David Ortiz Becomes First Career Designated Hitter to be Selected on First Ballot & 20 Other Great Designated Hitters

David Ortiz Becomes First Career Designated Hitter to be Selected on First Ballot and 20 Other Great Designated Hitters

David Ortiz, also known as Big Papi, made history on Sunday when he headlined the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022 – a class that includes legends Jim Kaat, Tony Oliva, Minnie Miñoso, Bud Fowler, Gil Hodges, and Buck O’Neil. Ortiz was a first-ballot selection.

In doing so, Ortiz became the first career designated hitter to ever be selected to the Hall of Fame on a first ballot basis – meaning he was selected in his first year of eligibility. It’s an honorable achievement shared by just 58 others, including just 14 in the past eight years. 

Not only that, but David Ortiz might’ve helped pave a way for others with a steroid-using history to be considered for the Hall of Fame. Of course, Big Papi’s contributions to the sport greatly overshadow his steroid scandal – can we say the same about Alex Rodriguez? Time will tell.

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David Ortiz Excelled as a Designated Hitter

David Ortiz made his major league debut on September 2, 1997 at just 21 years of age. Over the next 20 seasons, Ortiz played in 2,408 games – 2,029 of which as a designated hitter, 278 at first base, and 128 as a pinch hitter. He spent a strong majority of his career as a DH. 

And it was an illustrious career, to say the least. After six years with the Minnesota Twins, he spent the next 14 seasons with the Boston Red Sox. He retired with a .286 batting average with 2,472 hits, 632 doubles, 541 home runs, 1,768 RBIs, 1,419 runs scored, and 1,319 walks.

Ortiz was a 10-time All-Star, seven-time Silver Slugger winner, three-time world series champ, one-time World Series MVP, one-time ALCS MVP, and one-time Home Run Derby champion. In honor of one of the greatest designated hitters of all-time, let’s take a look at other DH greats!

20. Willie Horton

Willie Horton made his major league debut on September 10, 1963 and played his final game on October 5, 1980. During his 18-year career, he played in 2,028 games – 752 of those games were at designated hitter. He also played 1,190 games at outfielder and 106 as a pinch hitter.

Horton finished his career with a .273 batting average and 1,993 hits, 325 home runs, 284 doubles, 40 triples, 1,163 runs batted in, 873 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases. He was a four-time All-Star and even won the 1968 World Series as a member of the Detroit Tigers. 

19. Oscar Gamble

Oscar Gamble made his major league debut on August 27, 1969 and played his final game on August 8, 1985. During his 17-year career, he played in 1,584 games – 559 of those games were at designated hitter. He also played 820 games at outfielder and 343 as a pinch hitter

Gamble finished his career with a .265 batting average and 1,195 hits, 200 home runs, 188 doubles, 31 triples, 666 runs batted in, 656 runs scored, and 47 stolen bases. While he was never selected to an All-Star roster, he had a career year in 1977 by hitting 31 home runs. 

18. Kendrys Morales

Kendrys Morales made his major league debut on May 23, 2006 and played his final game on June 11, 2019. During his 13-year career, he played in 1,363 games – 827 of those games were at designated hitter. He also played 449 games at first base and 23 more at right field. 

Morales finished his career with a .265 batting average and 1,289 hits, 213 home runs, 257 doubles, 7 triples, 740 runs batted in, 584 runs scored, and 6 stolen bases. He won a Silver Slugger award in 2015 – the same year he won the World Series with the Kansas City Royals.

17. Cliff Johnson

Cliff Johnson made his major league debut on September 13, 1972 and played his final game on September 30, 1986. During his 15-year career, he played in 1,369 games – 748 of which at designated hitter. He also played 179 games at catcher, 188 at first base, and 57 at left field. 

Johnson finished his career with a .258 batting average and 1,016 hits, 196 home runs, 188 doubles, 10 triples, 699 runs batted in, 539 runs scored, and 9 stolen bases. He was a two-time World Series champion – doing so back-to-back in 1977 and 1978 with the New York Yankees.

16. Andre Thornton

Andre Thornton made his major league debut on July 28, 1973 and played his final game on August 31, 1987. During his 14-year career, he played in 1,565 games – 737 of which at DH. He also played 728 games at first base, 11 games at right field, and 116 more as a pinch hitter.

