2025 Tucson Saguaros Season Recap - Sean McNeill Goes Out a Champion as Tucson Wins the Pecos League Title
The 2025 Tucson Saguaros season ended exactly the way Sean McNeill's Pecos League career deserved to end: with a championship. The Saguaros finished the regular season 43-9, producing one of the best records in the league, and then rolled through the Mountain Division playoffs. They swept the Pecos Bills, went into Garden City and swept the Wind to win the Mountain Division Championship, then returned home to Kino Stadium for the Pecos League Championship Series against the San Rafael Pacifics.
Tucson lost the opening game of the championship series but answered by scoring 16 runs in Game 2. Then the Saguaros won the deciding Game 3, 11-7, to become the 2025 Pecos League Champions. For Tucson, it was another championship in what had become one of the most successful franchise histories in the Pecos League. For Sean McNeill, it was the perfect ending. During the season, McNeill became the winningest manager in Pecos League history, then finished his final year in the league by winning the championship.
The 2025 season marked the tenth year of Tucson Saguaros baseball. Few expansion teams in Pecos League history had established a winning tradition as quickly or consistently as Tucson. The Saguaros began play in 2016 and immediately went 51-14, winning their first Pecos League Championship. They won again in 2020, repeated in 2021, returned to the championship series in 2022 before losing to the Roswell Invaders and reached the finals again in 2023 before falling to the San Rafael Pacifics.
By 2025, Tucson had firmly established itself as one of the signature franchises in the league. Sean McNeill had been at the center of much of that success, managing the Saguaros continuously from 2020 through 2025. His final Tucson club would become one of his best.
McNeill entered 2025 already established as one of the most successful managers in Pecos League history. His Pecos League managerial career had included stops with the Hollywood Stars, Ruidoso Osos and High Desert before he took control of Tucson in 2020. With the Saguaros, winning became routine. Tucson went 24-4 in the COVID-shortened 2020 season and won the championship, went 32-23 in 2021 and won another championship, then went 34-8 in 2022 and reached the Pecos League Championship Series.
The Saguaros went 33-13 in 2023 and returned to the finals before finishing 27-18 in 2024. Then came 2025. McNeill's final team went 43-9, giving him one more dominant Tucson club and another legitimate opportunity to win a championship.
The Saguaros began the season away from Kino Stadium with their first series coming in Santa Fe against the Fuego. Tucson immediately showed what kind of team it had assembled. The Saguaros won Opening Night 18-7, Santa Fe edged Tucson 6-5 the following night and then Tucson responded with victories of 16-1 and 13-7. The Saguaros left Santa Fe having won three of four games.
From there, the winning continued. Tucson defeated Pecos 4-1, beat Alpine 8-7 and then defeated Alpine again 13-6. When the Saguaros returned home, they quickly began establishing themselves as one of the strongest clubs in the Mountain Division.
Tucson's 2025 season was defined by consistency. The Saguaros simply did not lose very often. They swept Roswell in a three-game set in June, winning 13-6, 9-2 and 9-7, and scored 19 runs in a victory over Alpine. Tucson put together long stretches where opposing teams struggled simply to keep pace with its offense.
By July, the Saguaros had separated themselves from most of the Mountain Division. The only team in the league with a better regular-season record was the Garden City Wind, which finished 44-7. Tucson finished 43-9, giving the Saguaros an .827 winning percentage. Forty-three victories in a 52-decision season demonstrated just how dominant McNeill's final regular-season club had become.
Anthony Manisero became one of the most productive players in the entire Pecos League. Manisero played 52 games and collected 97 hits in 234 at-bats while scoring a team-high 76 runs. He hit 21 doubles, four triples and seven home runs and drove in 76 runs.
Manisero was also one of the most dangerous baserunners in the league, stealing 45 bases. His combination of hitting, extra-base power, speed and run production made him the engine of the Tucson offense.
Gavy Perez-Torres put together a championship season at shortstop. Perez-Torres played 53 games and collected 79 hits in 217 at-bats while scoring 61 runs. He hit 11 doubles, two triples and a team-high 13 home runs and drove in 74 runs. Perez-Torres also drew 49 walks, stole 19 bases and finished with a .364 batting average.
