More than 100 Dominican players earn spots on Opening Day rosters

NEW YORK – There were more than 100 Dominican players in the major leagues on opening day, the first time a nation outside the U.S. reached the century mark.

Major League Baseball said Friday that 251 of 882 players on opening-day rosters, injured lists and the restricted list were born outside of the United States. Among those, 102 were from the Dominican Republic. That comes to 11.6 percent, just behind the 11.7 percent record it set in 2007 with 99 of 849.

The total of international players is the third highest behind 259 in 2017 and 254 last year. The 28.5 percent figure is down slightly from 29 percent last year and is the fifth-highest. The record of 29.8 percent was set in 2017.

Venezuela was second with 68, followed by Cuba (19); Puerto Rico (18); Mexico (eight); Japan and Canada (six each); Curacao and South Korea (five each); and Colombia (four).

Aruba, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Taiwan and the U.S. Virgin Islands have one each.

The Minnesota Twins and the Pittsburgh Pirates have the most international-born players with 14 apiece, followed by the Chicago White Sox with 13 and Miami and Tampa Bay with 11 apiece.