This is a breaking story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Joseph Deng, a lanky, hard-throwing pitcher out of South Sudan, was the second player to sign a minor league deal with a Major League Baseball organization during the last international signing period.
Deng inked a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers days before Donald Trump was sworn in as President of the United States on January 20.
Now, the 17-year-old’s development as a pitching prospect appears to be in jeopardy, as the U.S. Department of State announced the revocation of all visas issued to citizens of South Sudan on Saturday night, arguing that the impoverished, war-torn country in East Africa is “taking advantage of the United States.”
“Every country must accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner when another country, including the United States, seeks to remove them,” a statement issued by the State Department on behalf of Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
“As South Sudan’s transitional government has failed to fully respect this principle, effective immediately, the United States Department of State is taking actions to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and prevent further issuance to prevent entry into the United States by South Sudanese passport holders. We will be prepared to review these actions when South Sudan is in full cooperation.”
Deng, who is 6-foot-7 and 185 pounds, has a 95 mph fastball that pairs with a split-fingered fastball. He is expected to add velocity as his frame fills out. He has yet to appear in a professional game for a Dodgers affiliate, and it is unknown whether he is currently in the United States.
An email to Dodgers senior director of communications Joe Jareck seeking comment on the visa revocation and clarification on Deng’s status has not been returned.
Generally, foreign minor league players enter the United States on an H-2B visa, issued to seasonal workers, while players with Major League contracts or who have significant high-level experience enter the country on P-1A visas, issued to “world-class talent.”
As a relatively unknown prospect from a country without significant professional baseball, Deng would likely not qualify for a P-1A visa.
The announcement of the revocation of visas issued to South Sudanese citizens made news Saturday night as the semifinals of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament were being played.
Khaman Maluach, a 7-foot-2 center for the Duke University Blue Devils, hails from South Sudan, and played in the Blue Devils’ 70-67 loss to the University of Houston.
Per Duke spokespeople, the program has no comment on the situation at this time. https://t.co/Lrz7FMtGMe
— Brendan Marks (@BrendanRMarks) April 6, 2025
Brendan Marks of The Athletic asked Duke officials about Maluach’s status after Rubio posted on the social network X, formerly known as Twitter, and reported that the school had no comment.
If Deng is in the United States, Rubio’s statement would indicate that his visa is no longer valid. However, the Dodgers have operated a baseball academy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, known as Campo Las Palmas, since 1987, where their Dominican Complex League affiliate team plays. The Dominican Republic and South Sudan maintain diplomatic relations, and the Caribbean island nation continues to issue visas to citizens of South Sudan.
WBN MLB: https://worldbaseball.com/league/mlb/
Photo: Joseph Deng of South Sudan signed a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2025 International Signing Period.