The Pecos League named him the 2025 Mountain Division Most Valuable Player. There was also a remarkable geographic connection to his success. Perez-Torres was from Roswell, New Mexico, where he had grown up attending Roswell Invaders games and played high school baseball at Joe Bauman Stadium before eventually becoming the everyday shortstop and No. 3 hitter for the Pecos League Champion Tucson Saguaros.
Jacob Elizondo played only 36 regular-season games but became another major piece of Tucson's offense. Elizondo collected 54 hits in 149 at-bats, scored 50 runs, hit 10 doubles, two triples and five home runs and drove in 41. He also stole 27 bases.
Perhaps most impressively, Elizondo struck out only 11 times in 149 at-bats. His ability to put the ball in play, reach base and immediately create pressure on the bases fit perfectly into McNeill's lineup.
Marquise Wood played 43 games and collected 61 hits while scoring 57 runs. Wood hit eight doubles, two triples and six home runs, drove in 49 runs and drew 38 walks. He also stole 30 bases while being caught only once.
That combination made Wood one of Tucson's most complete players. His importance would become even greater in the playoffs.
Brian Ledezma Provides Production Behind the Plate
Brian Ledezma gave Tucson an extremely productive catcher. Ledezma played 31 games and collected 43 hits in only 105 at-bats. He scored 43 runs, hit 10 doubles and five home runs and drove in 29. His .410 batting average made him one of the most productive hitters on the roster whenever he was in the lineup.
Ledezma also became an important postseason contributor during Tucson's championship run.
McNeill had production almost everywhere he looked. Logan Meyer collected 49 hits, scored 50 runs and drew 33 walks in 39 games. Dahiandy Johnson hit nine home runs and drove in 38 runs in only 25 games. Hal Perez collected 35 hits in 78 at-bats for a .449 batting average, Cedric Reynaud hit .383 with nine doubles in 24 games, Antonio Fernandez hit .387 in 26 games and drew 23 walks, and Mike Whalen hit .363 with 10 doubles and 28 walks.
There was very little relief for opposing pitchers. If they managed to get through Manisero and Perez-Torres, Elizondo and Wood were waiting. Then came Ledezma, Meyer, Johnson, Perez and the rest of the lineup. That depth helped Tucson produce one of the best records in the Pecos League.
Tucson also received excellent pitching throughout the season. Derek Cabrera went 6-1 with a 2.75 ERA, made eight starts and completed two games. Cabrera threw 49 innings and allowed only 15 earned runs, giving McNeill a dependable starter capable of working deep into games. For a team with Tucson's offense, that was often more than enough.
Ian Lanik became one of McNeill's most effective relief pitchers. Lanik went 4-0 with a 1.76 ERA in 14 appearances, allowing only three earned runs in 15.1 innings while striking out 22 hitters. The combination of strikeouts and run prevention gave Tucson an excellent bullpen weapon.
Mason Longoria Provides More Quality Innings
Mason Longoria went 2-2 with a 2.42 ERA in 12 appearances and threw 26 innings. Longoria allowed only 19 hits and seven earned runs while striking out 28 and walking only five. His 0.92 WHIP was one of the best marks on the staff.
Jesse Palafox Becomes the Closer
Jesse Palafox posted a 2.13 ERA in 13 appearances and recorded five saves. He struck out 19 hitters in only 12.2 innings. With Tucson carrying leads into the late innings regularly, Palafox became an important piece of the championship formula.
More Arms Behind Them
The pitching depth extended well beyond the top names. Nate Narccarato went 5-0, Sam Thombs went 4-0 with a 3.37 ERA, Blake Garrett went 4-0 with a 3.34 ERA over seven starts and Carson McKenna posted a 2.64 ERA in 11 appearances. Kevin Worek recorded two saves, Jaymon Cervantes threw a team-high 58.1 innings and struck out 49, Travis Cole went 6-0 and Zack Kamerman finished 4-1. It was a deep staff built to survive both a regular season and a playoff run.
