August 20 | 12:00 PM | Australia Region | Volunteer Stadium | ESPN |
| Subsequent games depend on results. Updated after each game. | |||||
International bracket midday game: Game 5 on August 20 officially opens at 12:00 PM Eastern time. Municipal de Tijuana faces the Australia Region champion at Volunteer Stadium right away. Fans across all of Tijuana should tune into ESPN for this exciting midday matchup.
Municipal de Tijuana Little League, Tijuana, Baja California
Tijuana is a major, historic border city located in the state of Baja California. The city sits directly across the entire border from San Diego, California, today. Tijuana ranks among the largest and most populous cities in all of Mexico.
Mexico owns a genuinely impressive 81-63 record across its entire long LLWS tournament history. The country has won three total championship titles in 1957, 1958, and 1997. Monterrey’s Industrial Little League became the first international team to win it overall.
Municipal de Tijuana first reached Williamsport back in the very distant year of 2013. That earlier team finished fourth overall in the world with a strong record. The league returned again in 2023 and finished with a modest 2-2 record.
Conclusion
Municipal de Tijuana Little League proudly represents the Mexico Region at the 2026 LLWS. The Tijuana, Baja California squad went a strong 7-1 through the entire regional. They beat Matamoros 8-2 to finally claim their third overall trip to Williamsport.
Key players to watch closely include ace pitcher Jorge Fonseca and outfielder Tadeo Paez. They open the tournament on August 20 against the entire Australia Region champion. The game starts at 12:00 PM ET at Volunteer Stadium on ESPN today.
