Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning of the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Thursday, March 28, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The 2024 Major League Baseball regular season began on opening day with 265 foreign-born players in uniform with Major League clubs, the fourth-most all-time.
The 265 foreign-born players come from a total pool of 949 players, meaning that 27.8% of players were born outside the United States, in 20 different countries and territories. The total player pool includes the 779 players on the 26-man rosters and 170 Major League players on inactive, injured or restricted lists dated from March 28.
The only seasons with more foreign-born players on opening day rosters were the 2020 season with 291 players and expanded 30 man active rosters, the 2022 season with 275 players on 28-man active rosters, and last season, with 270 with on 26-man active rosters. MLB began releasing annual data for international born players in 1995.
All 30 teams for the 2024 MLB season will have 26 players on their active rosters.
The Dominican Republic once again leads the Major Leagues with 106 players on active rosters to begin the regular season, and the island nation has a player on every active roster.
Venezuela is second with 58 players, and Cuba is third with 20 players on an MLB active roster.
Puerto Rico has 17 and Canada has 13, the highest total since Canada had 17 players on 2013’s opening day rosters.
Mexico has 12 active players and Japan has 11, the country’s highest total since having 11 players on 2013’s opening day rosters.
Colombia has five born players listed on MLB opening day rosters: Luis Patiño of the San Diego Padres, Jose Quintana of the New York Mets, Harold Ramirez of the Tampa Bay Rays, Gio Urshela of the Detroit Tigers and Guillermo Zúñiga of the Los Angeles Angels.
Panama, as well, has five players starting the season in the Major Leagues: Miguel Amaya with the Chicago Cubs, Christian Bethancourt of the Miami Marlins, Jose Caballero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Ivan Herrera of the St. Louis Cardinals, and Edmundo Sosa of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Curaçao has four players starting the 2024 regular season in the Majors: Ozzie Albies of the Atlanta Braves, Kenley Jansen and Ceddanne Rafaela of the Boston Red Sox, and Jurickson Profar of the San Diego Padres.
There are three players from South Korea on active rosters: Ji-hwan Bae of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Ha-seong Kim of the San Diego Padres, and Rob Refsnyder of the Boston Red Sox.
Brazil has two players on active rosters to begin 2024 with Yan Gomes of the Chicago Cubs and Thyago Vieira of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Seven other countries have one player listed on a 2024 MLB active roster: Aruba’s Xander Bogaerts of the San Diego Padres, Australia’s Curtis Mead of the Tampa Bay Rays, the Bahamas’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the Miami Marlins, Germany’s Max Kepler of the Minnesota Twins, and Honduras’s Mauricio Dubon, Nicaragua’s Jonathan Loáisiga, and South Africa with Tayler Scott are all with the Houston Astros.
Jesus Luzardo of the Miami Marlins is of Venezuelan descent and was born in Lima, Peru.
San Diego Padres pitcher Adrian Morejon was born in Havana, Cuba ,and pitched in Seoul, South Korea, at the Gocheok Sky Dome out of the bullpen against the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 20. He was sent down to Triple-A El Paso on March 28.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays is of Dominican descent and was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Guerrero Jr. is eligible to play for Canada or the Dominican Republic in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim became the first South Korean born player to win a Gold Glove Award, doing so last season.
San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee played with Kiwoom Heroes from 2017-3 and won the Korean Baseball Organization Rookie of the Year in 2017, won the KBO League Most Valuable Player Award in 2022 and was 5x KBO League Golden Glove Award from 2018-22 before he signed a six-year, $113 million contract to the Bay Area on December 14, 2023. Lee is of South Korean descent and was born in Nagoya, Japan.
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto played in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan with the Orix Buffaloes and was a Japan Series champion in 2022, a five-time NPB All-Star in 2018, 2019, and from 2021-23, a three-time Japanese Triple Crown Winner from 2021-23, a three-time Pacific League MVP from 2021-23, three-time Eiji Sawamura Award from 2021-23, three-time Best Nine Award from 2021-23, and a three-time Pacific League Golden Glove Award from 2021-23, a four-time Pacific League ERA champion in 2019 and from 2021-23, a four-time Pacific League strikeout champion from 2020-23, and a three-time Pacific League wins champion from 2021-23 before he signed to the blue and white to a 12-year, $325 million contract on Dec. 27, 2023.
