Posted on April 7, 2010

Rosters (27.7%) Showcase Foreign-Born Players in MLB

USA Today, April 6, 2010

The percentage of Major League Baseball players born outside the United {snip} was 27.7% at the start of this season, down from 28% on opening day in 2009.

The MLB commissioner’s office said on Tuesday that of the 833 players on rosters at the end of Monday, 231 were born outside the U.S. {snip}

The Dominican Republic leads with 86 players in the majors. That’s five more than last year but two fewer than in 2008 and down 12 from 2007. Venezuela was next with 58, an increase of six from last year.

Puerto Rico was third with 21, a decrease of seven, {snip}.

The New York Mets had the most foreign-born players for the fourth time in five years and had a record high of 18, including from Canada, the Dominican Republic, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

The Chicago Cubs, Colorado, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers and Texas have 10 apiece.

{snip}