Beyond the next trip of manager Patrick Scalabrini to Japan, it is Panama which risks being a country in the spotlight, at the Stade Canac in Quebec, in 2025.
“We have four Panamanian players in our sights for next season,” confirmed the president of the Capitals, Charles Demers.
• Also read: The Capitals of Quebec on mission to Japan
Already, pitcher Abdiel Saldana has performed proud services as a starter during the 2023 and 2024 conquests. Left-handed reliever Gilberto Chu, former Washington Nationals prospect, also joined the team last year, while that Steven Fuentes, also associated with the Nationals in the past, had contributed significantly to the mound in 2023.
Due to ongoing negotiations, Demers was unable to reveal whether some of them will be back, but one thing is certain, Panama is now a breeding ground for the Capitals. The situation is partly explained by the rules surrounding work visas. In summary, it is less complex to obtain a visa for a Panamanian player than for an athlete from Cuba or the Dominican Republic, particularly for matches played on American soil. The Japanese do not need a work visa, hence the new approach studied by the Capitals.
The contribution of Canadians
In addition to foreign players, manager Patrick Scalabrini’s squad logically attempts to maximize the contribution of Canadian athletes, including Quebecers.
“For Canadian and Latin American players, it’s easier to play in Canada than in the United States because of visas,” agrees Demers.
Thus, regarding the Canadian players available, the Capitales must especially fight with the Aigles de Trois-Rivières and the Ottawa Titans when attracting the best. An American club wishing to field a player from Canada must provide him with a work visa, which entails additional costs.