Yamamoto made his MLB debut in Seoul, South Korea, against the San Diego Padres in the second game of the season on March 21 and recorded the loss, throwing one inning, allowing four hits, five earned runs, one walk, and two strikeouts. Yamamoto is scheduled for his second big league start on March 30 at home against the St. Louis Cardinals at 9:10 p.m. EST.
Wander Franco of the Dominican Republic was placed on paid administrative leave by the Tampa Bay Rays through June 1 as part of a joint agreement between the Major League Baseball Players Association and all the 30 owners in MLB.
According to Andy McCullough and Lauren Miola of The Athletic,”The procedural move to place Franco on administrative leave allows the Rays to remove the shortstop, who signed a $182 million extension in 2021, from the 40-man roster. Franco spent the final weeks of last season on administrative leave, which Major League Baseball uses while a player is being investigated under the league’s domestic violence policy. Franco was reinstated to the 40-man roster after the season. Franco could still be suspended under the domestic policy, with the outcome depending on the separate investigations conducted by the authorities in the Dominican Republic and MLB.”
For the fourth consecutive season, the Houston Astros have the most internationally-born players, with a total of 16 on their roster.
The Astros are followed by the San Diego Padres with 15, the Boston Red Sox with 14, the Miami Marlins with 14, the Cleveland Guardians with 12, the Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays are all with 11 international born players on their active rosters to begin the 2024 regular season.
The Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Rays each have players from seven different countries and territories outside the United States and are tied for the most in the majors among the 30 franchises.
They are followed by the Chicago Cubs and the Minnesota Twins, who both with six internationally-born players on their active rosters.
A complete list of internationally-born players on 2024 Opening Day rosters and inactive lists is below.
ARUBA (1)
Xander Bogaerts (SD)
AUSTRALIA (2)
Liam Hendriks (BOS) – *IL
Curtis Mead (TB)
BAHAMAS (1)
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (MIA)
BRAZIL (2)
Yan Gomes (CHC)
Thyago Vieira (MIL)
CANADA (13)
Matt Brash (SEA)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR)
Edouard Julien (MIN)
Bo Naylor (CLE)
Josh Naylor (CLE)
Tyler O’Neill (BOS)
James Paxton (LAD)
Nick Pivetta (BOS)
Cal Quantrill (COL)
Jordan Romano (TOR)
Cade Smith (CLE)
Michael Soroka (CWS)
Abraham Toro (OAK)
COLOMBIA (5)
Luis Patiño (SD)
Jose Quintana (NYM)
Harold Ramírez (TB)
Gio Urshela (DET)
Guillermo Zuñiga (LAA)
CUBA (20)
Jose Abreu (HOU)
