Long embedded in American culture for over 100 years, Baseball was always America’s sport until the rapid rise of the NFL. Baseball has changed significantly in the last few decades as the talent pool of Latin American and Japanese stars is currently high. Nearly 30% of current MLB players are of Latin origin, and international players are now some of the league’s biggest stars.
Just this past year, out of the Top 3 AL MVP candidates, Yordan Alverez (Cuba) and Shohei Ohtani (Japan), the former AL MVP, were in the running but could not compete with the historic season of Aaron Judge.
Dominican Pitcher Sandy Alcantara dominated the NL, leading him to win the NL Cy Young award. The changes in baseball are rapidly becoming more diverse and bringing a new cultural aspect.
Shohei Ohtani
Ohtani might be one of the greatest stories in sports of recent years. Now being an Ace for the Angels and amongst their top 2 hitters, the 2021 MVP has been spectacular. Pitching a 2.32 ERA this past season, Ohtani may be the closest to Babe Ruth that the Baseball world has seen.
Ohtani recently signed a 1-year $30,000,000 extension with the Angles. However, his next long-term contract after the 2023 season could become one of the most expensive and lucrative deals in sports.
Latino Dominance
Some of the biggest superstars in Baseball at the moment are from Latin countries. Names like: Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Juan Soto, Ronald Acuna, Julio Rodriguez, and Rafael Devers are amongst many other All-Star caliber players. This past All-Star game consisted of 26 Latino participants. Their presence and culture are brought more to life within the games and the clubhouse.
Albert Pujols
One of the all-time greats, Albert Pujols, hung up his cleats after 22 seasons in the MLB. The Dominican star became the 4th player ever to hit 700 Home Runs. His impressive resume consists of 2-World Series, 11 All-Star appearances, and 3 NL MVP awards. His legacy will live as he took Latin baseball in the MLB to a higher level.
The Present and Future of Baseball
The recent years of Baseball have drastically made it a fantastic sport for foreign talent. Much early scouting and development are shifting toward areas like the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, where the game has become almost a religion.
The future of the sport will surely continue to grow with the amount of money MLB teams spend on developing young talent from these regions. As well as finding talent from the Nippon Professional Baseball league, the highest level of Baseball in Japan.
The league is growing stronger, with a larger presence of stars from foreign nations now entering Major League Baseball, allowing the future of the sport to globalize.
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