The Cuban Wave In Major League Baseball

The country of Cuba is home to 11 million people which is only three million more than the population of New York City. Cuba maybe known for its famous cigars, but their best export could be baseball players. In international competition Cuba has won three Olympic gold medals along with 12 gold medals in the Pan American Games. Aside from international competition Cuba has has a lasting impact in Major League Baseball.

In 1964 Cuban born starting pitcher Luis Tiant made his MLB debut with the Cleveland Indians. In 16 starts that season Tiant would go 10-4 with a 2.83 earned run average. By 1968 Tiant became a bona fide star as he made his first Major League Baseball All-Star Game appearance. Tiant would post a 21-9 record that season while also leading the American League in earned run average (1.60), and shutouts (9). From 1971-1978, Tiant pitched for the Boston Red Sox where he had three seasons in which he won at least 20 victories. With the Red Sox, Tiant would win 122 games which is fifth on the franchise’s all-time list. Tiant’s 1.60 earned run average in 1968 with the Indians still ranks as the franchise’s third lowest ERA for a single season. Tiant pitched in MLB for 19 seasons and he had a record of 229-172 with a 3.30 earned run average and 2,416 strikeouts.

In 1998 starting pitcher Orlando Hernandez made his Major League Baseball debut with the New York Yankees. Nicknamed “El Duque” for his prowess as a pitcher, Hernandez and his high leg kick took New York City by storm.

In 1998 Hernandez went 12-4 with a 3.13 earned run average as he helped the Yankees win the World Series. Hernandez would help the Yankees win two more World Series Championships before he did the same with the Chicago White Sox in 2005. In nine MLB seasons Hernandez had a record of 90-65 with a 4.13 earned run average.

In the modern Major League Baseball era, the influx of Cuban baseball players has been amazing. This season 20 native Cubans are on Major League rosters and they’re making a tremendous impact.

In 2009 pitcher Aroldis Chapman defected from Cuba and in January 2010 he signed with the Cincinnati Reds. Chapman’s fastball is regularly clocked at over 100 miles per hour on the radar gun. Chapman has been selected to a pair of National League All-Star teams and he his 94 career saves are already fifth in Reds franchise history.

In 2011 outfielder Yoenis Cespedes defected from Cuba and in 2012 the Oakland Athletics signed him to a four-year, $36 million deal. In his rookie season with the A’s, Cespedes batted .292 with 23 home runs and 82 runs batted in. Cespedes would finish second in the AL’s Rookie of the Year balloting as he helped the Athletics win their first American League West Division Title since 2006. In 2013 Cespedes hit 26 home runs along with 80 runs batted in. Cespedes would also go on to with the Home Run Derby at the MLB All-Star Game.

This season Cespedes is batting .262 with 14 homers and 55 runs batted in, but his defensive skills have been on display as well. Last month in a series against the Los Angeles Angels, Cespedes dared base runners to try his arm. First is was Angels first baseman Albert Pujols that tried to turn a double into a triple, but Cespedes had other thoughts in mind when he gunned him down at third base. On the next night Angels infielder Howie Kendrick was rounding third base with his eyes on home plate. But from the left field wall Cespedes threw the baseball 340 feet on the fly to gun Kendrick down at the plate which has been the highlight of his 10 outfield assist this season.

In 2012 outfielder Yasiel Puig fled from Cuba and he was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers to a seven-year, $42 million contract. Puig made his MLB debut with the Dodgers last June and it did not take that long before “Puigmania” took both Los Angeles and the baseball world by storm.

In his first five games with the Dodgers, Puig hit four home runs along with 10 runs batted in as he became only the second player in the modern era to accomplish that feat. In just 104 games last season Puig batted .319 with 19 home runs and 42 runs batted in. Puig would finish second in the National League’s Rookie of the Year voting last year to another Cuban born player in Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jose Fernandez. Puig would help the Dodgers win their first NL West Title since 2009 and in the postseason he had a .333 batting average with a .410 slugging percentage.

This season Puig is batting .308 with 12 homers and 49 runs batted in and he was named to his first National League All-Star team today. The Dodgers are once again in first place in the National League West with an eye towards the postseason.

First baseman Jose Abreu defected from Cuba last year and MLB teams were lining up for his services. Last October, Abreu and the Chicago White Sox would agree on a six-year, $68 million contract. The White Sox welcomed Abreu with open arms as he would join fellow Cubans in shortstop Alexei Ramirez and right fielder Dayan Viciedo with the South Siders.

Abreu has been a one-man wrecking crew this season as he tied for the Major League lead in home runs with 26 and he is third in runs batted in with 67. Abreu is on pace to become the first White Sox player to hit 40 home runs in a season since 2006 when Jermaine Dye hit 44 and Jim Thome hit 42.

For the month of April, Abreu was the American League’s Player of the Month as he had 10 home runs along with 31 runs batted in. For the months of April and June, Abreu was also the AL’s rookie of the Month and he is a legitimate MVP candidate. Abreu could become the first White Sox rookie to win the American League’s Rookie of the Year Award since Ozzie Guillen in 1985 and the first White Sox player since Frank Thomas in 1993 to be named as the AL MVP.

When you see players such as these in Major League Baseball it is no shock that Cuba has been able to do as well as it has in international baseball competition.

Other notable Cuban players currently in Major League Baseball

Yunel Escobar-Tampa Bay Rays

Leonys Martin-Texas Rangers