Yordan Alvarez (HOU)
Randy Arozarena (TB)
Dairon Blanco (KC)
Yennier Cano (BAL)
Aroldis Chapman (PIT)
Nestor Cortes (NYY)
Aledmys Díaz (OAK)
Yandy Díaz (TB)
Adolis García (TEX)
Yasmani Grandal (PIT)
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (AZ)
Andy Ibáñez (DET)
Raisel Iglesias (ATL)
Yoan Moncada (CWS)
Adrian Morejon (SD) – *S
Johan Oviedo (PIT)
Cionel Pérez (BAL)
Luis Robert Jr. (CWS)
Jorge Soler (SF)
CURAÇAO (4)
Ozzie Albies (ATL)
Kenley Jansen (BOS
Jurickson Profar (SD)
Ceddane Rafaela (BOS)
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (106)
Bryan Abreu (HOU)
Willy Adames (MIL)
Jorge Alcala (MIN)
Sandy Alcantara (MIA)
Miguel Andujar (OAK)
Felix Bautista (BAL)
Brayan Bello (BOS)
Ronel Blanco (HOU)
Huascar Brazoban (MIA)
Jhony Brito (SD)
Vidal Bruján (MIA)
Edward Cabrera (MIA)
Genesis Cabrera (TOR)
Luis Castillo (SEA)
Miguel Castro (AZ)
Jose Cisnero (LAA)
Emmanuel Clase (CLE)
Roasny Contreras (PIT)
Oneil Cruz (PIT)
Jose Cuas (CHC)
Bryan De La Cruz (MIA)
Elly De La Cruz (CIN)
Enyel De Los Santos (SD)
Rafael Devers (BOS)
Yainer Diaz (HOU)
Jasson Domínguez (NYY)
Seranthony Domínguez (PHI)
Camilo Doval (SF)
Ezequiel Duran (TEX)
Jhoan Duran (MIN)
Santiago Espinal (CIN)
Carlos Estévez (LAA)
Jose A. Ferrer (WSH)
Estevan Florial (CLE)
Wander Franco (TB) – *AL
Luis Frías (AZ)
Deivi García (CWS)
Luis García (LAA)
Yimi García (TOR)
Luis Gil (NYY)
Teoscar Hernández (LAD)
Cristian Javier (HOU)
Dany Jiménez (OAK)
Eloy Jiménez (CWS)
Ramon Laureano (CLE)
Jose Leclerc (TEX)
Reynaldo López (ATL)
Manuel Margot (MIN)
Ketel Marte (AZ)
Noelvi Marte (CIN)
Starling Marte (NYM)
Yunior Marte (PHI)
Angel Martínez (CLE)
Jorge Mateo (BAL)
Ronny Mauricio (NYM)
Luis Medina (OAK)
Frankie Montas (CIN)
Elehuris Montero (COL)
Rafael Montero (HOU)
Christopher Morel (CHC)
Dauri Moreta (PIT)
Hector Neris (CHC)
Oliver Ortega (HOU)
Luis Ortiz (PIT)
Marcell Ozuna (ATL)
Cristian Pache (PHI)
Joel Payamps (MIL)
Elvis Peguero (MIL)
Jeremy Peña (HOU)
Freddy Peralta (MIL)
Wandy Peralta (SD)
Angel Perdomo (ATL)
Geraldo Perdomo (AZ)
Eury Pérez (MIA)
Jorge Polanco (SEA)
Jose Ramírez (CLE)
Yohan Ramírez (NYM)
Pablo Reyes (BOS)
Victor Robles (WSH)
Endy Rodríguez (PIT)
Joely Rodriguez (BOS)
Julio Rodríguez (SEA)
Yerry Rodríguez (TEX)
Johan Rojas (PHI)
Amed Rosario (TB)
Eguy Rosario (SD)
Esteury Ruiz (OAK)
Cristopher Sanchez (PHI)
Gary Sánchez (MIL)
Jesus Sánchez (MIA)
Sixto Sánchez (MIA)
Miguel Sanó (LAA)
Carlos Santana (MIN)
Gregory Santos (SEA)
Luis Severino (NYM)
Jose Siri (TB)
George Soriano (MIA)
Jose Soriano (LAA)
Gregory Soto (PHI)
Juan Soto (NYY)
Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD)
Leody Taveras (TEX)
Jose Ureña (TEX)
Abner Uribe (MIL)
Enmanuel Valdez (BOS)
Framber Valdez (HOU)
GERMANY (1)
Max Kepler (MIN)
HONDURAS (1)
Mauricio Dubón (HOU)
JAPAN (11)
