Major League Baseball (MLB) announced that a total of 264 players representing 19 countries or territories outside of the 50 United States represent 27.8% of a total pool of 949 players (779 on active 26-man rosters and 170 on inactive, injured or restricted lists) on the opening day rosters.
The Dominican Republic tops the list with 108 players, followed by Venezuela (58). Cuba (18) ranks third, followed by Puerto Rico (17), Canada (13), Mexico (12), Japan (10), Colombia, Panama (5), Curaçao (4), Korea (3) Australia (2), Aruba, the Bahamas, Brazil, Germany, Honduras, Nicaragua and South Africa (1).
Aruba's Xander Bogaerts (San Diego Padres) helped the Netherlands win the 2011 Baseball World Cup.
Among the 10 Canadians, catcher Bo Naylor, first baseman Josh Naylor (a three-time WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup alum) and right-handed pitcher Cade Smith represented Canada in the U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017. They will all play for the Cleveland Guardians. Veteran outfielder Tyler O'Neill (Boston Red Sox) played in the inaugural WBSC Premier12 2015.
Among the 18 Cubans, slugger José Abreu (Houston Astros) and left-handed pitcher Aroldis Chapman (Pittsburgh Pirates) played in the Baseball World Cup. Outfielder Randy Arozarena played for Cuba in the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup. He recently decided to represent Mexico internationally. Also, outfielder Jorge Soler (Miami Marlins) played for Cuba in the U-18 Baseball World Cup. Superstar Luis Robert (Chicago White Sox) represented Cuba in the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup.
Since this data was first released in 1995, the Dominican Republic has always been the country with more players on MLB rosters. Seattle Mariners star Julio Rodriguez helped his country win an historic bronze medal in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez was on the Dominican roster at the inaugural WBSC Premier12 2015.
Five of the 10 Japanese players represented their country in the Olympics: right-handed pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LA Dodgers) and Kodai Senga (New York Mets) and outfielders Seiya Suzuki (Chicago Cubs) and Masataka Yoshida (Boston Red Sox) helped Japan win gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Right-handed pitcher Yu Darvish appeared in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Suzuki and left-handed pitcher Shota Imanaga (Chicago Cubs) helped Japan win the WBSC Premier12 2019. Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani (LA Dodgers), right-handed pitcher Kenta Maeda (Detroit Tigers), and left-handed pitcher Yuki Matsui (San Diego Padres) played in the inaugural Premier12 2015.
Mexico's left-handed pitcher Luis Urias (Seattle Mariners) and the New York Mets star shortstop Francisco Lindor (Puerto Rico) represented their country in the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup.
San Diego Padres infielder Ha-Seon Kim represented Korea in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the WBSC Premier12 2019. The Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Ji-Hwan Bae was his teammate in the Tokyo Games and played for Korea in the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup. San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee played for Korea at the WBSC Premier12 2019.
Venezuela has 58 players on the opening-day rosters including Miami Marlins star infielder Luis Arraez, who represented his country in the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup, and right-handed pitcher Luis Garcia (Houston Astros), who played for his country at the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup.
For the fourth consecutive season, the Astros have the most internationally-born players, with 16 on their roster. They are followed by the San Diego Padres (15), Boston Red Sox (14), Miami Marlins (14), Cleveland Guardians (12), Minnesota Twins (11), New York Mets (11), Pittsburgh Pirates (11) and Tampa Bay Rays (11).
