Opening Day rosters feature a record 291 internationally-born players
28.1% of players born outside the U.S., spanning 20 countries and territories; Dubón first-ever player from Honduras on Opening Day roster; record total of 109 players from the Dominican Republic
A record total of 291 players represented 20 different countries and territories outside of the 50 United States on 2020 Opening Day rosters and inactive lists, Major League Baseball announced today. The record total, eclipsing the 259 internationally-born players in 2017, comes with an increased player pool due to expanded 30-man active rosters.
The 288 players born outside the U.S. (28.4%) come from a record-high pool of 1,026 players (896 active 30-man roster players and 130 Major League players on injured, restricted or bereavement lists) on July 24th rosters. Opening Day and inactive list players represented 20 countries and territories by birthplace, tied with 2019 for the second-highest total behind only the record 21 countries and territories represented in 2018.
As it has each year since MLB began releasing this annual data in 1995, the Dominican Republic again leads the Major Leagues with a record 109 players born outside the United States. This marks the second consecutive season that the Dominican Republic has eclipsed the 100-mark, the only two times in history that any foreign country or territory has exceeded 100 players on Opening Day rosters.
Venezuela ranks second with 75 players, while Cuba places third with 22 players. Rounding out the totals are Puerto Rico (20, its highest total since 20 in 2011); Canada (9, its highest total since nine in 2015); Japan (9); Mexico (9); Colombia (7, a record-high, eclipsing the five in 2018); Panama (5, its highest since having seven in 2012); Curaçao (4); South Korea (4); Australia (3); Nicaragua (2); Taiwan (2); Aruba (1); Brazil (1); Germany (1); Honduras (1); Lithuania (1); and the Netherlands (1). San Francisco’s Mauricio Dubón, a native of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, is the first Honduras-born player to appear on an Opening Day roster in Major League history.
The Houston Astros and Minnesota Twins have the most internationally-born players with a total of 15 on each roster. They are followed by the Chicago White Sox (13), Miami Marlins (13), New York Yankees (13) and Cleveland Indians (12). The Yankees have players from eight different countries and territories outside the U.S., marking the most in the Majors. They are followed by the St. Louis Cardinals (7), Atlanta Braves (6), Boston Red Sox (6), Astros (6), Twins (6), Tampa Bay Rays (6) and Toronto Blue Jays (6).
For the 2020 season, MLB will work with 131 international media partners to broadcast games in 15 languages across 220 countries and territories.