This year has been a historic year for players of Cuban heritage in major league baseball. This All-Star Game saw 11 of these players grace the field in the mid-summer classic, now 11 more of Cuban origins have hit more than 20 longballs on the campaign.
Sluggers Jorge Soler and Luis Robert lead the list with 35, while Adolis García is next with 34 and the only Cuban so far with a 100 runs batted in on the season. The best pure hitter of the lot Yordan Álvarez is next on the list with 27. There is a strong possibility that at four Cubans could finish with more than 30 roundtrippers.
Los 11 jugadores de herencia cubana con 20+ cuadrangulares está temporada:
Luis Robert 35
Jorge Soler 35
Adolis García 34
Yordan Álvarez 27
Nolan Arenado 26
J.D. Martínez 26
Tristón Casas 24
Nick Castellanos 23
Lourdes Gurriel Jr 22
Randy Arozarena 22
Yandy Díaz 20 pic.twitter.com/058ykYiZ4A— Yusseff305 🇨🇺🇺🇲 (@yusseff305) September 15, 2023
Cuban-Americans Nolan Arenado (26),J.D. Martínez, Tristón Casas (24) and Nick Castellanos (23) are next on the list. Arenado is considered by many the best third baseman of his generation, while Castellanos who is an extra-base hit machine also has 36 doubles and a triple on the campaign. In the case of Casas he is a prime candidate for the Rookie of the Year in the American League and J.D. Martínez, who has been a key cog in the Dodgers lineup has had a comeback season.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr continues to expand the baseball legacy of the his and was an All-Star this season. Yandy Díaz in the opinion of many is having the most complete season of any Cuban on the grand stage. Díaz is expected to receive votes and be amongst the finalists in the Most Valuable Player race in the American League.
Leaders amongst players of Cuban heritage in homeruns:
- Luis Robert 35, Jorge Soler 35
- Adolis García 34
- Yordan Álvarez 27
- Nolan Arenado 26*
- J.D. Martínez 26*
- Tristón Casas 24*
- Nick Castellanos 23*
- Lourdes Gurriel Jr 22
- Randy Arozarena 22
- Yandy Díaz 20
*Cuban-American