The MLB is North America’s oldest professional sports league. Professional baseball started with the National League, which was founded back in 1876, then expanded with the American League in 1901. Considered one of America’s pastimes, the sport of baseball is on par with football as the nation’s favorite.
Or so you would think. In reality, the MLB has a much larger fanbase worldwide thanks to the global popularity of baseball. The NFL’s football, on the other hand, tends to perform poorly abroad. Baseball, however, is played worldwide, from South Korea’s KBO to Japan’s NPB to Mexico’s Mexican League.
Furthermore, the biggest teams are international names. This year, for example, World Series betting odds list the LA Dodgers and the Houston Astros as favorites. Both teams have global followings. The Dodgers even celebrate Japanese Heritage Night in honor of the country’s influence on the MLB.
Across town, the Dodgers’ rivals, the LA Angels, have one of the best players in the sport: Shohei Ohtani, who hails from Japan. Clearly, there’s interest in baseball around the world and a growing acknowledgment of how influential foreign-born players are in the league—but baseball’s international nature is nothing new.
Almost 30% of League Born Outside North America
In April 2022, the MLB released one of its most interesting annual reports, which covers the nationalities of all players on its Opening Day rosters. This year, 28.2% of all players were born outside the US. These players represent a total of 21 countries and territories, including Guam and Puerto Rico.
The total count reached 275 foreign-born players (out of 975) which was the second-highest record in the MLB. Only 2020 topped this number when the MLB counted 291 international athletes on its Opening Day rosters. Some chalked the bloated number up to the MLB’s expanded roster, which kicked off in 2020 with 30 players total.
So, which countries top the list? Unsurprisingly, the Dominican Republic saw the most internationals fly north to play in the MLB with a total of 99 players. The country has regularly topped the list since the MLB first ran the report in 1995. Close behind in 2022 was Venezuela, which sent 67 players to the league.
The Greats
Foreign-born players don’t just make up close to one-third of MLB rosters—these players comprise some of the league’s greatest and most memorable talents. For example, Adrian Beltre is considered one of the MLB’s best players. In 2004, Beltre drove 121 runs, nearly nabbing the league’s MVP award. Beltre, aged 32 years at the time, hails from Dominican Republic.
Meanwhile, Andruw Jones of Curacao made his name as part of the Atlanta Braves lineup back in the late 90s and early 2000s. For ten of his 12 seasons with the team, Jones hit over 25 home runs per season, which helped him nab five All-Star nods.
Case in Point: Pujols & Molina Take Saint Louis
However, when it comes to the greatest foreign-born players of all time, few take the cake like long-time teammates Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina. Pujols was born in the Dominican Republic, while Molina was born in Puerto Rico.
Both players found themselves on the roster of the St. Louis Cardinals. Though Pujols spent a long stint in Los Angeles, he’s most well-known for his slugging in St. Louis. He’s an 11-time All-Star player with two World Series titles and three MVP awards. He’s considered one of the greatest players the MLB has ever seen for his batting and fielding abilities.
Meanwhile, Molina is held as the paragon of catchers. Alongside Pujols, he brought home two World Series to Saint Louis—he’s also been named an All-Star player ten times and nabbed nine Golden Glove Awards. Together, he and Pujols are considered heroes and legends in the city of St. Louis.
In fact, Molina, Pujols, and Adam Wainwright, who rose to fame together in the early 2000s, are now playing their final year on the Cardinals together. Wainwright, born in Georgia, will also be remembered fondly for his contributions to the team.