Historic: MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers sign two players from Uganda

Historic: MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers sign two players from Uganda
31/01/2022
Ben Serunkuma and Umar Male are the first Ugandan-born players to sign a professional baseball contract with an MLB club. Uganda is No. 43 in WBSC Men's Baseball World Rankings, the second African country in the rankings after No. 26 South Africa.

The Ugandan National Council of Sports and the Uganda Baseball and Softball Association announced at an event at the Lugogo Vocational Training Institute in Kampala that National Team members Ben Serunkuma and Umar Male signed for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB).

The deal reportedly includes a US$ 10,000 signing bonus and a US$ 10,000 education bonus for both players.

Both players will start their professional careers at the Dodgers Academy in the Dominican Republic. The Campo Las Palmas facility is located in San Antonio de Guerra, east of the capital Santo Domingo.

Coach Joshua Kizito Muwanguzi, a former National Team player, will also join the Dodgers organization and start working at the Campo Las Palmas facility.

"The Dodgers hope the success of these three young men will continue to grow the sport and inspire a new crop of potential professionals players from the Pearl of Africa," commented Will Nolden, a Youth Development coach for the Dodgers.

Serunkuma and Male are the first Ugandan-born players to be offered a professional contract. Uganda is No. 43 in WBSC Baseball World Rankings, the second African country in the rankings after No. 26 South Africa.

South Africa's infielder Gift Ngoepe made history in 2017 when he became the first player developed in Africa to compete at the MLB level. Ngoepe, 32, spent the 2021 season with Quebec of the independent Frontier League.

Fellow South African Tayler Scott, a 29-year old right-handed pitcher, followed in 2019 when he made his debut for the Seattle Mariners. He currently plays for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

The Hiroshima Toyo Carp are open to talent coming from developing baseball countries. Lithuanian right-handed pitcher Dovydas Neverauskas, 29, debuted at the top level against the Chiba Lotte Marines on 30 May 2021 after appearing in 14 games at the minor league level. Lithuania is No. 37 in WBSC Men's Baseball World Rankings.