MLB Sees Decline in Foreign-Born Player Representation

The percentage of foreign-born players in Major League Baseball hits its lowest mark since 2002. Opening day rosters feature 26.1% of players from outside the 50 states, down from 27.8% last year. This equates to 247 players from 16 nations among a total of 948 active and restricted roster spots. Japan sees its highest representation since 2010, with 14 players, including stars like Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Dominican Republic leads with 93 players, followed by Venezuela with 60 and Cuba with 20. Atlanta and San Diego tie for the most foreign players at 15 each. Houston, once dominant in this area, now joins with 15. The trend reflects a decline from a high of 29.8% in 2017 and a drop of 23 players since last year’s total of 270.