Thornton finished his career with a .254 batting average, 253 home runs, 244 doubles, 22 triples, 895 runs batted in, 792 runs scored, and 48 stolen bases. He was named an All-Star in 1983 and 1984 with the Cleveland Guardians, also winning a Silver Slugger award in 1984.

15. Edwin Encarnacion

Edwin Encarnacion made his major league debut on June 24, 2005 and played his final game on September 27, 2020. During his 16-year career, he played in 1,960 games – 766 of which at designated hitter. He also played 491 games at first base and 674 games at third base. 

Encarnacion finished his career with a .260 batting average and 1,832 hits, 424 home runs, 370 doubles, 10 triples, 1,261 runs batted in, 1,099 runs scored, and 61 stolen bases. He was a three-time All-Star between 2013 and 2016 – all as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays. 

14. Billy Butler

Billy Butler made his major league debut on May 1, 2007 and played his final game on October 2, 2016. During his 10-year MLB career, he played in 1,414 games – 926 of those games at designated hitter. He also played 426 games at first base and 79 more as a pinch hitter. 

Butler finished with a .290 batting average and 1,479 hits, 147 home runs, 322 doubles, 5 triples, 728 runs batted in, 592 runs scored, and 5 stolen bases. He had a career year in 2012 with 29 homers and 107 RBIs – earning an All-Star selection and Silver Slugger award.

13. Nelson Cruz

Nelson Cruz made his major league debut on September 17, 2005 and is currently a member of the Washington Nationals. During his 18-year career, he has played in 1,969 games – 968 of which at DH. He has also played 970 games at outfield and 45 games as a pinch hitter. 

Cruz currently has a career .275 batting average with 1,988 hits, 457 home runs, 364 doubles, 14 triples, 1,286 runs batted in, 1,070 runs scored, and 82 stolen bases. He’s a seven-time All-Star (most recently in 2021), four-time Silver Slugger winner, and former ALCS MVP. 

12. Jose Canseco

Jose Canseco made his major league debut on September 2, 1985 and played his final game on October 6, 2001. During his 17-year career, he played in 1,887 games – 847 of those games at designated hitter. He also played 1,011 games at outfielder and 49 games as a pinch hitter. 

Canseco finished his career with a .266 batting average and 1,877 hits, 462 home runs, 340 doubles, 14 triples, 1,407 runs batted in, 1,186 runs scored, and 200 stolen bases. He was a six-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger winner, two-time champion, and former MVP. 

11. Victor Martinez

Victor Martinez made his major league debut on September 10, 2002 and played his final game on September 22, 2018. During his 16-year career, he played in 1,973 games – 869 of which at designated hitter. He also played 858 games at catcher, 214 at first base, and 81 as a pinch hitter.

Martinez finished his career with a .295 batting average and 2,153 hits, 246 home runs, 423 doubles, 3 triples, 1,178 runs batted in, 914 runs scored, and 7 stolen bases. He was a five-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner who hit a career-high 32 home runs in 2014. 

10. Brian Downing

Brian Downing made his major league debut on May 31, 1983 and played his final game on October 4, 1992. During his 20-year career, he played in 2,344 games – 824 of those games at designated hitter. He also played 777 games in the outfield and another 675 games at catcher.

Downing finished his career with a .267 batting average and 2,099 hits, 275 home runs, 360 doubles, 28 triples, 1,073 runs batted in, 1,188 runs scored, and 50 stolen bases. He was an All-Star in 1979 and hit at least 20 home runs in six different seasons – including five straight.

9. Don Baylor

Don Baylor made his major league debut on September 18, 1970 and played his final game on October 1, 1988. During his 19-year career, he played in 2,292 games – 1,287 of those games at designated hitter. He also played 822 games in the outfield and 148 games at first base. 

Baylor finished his career with a .260 batting average, 2,135 hits, 338 home runs, 366 doubles, 28 triples, 1,276 runs batted in, 1,236 runs scored, and 285 stolen bases. He was an All-Star in 1979, the same year he won the MVP award with a league-leading 139 RBIs and 120 runs.

8. Travis Hafner

Travis Hafner made his major league debut on August 6, 2002 and played his final game on September 29, 2013. During his 12-year career, he played in 1,183 games – 1,043 of which at designated hitter. He also played 72 games at first base and another 88 as a pinch hitter. 