Sean McNeill Becomes the Winningest Manager in Pecos League History
One of the most important moments of the season occurred July 19, when McNeill passed Bill Moore to become the winningest manager in Pecos League history. Victory number 275 moved him into first place on the league's all-time managerial wins list.
It was a significant accomplishment. McNeill had managed in the league for years before arriving in Tucson, but his tenure with the Saguaros turned him into one of the defining managers of the Pecos League era. His Tucson teams consistently won, consistently reached the playoffs and repeatedly reached the championship series. By 2025, no manager in league history had won more games.
Breaking the managerial wins record would have been enough to make 2025 memorable for McNeill, but his team was far from finished. Tucson closed the regular season at 43-9 while Garden City finished 44-7. Those two clubs had clearly separated themselves from most of the Mountain Division, and it seemed entirely possible that they were headed toward a postseason collision.
First, Tucson had to get through Pecos.
The Playoffs Begin Against the Pecos Bills
The Pecos Bills had advanced through the opening playoff round and earned the opportunity to face Tucson. The Saguaros quickly discovered that Pecos was not going to disappear quietly. Game 1 became an offensive battle, with Tucson defeating Pecos 13-11 as Marquise Wood helped lead the Saguaros through the high-scoring game.
The following night, Tucson finished the series with a 4-3 victory. Two games produced two Tucson victories, and the Saguaros were moving on.
The Series Everyone Expected - Tucson vs. Garden City
Garden City had been the best regular-season team in the entire Pecos League at 44-7, while Tucson finished 43-9. Combined, the two teams had won 87 regular-season games. Now they would meet for the Mountain Division Championship.
Because Garden City held the top seed, Tucson had to go to Clint Lightner Field. There would be no home-field advantage for the Saguaros. If McNeill's club wanted to play for another Pecos League Championship, it would have to eliminate the league's best regular-season team on its own field. That is exactly what Tucson did.
Game 1 - Tucson Takes Control in Garden City
Tucson defeated Garden City 11-5 in the opening game, with Gavy Perez-Torres helping lead the way. The Saguaros had taken control of the series immediately. Garden City now needed to win two straight games to save its season, but McNeill and Tucson never gave the Wind that opportunity.
Game 2 - Marquise Wood Sends Tucson to the Finals
Tucson completed the sweep with a 9-5 victory. Marquise Wood collected four hits, Antonio Fernandez added three, Jacob Elizondo hit a two-run home run and Perez-Torres added a home run of his own in the ninth inning. The Saguaros had gone into Garden City and beaten a 44-win team twice. They were Mountain Division Champions.
The victory sent Tucson back to a familiar place: the Pecos League Finals. The opponent would be the San Rafael Pacifics, and the matchup carried recent history. Two years earlier, San Rafael had defeated Tucson in the 2023 Pecos League Championship Series. Now the Saguaros had another opportunity.
Unlike the Garden City series, Tucson would have home-field advantage. All three games would be played at Kino Stadium. The Saguaros were two victories away from a championship.
Game 1 - San Rafael Punches First
The Pacifics immediately demonstrated why they had won the Pacific Division. San Rafael scored five runs in the first inning and defeated Tucson 12-9. The Buckson brothers helped lead the Pacifics attack. Tucson fought back throughout the night but could never completely erase the early deficit.
Anthony Manisero and Jacob Elizondo each collected three hits, while Brian Ledezma and Marquise Wood both homered, but it wasn't enough. San Rafael led the best-of-three championship series one game to none, and Tucson's season was now one loss from ending.
The second game became a classic Pecos League shootout. San Rafael again created problems for Tucson pitching, but this time the Saguaros kept answering. Twenty-nine combined runs were scored, the teams combined for 34 hits and 11 pitchers appeared.
Tucson trailed late, then scored four times in the eighth inning and won 16-13. The championship series was tied one game apiece. Everything McNeill and the Saguaros had accomplished during the entire season would now come down to one game.
