This is a list of baseball players who defected from Cuba, consisting of Cuban baseball players who have
defected since the beginning of
Fidel Castro's presidency.
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 United States.[4] The
Cuban government treats attempted defectors as disloyal, which led to increased defections.
Orlando Hernández was loyal to Cuba, until they banned him 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 United States 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]
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]
This is a list of baseball players who defected from Cuba, consisting of Cuban baseball players who have
defected since the beginning of
Fidel Castro's presidency.
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 United States.[4] The
Cuban government treats attempted defectors as disloyal, which led to increased defections.
Orlando Hernández was loyal to Cuba, until they banned him 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 United States 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]
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]