Hafner finished his career with a .273 batting average and 1,107 hits, 213 home runs, 250 doubles, 13 triples, 731 runs batted in, 619 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases. He burst onto the scene with 28 home runs in 2004, following that up with 33 in 2005 and 42 more in 2006. 

7. Hal McRae

Hal McRae made his major league debut on July 11, 1968 and played his final game on July 17, 1987. During his 19-year career, he played in 2,084 games – 1,426 of which at designated hitter. He also played 479 games in the outfield, 233 as a pinch hitter, and 40 in the infield. 

McRae finished his career with a .290 batting average and 2,091 hits, 191 home runs, 484 doubles, 66 triples, 1,097 runs batted in, 940 runs scored, and 109 stolen bases. He was a three-time All-Star, won a Silver Slugger award in 1982, and won the 1985 World Series.

6. Chili Davis

Chili Davis made his major league debut on April 10, 1981 and played his final game on October 3, 1999. During his 19-year career, he played in 2,436 games – 1,160 of which at designated hitter. He also played 1,185 games in the outfield and 138 as a pinch hitter. 

Davis finished his career with a .274 batting average and 2,380 hits, 350 home runs, 424 doubles, 30 triples, 1,372 runs batted in, 1,240 runs scored, and 142 stolen bases. He was a three-time All-Star and a three-time champ – once with the Twins and twice with the Yankees.

5. Jim Thome

Jim Thome made his major league debut on September 4, 1991 and played his final game on October 3, 2012. During his Hall of Fame 22-year career, he played in 2,543 games – 818 of which at DH. He also played 1,106 games at first base and another 492 games at first base.

Thome finished his career with a .276 batting average and 2,328 hits, 612 home runs, 451 doubles, 26 triples, 1,699 runs batted in, 1,583 runs scored, and 19 stolen bases. He was a five-time All-Star and hit at least 40 home runs on six occasions – including 52 in 2002.

4. Paul Molitor

Paul Molitor made his major league debut on April 7, 1978 and played his final game on September 27, 1998. During his Hall of Fame 21-year career, he played in 2,683 games – 1,174 of which at DH. He also played 50 games in the outfield and another 1,446 games in the infield.

Molitor finished his career with a .306 batting average and 3,319 hits, 234 home runs, 605 doubles, 114 triples, 1,307 runs batted in, 1,782 runs scored, and 504 stolen bases. He was a seven-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, 1993 World Series champ, and World Series MVP.

3. Harold Baines

Harold Baines made his major league debut on April 10, 1980 and played his final game on September 27, 2001. During his Hall of Fame 22-year career, he played in 2,830 games – 1,643 of which at DH. He also played 1,062 games in the outfield and 230 games as a pinch hitter. 

Baines finished his career with a .289 batting average and 2,866 hits, 384 home runs, 488 doubles, 49 triples, 1,628 runs batted in, 1,299 runs scored, and 34 stolen bases. He was a six-time All-Star and had at least 100 runs batted in on three different occasions in his career.

2. Frank Thomas

Frank Thomas made his major league debut on August 2, 1990 and played his final game on August 29, 2008. During his Hall of Fame 19-year career, he played in 2,322 games – 1,310 of which at designated hitter. He also played 971 games at first base and 45 as a pinch hitter. 

Thomas finished his career with a .301 batting average and 2,468 hits, 521 home runs, 495 doubles, 12 triples, 1,704 runs batted in, 1,494 runs scored, and 32 stolen bases. He was a five-time All-Star, two-time MVP, four-time Silver Slugger, and Home Run Derby champion.

1. Edgar Martinez

Edgar Martinez made his major league debut on September 12, 1987 and played his final game on October 3, 2004. During his Hall of Fame 18-year career, he played in 2,055 games – 1,403 of which at DH. He also played 562 games at third base and 28 more at first base.

Martinez finished his career with a .312 batting average and 2,247 hits, 309 home runs, 514 doubles, 15 triples, 1,261 runs batted in, 1,219 runs scored, and 49 stolen bases. He was a seven-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger that won the batting title twice in his career. 

What’s Next for David Ortiz? 

David Ortiz is now in the Hall of Fame and his legacy has been cemented for good. His contributions to the sport will never be forgotten and he will be remembered as one of the greatest designated hitters and most feared power hitters in baseball history – he’s a legend!

