Although last year wasn’t a spectacular year for Cubans in the big leagues and record number 34 players from the largest of the Antilles did manage to make their presence felt between the lines in the world’s best league. Going in to the season five players of Cuban Heritage made the top 100 players in Major League Baseball heading into the season.
Only four Cubans made the All-Star Game roster in 2026, but we did manage to see spectacular years from players like Yandy Díaz, Zach Neto, Aroldis Chapman, Carlos Rodón, Adrián Morejón and Randy Arozarena, the latter two were inexplicably left off MLB’s Top 100 list.
With the influx of players signing with MLB ballclubs in the past five years expect this list of players making the top 100 to grow every year as Cuban players start making their presence felt more and more every year. Do not be surprised if pitchers such as Luis Morales and Johan Oviedo have breakout years in 2026 and join next year’s list.
28. Yordan Álvarez- The slugger from Las Tunas, Cuba is seen as the premier Cuban hitter when healthy. A hand and knee injury held the power-hitting Álvarez to only 165 at-bats last season. For his career the outfielder slashes .297/.389/.573/.961 with 170 homeruns and 493 runs batted in over seven seasons on the grand stage. Expect another .300-30-100 season from Álvarez if he can stay healthy.
71. Yandy Díaz- With possibly the best eye at the plate in the majors, Diaz had another solid season in Tampa. The native of Villa Clara, Cuba hit a solid .300, went yard a career high 25 times and posted a 3.4 bWAR, leaving him third amongst all Cubans. The infielder also swatted 175 runs and knocked in a career high 83 runs on the campaign.
84. Aroldis Chapman- The Cuban left-hander is arguably the most dominant reliever in baseball. At 37 years of age Chapman is still equipped with a 103 mph fastball the hurler saved 30 games for the ninth time in his career. The flamethrowing southpaw also posted a sterling 1.17 earned run average, 0.70 WHIP and opponents hit a paltry .132 in his versus. Chapman is 33 saves away from reaching 400 for his career in MLB.
87. Zach Neto- The Cuban-American shortstop led all Cubans with a 5.1 bWAR, while also posting his second straight 20-20 season as a professional. Neto is also an exceptional defender and swatted 25 doubles to go along with 62 runs batted in from the leadoff spot. Neto is arguably the top young shortstops in the game and has all the tools to be a perennial All-Star.
99. Carlos Rodón- Over the past two years the lefty has a 34-18 record with the Bronx Bombers, this includes 18 last year which tied him for the second most in the big leagues. The Cuban-American southpaw also fanned 203 hitters in a 195 ⅓ innings pitched. Although he will miss the first month of the season due to elbow surgery, expect Rodón to once again play a big part in New York’s rotation.