NEW YORK-. The percentage of baseball players born outside the 50 states of the United States of the Major Leagues fell to 27.8%, the lowest amount since 2016.
On the Opening Day active roster and injured list were 264 players from 19 countries and territories outside the 50 states among the 949 total players, the commissioner's office said Friday.
This represents a reduction of 28.5% compared to last year and the lowest amounts since it was 27.5% in 2016. Since 2002 it has remained in a range of 26 to 29.8%, with the best year in 2017.
The total number of international players was the fourth most since there were 291 in 2020 (when the rosters were expanded to 30), 275 in 2022 (when it was expanded to 28 active players) and last year with 270.
The Dominican Republic led countries outside the United States with 108 players, the second most since they had 110 in 2020. Canada has 13, the most since 17 in 2013 and Japan has 10, the most since which had 11 in 2013.
Venezuela is second with 58, followed by Cuba with 18, Puerto Rico (17), Canada (13), Mexico (12), Japan (10), Colombia and Panama (5), Curaçao (4), South Korea (3), Australia (2) and Aruba, Bahamas, Brazil, Germany, Honduras, Nicaragua and South Africa (1).
The Houston Astros pitcher became just the second South African player to appear on the Opening Day roster after Toronto shortstop Gift Ngoepe in 2018.
Houston is the team with the most foreign players, with 18, followed by San Diego (15), Boston (14), Miami (14) and Cleveland (12).
The 19 nations and territories are the same as last year and are two away from the record of 2018 and 2022.