With that said, he might be the last primary designated hitter to be selected to the Hall of Fame. The way the game is played today, managers often choose to rotate their designated hitter between several position players – primary designated hitters are becoming a thing of the past. 

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Don’t worry, David Ortiz isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. While you won’t find him at the plate, he is currently an MLB studio analyst for FOX Sports with contributions to the regular season, All-Star Game, and postseason coverage. His infectious personality is everywhere!

25 Most Famous Baseball Players From the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is known for producing some of the greatest baseball players ever, but the most famous baseball players from the Dominican Republic will forever be remembered for representing the country well. If it weren’t for them, who knows where the sport would be today.

Ever since 1956, hundreds of famous baseball players from the Dominican Republic have made a name for themselves in Major League Baseball (MLB). It all started with Ozzie Virgil Sr., who was the first of many Dominican-born players to make their way onto an official MLB roster. 

Today, the league features 98 Dominican-born players, which is 34 more than any other country outside the United States — Venezuela is the next closest at 64 players. While there are only three Dominican-born players in the Baseball Hall of Fame, that number will continue to climb.

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Who Are the Most Famous Baseball Players From the Dominican Republic?

25 Most Famous Baseball Players From the Dominican Republic
Photo Works / Shutterstock

The Dominican Republic has produced the most MLB players of any country outside the United States for the past 25+ years — every year since the MLB started releasing that data in 1995. Baseball is their favorite sport and it shows because no one develops players better than them.

Of all the famous baseball players from the Dominican Republic, there are several that stand out more than others. They’re the ones that helped pave the way for Dominican-born players today and are the ones that helped their country earn such a high reputation in the MLB community.

With so many players to choose from, let’s start with some of our honorable mentions that could easily be listed below in our top 25 most famous baseball players from the Dominican Republic — both past and present. It’s quite the star-studded lineup of MLB greats, so prepare yourself! 

Honorable Mentions: Rico Carty, Hanley Ramirez, Gary Sanchez, Luis Severino, Pedro Guerrero, Jose Valverde, Starling Marte, Luis Castillo, Guilermo Mota, Christian Guzman, Moises Alou, Octavio Dotel, Stan Javier, Francisco Liriano

25. SP Julio Franco

Birthplace: Hato Mayor del Rey, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 1982-2007 (23 seasons)

Teams: Philadelphia, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Atlanta Braves, New York Mets

Career Stats: 2,527 games, 2,586 hits, .298 batting average, 173 home runs, 1,194 runs batted in, 1,285 runs, 281 stolen bases

Julio Franco was born in Hato Mayor del Rey and attended Divine Providence High School. He made his MLB debut on April 23, 1982 and went on to play 23 seasons in the major leagues. His best season came in 1994 when he hit 20 home runs and 98 RBIs — both were career-highs. 

24. Johnny Cueto 

Birthplace: San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 2008-present (14 seasons)

Teams: Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants

Career Stats: 330 games, 2,034.1 innings pitched, 135-97 W-L record, 17 complete games, 8 shutouts, 3.45 ERA, 1,710 strikeouts

Johnny Cueto was born in San Pedro de Macoris and made his MLB debut on April 3, 2008 — allowing just one run and striking out 10 batters in 7.0 innings. It was his first of many wins. He has been named an All Star twice and was in the running for the Cy Young award three times.

23. DH/1B Carlos Santana

Birthplace: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 2010-present (12 seasons)

Teams: Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, Kansas City Royals

Career Stats: 1,653 games, 1,446 hits, .245 batting average, 259 home runs, 865 runs batted in, 865 runs, 48 stolen bases

Carlos Santana was born in Santo Domingo and made his MLB debut on April 8, 1986. He currently plays for the Kansas City Royals, hitting 19 home runs and 69 runs batted in with the team in 2021. His best season came in 2019 when he hit 34 home runs and had 93 RBIs. 

22. SS/3B Jhonny Peralta

Birthplace: Santiago, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 2003-2017 (15 seasons)

Teams: Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Cardinals

Career Stats: 1,798 games, 1,761 hits, .267 batting average, 202 home runs, 873 runs batted in, 841 runs, 17 stolen bases

Jhonny Peralta was born in Santiago and played high school ball at Collejo Pedagojico. He made his MLB debut on June 12, 2003 and went on to play 15 seasons in the league. He hit more than 20 home runs in five of those seasons and a career-high 89 RBIs in 2008. 

