What is LIDOM?
The Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana is the Dominican Republic’s professional winter league and one of the member leagues of the Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe, whose champions meet at the Caribbean Series every year. Six franchises play a championship contested for the Copa BanReservas from October to January.[1] [2]
How does it work?
A 50-game regular season, then an 18-game round-robin among the top four and a best-of-seven final. The 2026–27 championship, approved by the league’s Junta de Directores with a unified regulatory code, opens on 16 October 2026 and runs to 22 December before the playoffs. Dominican players enter through the annual rookie draft — Hayden Álvarez went first overall to Licey in 2026 — and each franchise signs foreign imports for the season. Not to be confused with the Dominican Summer League, MLB’s rookie-level complex league.[1] [2] [4] [6]
Since when does it exist?
The league was founded in 1951; its oldest club, Escogido, dates from 1921 and celebrated 105 years in 2026 with its 18th title, a 4–1 final over Toros del Este sealed 1–0 in Game 5 at the Estadio Quisqueya — the first final between those two clubs and Escogido’s second championship in a row. All six franchises have won a title in the last decade, Licey three of them.[3] [4] [6]
| Season | Pool / Format | Host cities |
|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | Leones del Escogido | Final: 4–1 vs Toros del Este — Game 5 1–0, Estadio Quisqueya; 18th title, back to back |
| 2024–25 | Leones del Escogido | Final: 4–3 vs Tigres del Licey |
| 2023–24 | Tigres del Licey | Final: 4–3 vs Estrellas Orientales |
| 2022–23 | Tigres del Licey | Final: 4–1 vs Estrellas Orientales |
| 2021–22 | Gigantes del Cibao | Final: 4–1 vs Estrellas Orientales |
| 2020–21 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Final: 4–3 vs Gigantes del Cibao |
| 2019–20 | Toros del Este | Final: 5–3 vs Tigres del Licey — best-of-nine |
| 2018–19 | Estrellas Orientales | Final: 5–1 vs Toros del Este |
| 2017–18 | Águilas Cibaeñas | Final: 4–3 vs Tigres del Licey |
| 2016–17 | Tigres del Licey | Final: 5–4 vs Águilas Cibaeñas |
Champions of the last ten seasons.
Why does it matter?
The Dominican Republic is the most successful nation in Caribbean Series history, with 23 titles in 68 editions, and Escogido won the 2025 Series. LIDOM is the winter home of Dominican major-leaguers and prospects, and a LIDOM contract is a professional contract in a CBPC league — the reason its season, its imports and its champions appear so often in athlete petitions.[1] [5]
References
- LIDOM — official site. Accessed September 2026.
- LIDOM — Junta de Directores aprueba calendario y reglamentos para campeonato 2026–2027. Accessed September 2026.
- LIDOM — Leones del Escogido celebran 105 años de historia y su corona 18. Accessed September 2026.
- LIDOM — LIDOM anuncia calendario de la Serie Final 2025–2026. Accessed September 2026.
- Posta Deportes — Serie del Caribe 2026: estos son los países con más campeonatos. Accessed September 2026.
- Wikipedia — Dominican Professional Baseball League (background). Accessed September 2026.