List of baseball players who defected from Cuba

Summarize Timeline Fact Check

Prior to the Cuban Revolution, which saw Castro rise to power in 1959, Cuban-born players often played in the American Negro leagues and in Major League Baseball (MLB). Following the revolution, U.S.–Cuba relations became strained, and Castro ended professional baseball in Cuba (the Cuban League)^[1] and forbade Cuban players to play abroad.^[2]

Some players defected during the Cold War. Rogelio Álvarez, who debuted in MLB in 1960, was barred from continuing his professional career in the United States, and defected from Cuba through Mexico in 1963.^[3] Bárbaro Garbey left Cuba in the Mariel boatlift in 1980.^[1] After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Cuba's economy struggled badly and faced severe repercussions from the embargo.^[2] Baseball players began to seek careers in MLB due to the high salaries. In 1991, René Arocha defected. He was followed by Rey Ordóñez in 1993. Rolando Arrojo defected during the 1996 Summer Olympics, which were held in the U.S.^[4] The Cuban government treats attempted defectors as disloyal, which led to increased defections. Orlando Hernández was loyal to Cuba, until he was banned from the national team following the defection of his half-brother, Liván.^[5]

Players attempting to play in MLB often choose not to defect to the U.S. or Canada, because establishing residency there subjects them to the Major League Baseball draft. By defecting to another nation, they can be considered international free agents.^[6]

In 2008, Joe Kehoskie, a former baseball agent who represented several dozen Cuban players, told author Michael Lewis, "There’s at least half a billion dollars of baseball players in Cuba right now and probably a lot more."^[7] By the end of 2014, approximately 30 subsequent Cuban defectors had signed MLB contracts totaling just under $500 million.^[8][9][10]

The largest contract given to a Cuban defector was outfielder Rusney Castillo's seven-year contract with the Boston Red Sox, signed in 2014, worth $72.5 million.^[11] First baseman José Abreu signed a six-year contract worth $68 million with the Chicago White Sox in 2013.^[12] The largest contract given to a pitcher was the $32 million the New York Yankees gave to José Contreras in 2002,^[13] while the Cincinnati Reds signed Aroldis Chapman for $30.25 million in 2010.^[14]

While some players who defected have obtained multimillion-dollar contracts to play in MLB, many received only minor-league contracts and did not reach MLB, and many others didn't sign contracts at all.^[2][15] Players who defect are often separated from their families,^[16] leading to severed relationships, such as between Jorge Toca and the mother of his son.^[5]

In late 2018, an agreement was reached between MLB, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), and the Baseball Federation of Cuba. The agreement created a legal path for Cuban baseball players to sign with MLB teams without having to defect.^[17] However, the Trump administration declared the agreement illegal and revoked it in April 2019.^[18] Since then, players have continued to defect, such as Lázaro Blanco in 2021.^[19]

• List of Cuban football players who have defected to the United States
• List of Major League Baseball players from Cuba