21. LF/2B Alfonso Soriano

Birthplace: San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 1999-2014 (16 seasons)

Teams: New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, Chicago Cubs

Career Stats: 1,975 games, 2,095 hits, .270 batting average, 412 home runs, 1,159 runs batted in, 1,152 runs, 289 stolen bases

Alfonso Soriano attended San Pedro de Macoris High School and made his MLB debut on September 14, 1999. He was named an All Star in seven straight seasons from 2002-2008 and came in third in MVP voting in 2002. He hit a career-high 46 home runs in 2006. 

20. DH/1B Edwin Encarnacion

Birthplace: La Romana, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 2005-2020 (16 seasons)

Teams: Cincinnati Reds, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox

Career Stats: 1,960 games, 1,832 hits, .260 batting average, 424 home runs, 1,261 runs batted in, 1,099 runs, 61 stolen bases

Edwin Encarnacion was born in La Romana and attended Manuela Toro High School. He made his debut on June 24, 2005 and has hit 424 home runs since then. From 2012-2019, he hit more than 30 home runs each year, including a career-high 42 home runs in 2012 and 2016. 

19. SP Ervin Santana

Birthplace: La Romana, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 2005-present (16 seasons)

Teams: Los Angeles Angels, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox

Career Stats: 425 games, 2,486.2 innings pitched, 151-129 W-L record, 4.11 ERA, 21 complete games, 11 shutouts, 1,978 strikeouts

Ervin Santana was born in La Romana and played high school baseball at Colego Cristiano El Alfarero. He made his MLB debut on May 17, 2005 and has tallied 151 wins since then. He recorded more than 16 wins in four different seasons, including a career-high 17 wins in 2010. 

18. DH/RF Nelson Cruz

https://twitter.com/NFrancoletti/status/1449005051192791042

Birthplace: Las Matas de Santa Cruz, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 2005-present (17 seasons)

Teams: Milwaukee Brewers, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays

Career Stats: 1,882 games, 1,913 hits, .277 batting average, 449 home runs, 1,238 runs batted in, 1,031 runs, 79 stolen bases

Nelson Cruz was born in Las Matas de Santa Cruz and attended Monte Cristi High School. He made his MLB debut on September 17, 2005 and currently plays for the Tampa Bay Rays. He hit 32 home runs in 2021, his eighth season with more than 30 home runs. His career-high was 44 in 2015. 

17. RP Francisco Cordero

Birthplace: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 1999-2012 (14 seasons)

Teams: Texas Rangers, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays

Career Stats: 800 games, 824.2 innings pitched, 47-53 W-L record, 3.38 ERA, 329 saves, 796 strikeouts

Francisco Cordero was born in Santo Domingo and played high school baseball at Colegio Luz de Arroyo Hondo. He made his debut on August 2, 1999, pitching 1.0 inning and recording two strikeouts. He had more than 34 saves in five straight seasons and 49 saves in 2004. 

16. SP Bartolo Colon

Birthplace: Altamira, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 1997-2018 (21 seasons)

Teams: Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Angels, New York Mets, Oakland Athletics, Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers, Montreal Expos, New York Yankees

Career Stats: 565 games, 3,461.2 innings pitched, 247-188 W-L record, 4.12 ERA, 38 complete games, 13 shutouts, 2,535 strikeouts

Bartolo Colon was born in Altamira and attended Puerto Plata High School. He made his MLB debut on April 4, 1997 and played 21 seasons in the league. He had more than 14 wins every year from 1998-2005, including 20 in 2002 and 21 in 2005. He finished his career with 247 wins. 

15. OF/1B Felipe Alou

Birthplace: Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 1958-1974 (17 seasons)

Teams: San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Montreal Expos, Milwaukee Bucks

Career Stats: 2,082 games, 2,101 hits, .286 batting average, 206 home runs, 852 runs batted in, 985 runs scored, 107 stolen bases

Felipa Alou was born in Bajos de Haina and attended Santo Domingo High School. He made his MLB debut on June 8, 1958 and played 17 seasons in the league. He had more than 210 hits in two different seasons (1966 and 1968) and had a career-high 31 home runs in 1966. 

