WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL A - PUERTO RICO VS COLOMBIA

March 6, 2026

Donovan Solano

Hiram Bithorn Stadium

Team Colombia

Pregame Press Conference

Q. Donovan, from your point of view as a ballplayer in your experience, and I thank you that you accepted the invitation again to be in the World Baseball Classic with your experience. How do you see the team from within, from your point of view as an active player?

DONOVAN SOLANO: Well, I see it pretty good given that I didn't have a chance of being here in 2023, but in 2017 we had almost the same group. I see the same energy, same unity. So we are ready to move forward to do what we weren't able to do in 2017.

I know that we couldn't go forward in 2023, but we are here to show that there is talent in Colombia. We look real good. We're very close. We know that we're going to give the best of ourselves, and we're all going to be able to enjoy being here at this Classic.

Q. For teammates that have never taken part in the WBC, what would you tell them is the difference between playing the short tournament and then playing a regular season series in the Big Leagues?

DONOVAN SOLANO: (In English) Every tournament like that is a short tournament, and we have to play the game. No matter what the roster, the good players on the other side, is to continue to play the game. Sometimes we're not hitting. Even if you're an All-Star, you go 0-for-4 or whatever, like three strikeouts. Maybe it's the day they don't have a good day and maybe we do.

We have to continue to play no matter what we play against, no matter the talent, we play against those teams. That's how every team has to come here for. We have to play the game the right way, keep momentum. Two more runs it takes to win. We don't care about the roster, just the better team playing the right way in the game is going to win.

In a long season is different. Those teams, those players, they make adjustments. They get hot, forget about it. But at the same time, in a short tournament, it's just different ways.

Q. Here in the Classic, what kinds of conversations have you had with the younger players to try to prepare them for this tournament?

DONOVAN SOLANO: Ever since we got here, it's been very difficult the time that you have to prepare to do things physically. Lately, we've talked amongst ourselves that mentally we have to have that preparation for things that will happen like that that we don't have time to bat, we don't have time to get a ground ball, or time may not be enough. But you have to set your mind to come and play ball, regardless of whatever has happened.

We need to believe that we do have the talent and that God is with us to be able to go out and play and compete, because if you just think about those little things, you're not going to come out freely.

One thing I've instilled in the guys is forget everything, we're here to play. Set your mind on playing. Whether you hit or whatever didn't, just play.

Q. What player from Canada do you admire and why? How do you think the Canadian players see the Colombians?

DONOVAN SOLANO: If you look at Puerto Rico or Canada, they have a great roster. The Naylor brothers, there's O'Neill, there's Julien, and I know those players, and it's a great team.

I think that regardless of how the roster may not be as big or may not be full of superstars, but we have to keep on playing. There are teams that could surprise you.

Q. As to leadership in the clubhouse, you do have several stars, but you also have some prospects like Arroyo that are rising up. They do have that quality and that talent, but they don't have the experience that you guys have. How do you face that challenge as a country but also as leaders in the clubhouse?

DONOVAN SOLANO: Well, we're here for the younger people. Potentially this may be my last Classic because of my age, but the young talent, like Arroyo, like Frias, I know that they will have a chance to play two other Classics, and to tell them how things go and tell them that they are the face and the face, who have to move forward and to take everything they've acquired as an experience for them, which will be key for Colombian baseball to grow, so that they can be in charge. Set their mind to the next Classics to be the leaders like we were, like Quintana, like Julio, like myself.

So we're here to help transmit to all of those young people from Colombia, which is what we want. We want Colombia to grow in baseball, and we want to move forward.