Game 3 - One Game for the Pecos League Championship
On August 11, 2025, the Tucson Saguaros and San Rafael Pacifics met at Kino Memorial Stadium with one game deciding the Pecos League Championship. San Rafael struck first, scoring four runs in the top of the second inning, but Tucson immediately answered with three runs in the bottom half. The Saguaros tied the game in the third when Mike Whalen singled home Gavy Perez-Torres.
In the fourth, Marquise Wood singled home Perez-Torres to give Tucson a 5-4 lead. The game remained close and neither team could relax. Then Tucson finally broke it open.
Four Runs in the Eighth
The Saguaros entered the bottom of the eighth with only a one-run lead. One inning later, the championship was within reach. Tucson scored four times and expanded the lead, leaving the Pacifics suddenly running out of outs.
Then Tucson's pitching staff did something it hadn't consistently been able to do earlier in the championship series: it shut San Rafael down. The Pacifics did not score over the final four innings, and Tucson finished off an 11-7 victory.
Tucson Saguaros 11, San Rafael Pacifics 7.
The game was over, the series was over and the season was over. The Tucson Saguaros were Pecos League Champions.
The championship returned to Tucson. The Saguaros had not won the league title since 2021. They had come close, losing the 2022 championship series to Roswell and the 2023 championship series to San Rafael. In 2025, they finally finished the job again, and they did it against the same San Rafael franchise that had denied them two years earlier.
The final series results told the story: San Rafael won Game 1, 12-9, before Tucson responded with a 16-13 victory in Game 2 and an 11-7 victory in Game 3. Tucson won the series two games to one.
The title added another championship to Sean McNeill's Pecos League résumé. He had won with Tucson in 2020, won again in 2021 and then won the 2025 championship. The Pecos League's official history credits McNeill with three championships and identifies 2025 as the season in which he became the league's all-time wins leader.
It was difficult to imagine a more appropriate way for his final season to end. First, he passed Bill Moore. Then he won the Mountain Division Championship. Then he won the Pecos League Championship. McNeill was leaving the league from the top.
Sean McNeill's six-year regular-season run in Tucson was extraordinary. Tucson went 24-4 and won the Pecos League Championship in 2020, went 32-23 and won another championship in 2021, finished 34-8 and reached the championship series in 2022, went 33-13 and returned to the championship series in 2023, finished 27-18 in 2024 and then went 43-9 and won the championship again in 2025.
Those records represent sustained success that is extremely difficult to duplicate in independent baseball. Rosters turn over every year, players sign with other leagues or affiliated organizations, pitching staffs have to be rebuilt and schedules and divisions change. Yet McNeill's Tucson teams continued winning.
Sean McNeill's 2025 Tucson Saguaros finished the regular season 43-9 for an .827 winning percentage. Tucson defeated the Pecos Bills 2-0 in the Mountain Division playoffs, swept the Garden City Wind 2-0 to win the Mountain Division Championship and defeated the San Rafael Pacifics 2-1 in the Pecos League Championship Series. The Saguaros finished 6-1 in the postseason and 49-10 overall, ending the year as the 2025 Pecos League Champions.
Anthony Manisero collected 97 hits, scored 76 runs, hit 21 doubles, four triples and seven home runs, drove in 76 and stole 45 bases. Gavy Perez-Torres hit .364 with 79 hits, 13 home runs, 74 RBIs, 49 walks and 19 stolen bases and was named Mountain Division MVP. Jacob Elizondo hit .362 with 54 hits, 50 runs, five home runs, 41 RBIs and 27 stolen bases. Marquise Wood hit .353 with 61 hits, 57 runs, six home runs, 49 RBIs, 38 walks and 30 stolen bases. Brian Ledezma hit .410 with 43 hits, 43 runs, 10 doubles, five home runs and 29 RBIs. Dahiandy Johnson hit nine home runs and drove in 38 runs in 25 games, while Hal Perez hit .449 in 25 games.