14. SS/3B Miguel Tejada

Birthplace: Bani, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 1997-2013 (16 seasons)

Teams: Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants

Career Stats: 2,171 games, 2,407 hits, .285 batting average, 307 home runs, 1,302 runs batted in, 1,230 runs scored, 85 stolen bases

Miguel Tejada attended Bani High School and made his MLB debut on August 27, 1997. He played a full 162-game season in six straight years from 2001-2006. He also hit more than 20 home runs in eight different seasons from 1999-2006 — including a career-high 34 in 2002 and 2004. 

13. C Tony Peña

Birthplace: Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 1980-1997 (18 seasons)

Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, Chicago White Sox

Career Stats: 1,988 games, 1,687 hits, .260 batting average, 107 home runs, 708 runs batted in, 667 runs scored, 80 stolen bases

Tony Peña was born in Monte Cristi and made his MLB debut on September 1 1980. Although he never hit more than 15 home runs in a single season, he was named an All Star five times in his career and earned four Gold Gloves as catcher — including three-straight from 1983-1985. 

12. 3B/C/OF Ozzie Virgil Sr.

Birthplace: Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 1956-1969 (9 seasons)

Teams: New York Giants, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants

Career Stats: 324 games, 174 hits, .231 batting average, 14 home runs, 73 runs batted in, 75 runs scored, 6 stolen bases

Ozzie Virgil Sr. was born in Monte Cristi, though he attended DeWitt Clinton High School in Bronx, New York. He made his MLB debut on September 23, 1956, becoming the first Dominican-born player in the league. He paved the way for Dominican players today. 

11. SS/3B/2B Jose Reyes

Birthplace: Santiago, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 2003-2018 (16 seasons)

Teams: New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, Miami Marlins, Colorado Rockies

Career Stats: 1,877 games, 2,138 hits, .283 batting average, 145 home runs, 719 runs batted in, 1,180 runs scored, 517 stolen bases

Jose Reyes was born in Santiago and attended Liceo Delia Reyes High School. He made his debut on June 10, 2003 — one day before his 20th birthday. From 2005-2008, he stole 258 bases, including a career-high 78 stolen bases in 2007. He finished his career with 517 stolen bases. 

10. 3B Adrian Beltre

Birthplace: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 1998-2018 (21 seasons)

Teams: Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox

Career Stats: 2,933 games, 3,166 hits, .286 batting average, 477 home runs, 1,707 runs batted in, 1,524 runs scored, 121 stolen bases

Adrian Beltre was born in Santo Domingo and played high school ball at Liceo Maximo Gomez. He made his MLB debut on June 24, 1998, recording two hits and an RBI in four plate appearances. He hit double-digit home runs in 19 of his 21 seasons in the major leagues. 

9. SP Juan Marichal

Birthplace: Laguna Verde, Dominican Republic 

Seasons: 1960-1975 (16 seasons)

Teams: San Francisco Giants, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Dodgers

Career Stats: 471 games, 3,507.0 innings pitched, 243-142 W-L record, 2.89 ERA, 244 complete games, 52 shutouts, 2,303 strikeouts

Juan Marichal was born in Laguna Verde and made his MLB debut on July 19, 1960. He was the first Dominican-born player to be elected to the Hall of Fame and is only one of three to achieve that feat all-time. He finished his career with a .631 winning percentage and 2.89 ERA.

8. RF Vladimir Guerrero

Birthplace: Nizao, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 1996-2011 (16 seasons)

Teams: Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Angels, Anaheim Angels, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles

Career Stats: 2,147 games, 2,590 hits, .318 batting average, 449 home runs, 1,496 runs batted in, 1,328 runs scored, 181 stolen bases

Vladimir Guerrero attended Nizao High School and made his MLB debut on September 19, 1966. He was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2018, becoming the third Dominican-born player to achieve that milestone. He hit more than 25 home runs in eleven straight seasons (1998-2008). 

7. RF/3B Jose Bautista

Birthplace: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 2004-2018 (15 seasons)

Teams: Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, New York Mets, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Ravens

Career Stats: 1,798 games, 1,496 hits, .247 batting average, 344 home runs, 975 runs batted in, 1,022 runs scored, 70 stolen bases

Jose Bautista was born in Santo Domingo and played high school ball at De La Salle. He made his MLB debut on April 4, 2004, but didn’t see regular at-bats until 2006. He led the league in home runs two years in a row, hitting a career-high 54 home runs in 2010 and 43 more in 2011. 

