Jan 23, 2010 10:03 AM EST

The Marlins are preparing for a goodwill trip to Iraq and Kuwait.

Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez will be joined by NL Rookie of the Year Chris Coghlan, catcher John Baker, president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest and four members of the team's Mermaids dance crew.

The group flies Sunday from Washington to Kuwait.

The Marlins say the weeklong trip is the first of its kind for a major league club since the Iraq war began.

Via ESPN