NEW YORK — More than 28% of Major League Baseball players were born outside the 50 states. That represents a drop for the fourth straight season, although this decrease was particularly small.
MLB said Friday there were 256 such players of the 906 on opening day rosters, injured lists, the restricted list and the paternity list.
The Dominican Republic led with 98 players, down from 110 last year, with the expanded roster. Venezuela was next with 64 players, followed by Cuba with 19.
Houston led with 15 players born outside the 50 states, followed by Minnesota and San Diego (14 each) and Miami (13).
The percentage was 28.3, down from 28.4% last year, when the active limit expanded from 25 to 30 during the pandemic before resetting at the new normal of 26 this year.
The percentage was a record 29.8 in 2017, then dropped to 29% in 2018 and 29.5% in 2019.
Puerto Rico had the fourth-highest total at 18, followed by Mexico (11), Canada (10), Japan (eight), Colombia (six), Curaçao (five), South Korea (four), Panama (two), and Aruba, Australia, Bahamas; Brazil, Germany, Honduras, Netherlands, Nicaragua and Taiwan (one each).
Miami shortstop Jazz Chisholm became the first Bahamian-born player on an opening day roster since MLB started keeping records.
