Last year plenty of players of Cuban descent showcased their talents, in fact 11 players of Cuban heritage made the All-Star in Seattle. This year eight players of will make up the MLB’s preseason top 100 list.
Topping that list at #8 is probably the best pure hitter in the game, Yordan Álvarez. The native of Las Tunas, Cuba was a key component of the AL West Champion Houston Astros’s offense. In 114 games the slugger hit 31 longballs, knocked in 97 runs and slashed .293/.407/.583/.990.
Though Nolan Arenado did not have a typical year by his standards, he was still 33rd on the list. The Cuban-American American third baseman hit at 25 homeruns for the third straight year and for the eighth time in nine seasons. Though he is the premier defensive player at his position Arenado did not win a gold glove for the first time in his career last season.
This season there are eight players of Cuban heritage in MLB's top 100.#CubanBaseballDigest #MLB pic.twitter.com/5ExydweoUD
— Cuban Baseball Digest (@CBaseballDigest) February 22, 2024
Luis Robert finally had a healthy and it showed. Although he hit a middling .264 he swatted 75 XBH’s (38 homers,36 doubles, one triple). “The Panther” as he is known by the Cuban faithful is the most dynamic player in the majors for the Antilleans. Robert also swiped 20 bases on the season.
Yandy Diaz of the Tampa Bay Rays is the defending AL Batting Champion and 38th on the list. The first baseman had arguably his best season as a pro hitting .330 and slugging a career high 22 homers,” The Spider” also knocked in 78, collected 178 hits and won a Silver Slugger. With the amount of Cubans leaving the island expect the number of players on this list to grow.
Cubans amongst top 100 players in MLB:
8. Yordan Álvarez OF-DH
27. Luis Robert Jr OF
33. Nolan Arenado 3B*
38. Yandy Díaz 1B
39. Adolis García OF
40. Randy Arozarena OF
85. JD Martínez DH*
97. Tristón Casas 1B*
*Cuban-American