6. 2B Robinson Cano

Birthplace: San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 2005-2020 (16 seasons) 

Teams: New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets

Career Stats: 2,234 games, 2,624 hits, .303 batting average, 334 home runs, 1,302 runs batted in, 1,257 runs scored, 51 stolen bases

Robinson Cano played high school ball at San Pedro de Macoris High School and made his MLB debut on May 3, 2005. He made an immediate impact, hitting 14 home runs his rookie year. He hit more than 10 home runs every year since then, including a career-high 39 home runs in 2016. 

5. 1B Albert Pujols

Birthplace: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 2001-present (21 seasons)

Teams: St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels

Career Stats: 2,971 games, 3,301 hits, .297 batting average, 679 home runs, 2,150 runs batted in, 1,872 runs scored, 116 stolen bases

Albert Pujols will go down as one of the greatest to ever play, if he ever decides to retire. He was born in Santo Domingo, though he attended Fort Osage High School in Missouri. He was Rookie of the Year in 2001 and went on to win the MVP award three times (2005, 2008, 2009). 

His 679 career home runs ranks fifth in MLB history, behind Alex Rodriguez, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Barry Bonds. 

4. SP Pedro Martinez

Birthplace: Manoguayabo, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 1992-2009 (18 seasons)

Teams: Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies

Career Stats: 476 games, 2,827.1 innings pitched, 219-100 W-L record, 46 complete games, 17 shutouts, 3,154 strikeouts

Pedro Martinez made his MLB debut on September 24, 1992 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015, becoming the second Dominican-born player to do so. He recorded 10 or more wins in 12 of 13 straight seasons from 1993-2005, including 23 wins in 1999 and 20 in 2002.

3. DH/1B David Ortiz

Birthplace: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 1997-2016 (20 seasons)

Teams: Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins

Career Stats: 2,408 games, 2,472 hits, .286 batting average, 541 home runs, 1,768 runs batted in, 1,419 runs scored, 17 stolen bases

David Ortiz, better known as ‘Big Papi,’ made his MLB debut on September 2, 1997 and played his last game at the age of 40 years old. He led the league with 54 home runs in 2006 and hit more than 30 home runs in 10 different seasons, including the four years leading up to his retirement.

2. RF Sammy Sosa

Birthplace: San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 1989-2007 (18 seasons)

Teams: Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles

Career Stats: 2,354 games, 2,408 hits, .273 batting average, 609 home runs, 1,667 runs batted in, 1,475 runs scored, 234 stolen bases

Sammy Sosa is one of just nine players to ever hit more than 600 career home runs. From 1998-2003, he hit a total of 332 home runs, including a career-high 66 home runs in 1998. He went on to hit more than 63 home runs in three different seasons and was the MVP in 1998. 

1. OF Manny Ramirez

Birthplace: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Seasons: 1993-2011 (19 seasons)

Teams: Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Chicago White Sox

Career Stats: 2,302 games, 2,574 hits, .312 batting average, 555 home runs, 1,831 runs batted in, 1,544 runs scored, 38 stolen bases

Manny Ramirez hit more than 20 home runs in 14 straight seasons, including hitting more than 30 in 12 of those seasons and more than 40 in five of them. His career-high was 45, which he achieved in 1998 and 2005. His 165 RBIs in 1999 ranks 14th all-time in a single season. 

Dominican Baseball Players in the League Today

With 98 Dominican-born players in the MLB today, the country continues to dominate and make its mark on the league. In fact, there are 18 Dominican-born players in MLB Network’s Top 100 Players for the 2021 season — including two phenomenal players that landed in the top six. 

The 18 players include Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Jose Ramirez, Marcell Ozuna, Nelson Cruz, Ketel Mars, Eloy Jimenez, Rafael Devers, Dinelson Lamet, and Luis Castillo. These are currently the most famous baseball players from the Dominican Republic.

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One thing we can count on is that the Dominican Republic won’t stop producing high-quality players that find tremendous success at the MLB level. We’ll be on the lookout for more Dominican-born players to make their way to the Baseball Hall of Fame, which is inevitable.

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