On the mound, Derek Cabrera went 6-1 with a 2.75 ERA over 49 innings and threw two complete games. Ian Lanik went 4-0 with a 1.76 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 15.1 innings. Mason Longoria finished 2-2 with a 2.42 ERA, 28 strikeouts and only five walks in 26 innings. Jesse Palafox posted a 2.13 ERA with five saves, while Nate Narccarato went 5-0, Blake Garrett went 4-0 with a 3.34 ERA, Sam Thombs went 4-0 with a 3.37 ERA and Travis Cole went 6-0.
One of the most striking elements of the 2025 Tucson team was its speed. Anthony Manisero stole 45 bases, Marquise Wood stole 30, Jacob Elizondo stole 27, Gavy Perez-Torres stole 19, Logan Meyer stole 13, Dahiandy Johnson stole 13 in only 25 games and Patrick Music also stole 13. The Saguaros could turn a walk or single into an immediate scoring opportunity, and that pressure made an already deep offensive lineup even harder to control.
But This Team Could Also Hit
Tucson was not simply a running team. Manisero collected 97 hits, Perez-Torres hit 13 home runs, Dahiandy Johnson hit nine in only 25 games, Wood hit six and Elizondo and Ledezma each hit five. The Saguaros could manufacture runs, steal them and simply hit the baseball over the fence.
That offensive flexibility became especially valuable in the playoffs. Tucson won a 4-3 game against Pecos, an 11-5 game against Garden City, a 16-13 game against San Rafael and then won the championship 11-7. McNeill's club could win different kinds of baseball games.
From 2023 Heartbreak to 2025 Revenge
The opponent in the championship series made the title even more meaningful. San Rafael had defeated Tucson for the 2023 Pecos League Championship. Two years later, the teams met again. San Rafael won Game 1, and for a moment Tucson appeared headed toward another championship disappointment against the Pacifics.
Then the Saguaros responded. They scored 16 runs in Game 2 and 11 in Game 3. Tucson had reversed the result. This time the Pacifics watched the Saguaros celebrate.
The End of the Sean McNeill Era
The championship also marked the end of an era. Sean McNeill would not return as manager of the Tucson Saguaros in 2026. His six consecutive seasons managing Tucson had produced three Pecos League Championships and multiple additional appearances in the championship series. He had also become the winningest manager in Pecos League history.
The 2025 season therefore became more than another championship year. It became McNeill's farewell, and there was no better way for it to end. McNeill didn't leave after a rebuilding season, after missing the playoffs or after an early postseason elimination. He left after a 43-9 regular season, after becoming the league's all-time wins leader, after sweeping the Mountain Division playoffs and after beating San Rafael in the finals.
He left as Pecos League Champion.
A New Era Begins With Gavy Perez-Torres
The transition after McNeill would remain directly connected to the 2025 championship team. For 2026, Tucson selected Gavy Perez-Torres as its new manager. Perez-Torres had been the everyday shortstop and No. 3 hitter on McNeill's championship club, hitting .364 with 13 home runs and 74 RBIs while earning Mountain Division MVP honors.
Now he would move from shortstop to manager. That meant McNeill's final championship team would directly produce the manager who followed him.
There are very few opportunities in baseball to choose the perfect ending. Most careers don't end with a championship, most managers don't know when their final season will be and most don't break an all-time record and win a title during the same summer. Sean McNeill did.
The 2025 Tucson Saguaros went 43-9. McNeill won game number 275 and became the winningest manager in Pecos League history. Anthony Manisero produced 97 hits and stole 45 bases. Gavy Perez-Torres became Mountain Division MVP. The pitching staff produced undefeated seasons from Narccarato, Garrett, Thombs and Cole.
The Saguaros swept Pecos, traveled to Garden City and swept the 44-7 Wind, then returned to Kino Stadium and faced San Rafael. They lost Game 1 but refused to let the season end. Tucson won Game 2, 16-13, and then won Game 3, 11-7.
When the final out was recorded at Kino Stadium, Sean McNeill's final Pecos League team was the last team standing.
The Tucson Saguaros were the 2025 Pecos League Champions.
For McNeill, there could not have been a more fitting final chapter. The winningest manager in Pecos League history went out a winner. He went out a champion.