Yu Darvish (SD)
Shota Imanaga (CHC)
Yusei Kikuchi (TOR)
Jung Hoo Lee (SF) – *SK
Kenta Maeda (DET)
Yuki Matsui (SD)
Shohei Ohtani (LAD)
Kodai Senga (NYM)
Seiya Suzuki (CHC)
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD)
Masataka Yoshida (BOS)
MEXICO (12)
Jonathan Aranda (TB)
Javier Assad (CHC)
Daniel Duarte (MIN)
Giovanny Gallegos (STL)
Victor González (NYY)
Alejandro Kirk (TOR)
Joey Meneses (WSH)
Andres Muñoz (SEA)
Isaac Paredes (TB)
Luis Urías (SEA)
Ramon Urías (BAL)
Jose Urquidy (HOU)
NICARAGUA (1)
Jonathan Loáisiga (NYY)
PERU (1)
Jesus Luzardo – *V
PANAMA (5)
Miguel Amaya (CHC)
Christian Bethancourt (MIA)
Jose Caballero (TB)
Ivan Herrera (STL)
Edmundo Sosa (PHI)
PUERTO RICO (17)
Javier Báez (DET)
Jose Berríos (TOR)
Victor Caratini (HOU)
Willi Castro (MIN)
Carlos Correa (MIN)
Fernando Cruz (CIN)
Alexis Díaz (CIN)
Edwin Díaz (NYM)
Darell Hernaiz (OAK)
Kike Hernández (LAD)
Joe Jiménez (ATL)
Francisco Lindor (NYM)
Jorge López (NYM)
Martin Maldonado (CWS)
Eddie Rosario (WSH)
Christian Vázquez (MIN)
Nelson Velázquez (KC)
SOUTH AFRICA (1)
Tayler Scott (HOU)
SOUTH KOREA (3)
Ji-Hwan Bae (PIT)
Ha-Seong Kim (SD)
Rob Refsnyder (BOS)
VENEZUELA (58)
Wilyer Abreu (BOS)
Ronald Acuña Jr. (ATL)
Jose Altuve (HOU)
Jose Alvarado (PHI)
Francisco Alvarez (NYM)
Adbert Alzolay (CHC)
Orlando Arcia (ATL)
Gabriel Arias (CLE)
Luis Arraez (MIA)
Pedro Avila (SD)
Jose Azocar (SD)
Eduard Bazardo (SEA)
Oswaldo Cabrera (NYY)
Carlos Carrasco (CLE)
Jackson Chourio (MIL)
William Contreras (MIL)
Wilson Contreras (STL)
Elias Díaz (COL) – *V
Thairo Estrada (SF)
Freddy Fermin (KC)
Wilmer Flores (SF)
Avisail García (MIA)
Luis Garcia (HOU)
Maikel Garcia (KC)
Andres Giménez (CLE)
Brusdar Graterol (LAD)
Luis Guillorme (ATL)
Carlos Hernández (KC)
Pablo López (MIN)
Tucupita Marcano (SD)
Rafael Marchán (PHI)
German Márquez (COL)
Bryan Mata (BOS)
Anthony Molina (COL)
Andruw Monasterio (MIL)
Gabriel Moreno (AZ)
Omar Narváez (NYM)
Edward Olivares (PIT)
Oswald Peraza (NYY)
Martin Pérez (PIT)
Salvador Perez (KC)
Rene Pinto (TB)
Jose Quijada (LAA)
Luis Rengifo (LAA)
Brayan Rocchio (CLE)
Eduardo Rodriguez (AZ)
Miguel Rojas (LAD)
Keibert Ruiz (WSH)
Anthony Santander (BAL)
Antonio Senzatela (COL)
Eugenio Suárez (AZ)
Jose Suarez (LAA)
Ranger Suárez, (PHI)
Robert Suarez (SD)
Gleyber Torres (NYY)
Ezequiel Tovar (COL)
Ildemaro Vargas (WSH)
Angel Zerpa (KC)
List compiled from data released by MLB.
*C – Played For Colombia At 2023 WBC Due To His Father’s Heritage
*IL – 60-day Injured List
*PA – Paid Administrative Leave Through June 1
*S – Played In Seoul, South Korea on Mar. 20-Was Sent Down To Triple-A El Paso on Mar. 28
*SK – South Korean Descent (Born In Nagoya, Japan) & Played For South Korea At 2023 WBC
*V – Venezuelan Descent (Born In Lima, Peru) & Played For Venezuela At 2023 WBC