As Major League Baseball kicked off its 2024 season, the spotlight shifted to the diverse array of talent from across the globe gracing the field. The top five most represented international countries on Opening Day are:
- Dominican Republic (108 players)
- Venezuela (58 players)
- Cuba (18 players)
- Puerto Rico (17 players)
- Canada (13 players)
Top 5 most represented international countries on 2024's #OpeningDay
Dominican Republic 🇩🇴 (108 players)
Venezuela 🇻🇪 (58 players)
Cuba 🇨🇺 (18 players)
Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 (17 players)
Canada 🇨🇦 (13 players)(via @MLB) pic.twitter.com/2AXCptmx0F
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) March 29, 2024
Since 1995, Major League Baseball has diligently tracked the number of international players on rosters at the start of each season.
In 2024, a total of 264 international players graced Opening Day rosters, constituting approximately 28 percent of available spots.
Players from the Dominican Republic were leading the pack, followed closely by representatives from Venezuela and Cuba.
Countries like Germany, Aruba, Bahamas, Brazil, Honduras, Nicaragua, and South Africa each had a single player represented.
The Houston Astros emerged as the team boasting the highest number of international players on their roster for Opening Day, totaling 16.
The San Diego Padres closely trailed behind with 15 players born outside the USA.
Among the notable international pitchers for the Astros were Dominicans Framber Valdez, Ronel Blanco, Cristian Javier, and Rafael Montero, alongside South African Taylor Scott.
Mexican José Urquidy, Venezuelan Luis García, and Dominican Oliver Ortega were listed on the injured list.
In the infield, the Astros showcased a diverse lineup including Dominicans Yainer Díaz and Jeremy Peña, Cuban José Abreu, Venezuelan José Altuve, Puerto Rican Victor Caratini, Mexican César Salazar, and Honduran Mauricio Dubón.
However, the team featured only one international outfielder, the Cuban Yordan Álvarez.
