Cuba’s Latest Mark on Major League Baseball
HAVANA TIMES — While Cuba’s vaunted national team was reestablishing some much-needed credibility last month at the Haarlem Baseball Week, ex-patriot Cuban players were also continuing to make considerable noise on more-celebrated major league diamonds.
Aroldis Chapman has finally begun to display that can’t-miss stardom many were touting a few years back, while Yoennis Céspedes has so far enjoyed a rather noteworthy if not eye-popping rookie campaign.
At the same time veteran Liván Hernández has been busy tracking down several long-standing pitching milestones earlier owned by some of his pre-revolution Cuban countrymen.
And most recently two largely unheralded newcomers (one a recent Cuban League “defector”) have now elevated to 169 the total number of athletes to reach the pinnacle of the major leagues from the baseball-loving island nation of Cuba.
In recent weeks there has been plenty of Cy Young conversation surrounding the work of Chapman in the Cincinnati bullpen. It looks like the on-field performance (with 28 bullpen saves out of 32 chances and 106 Ks in only 57 innings) is finally beginning to overshadow some of the embarrassing off-the-field theatrics (which this season have already included such escapades as an arrest for driving with a suspended license and a largely hushed-up theft of the thousands of dollars in jewelry from Chapman’s hotel room by a bad-risk female companion).
Céspedes (currently boasting 14 homers and a .306 BA) remains a solid presence in the Oakland lineup although he will certainly not post the hefty numbers some were dreaming of after his fast start back in April. In Chicago Dayan Viciedo (sitting on 17 round-trippers) has steadily been emerging as a more potent offensive star than fading teammate Alexei Ramírez (who still owns a hot glove despite his ice-cold lumber).
Kenny Morales has again rebounded from a couple of years of injuries; Morales entered the record books on July 31 when he became only the third man in big-league history to homer from both sides of the plate in the same inning (and the first to do so with a grand slam included).
José Contreras also continues to hang around with this year’s lackluster edition of the Phillies while Yunel Escobar (Toronto) and Branyan Peña (Kansas City) have also been quietly productive as role players. On the negative side Yunieski Betancourt (recently demoted by the Royals to AAA Omaha) and Yunieski Maya (now a struggling AAA starter in Syracuse) have both largely faded from the scene.
On Opening Day back in April Yoennis Céspedes has the only 2012 Cuban-born rookie, but nine more experienced countrymen also graced big league rosters. The list included Yonder Alonso (San Diego), Alexei Ramírez and Dayan Viciedo (Chicago White Sox), Kendry Morales (Los Angeles Angles), José Contreras (Philadelphia Phillies), Yunieski Betancourt and Brayan Peña (Kansas City), Yunel Escobar (Toronto), and Aroldis Chapman (Cincinnati).
Several more have since climbed back into “The Show” – most notably veteran hurler Liván Hernández (now with the Milwaukee Brewers) and talented young outfielder Leonys Martin (who debuted late last season with the World Series-bound Texas Rangers).
Two mid-season rookies – Havana-born catcher Yasmani Grandal and native Santiago infielder Adieny Hechavarria – have also recently upped the all-time Cuban big-league count by an additional pair.
Hechavarria is the latest in a string of talented “defectors” who have abandoned the island circuit in hopeful pursuit of greater financial rewards in the top-level professional circuit.
Grandal, by contrast, left his native homeland as a pre-teenaged youngster and thus learned his baseball on the sandlots of Miami, starring first at Miami Springs High School and later with the tradition-rich University of Miami baseball program. He was a highly publicized first round (twelfth overall) 2010 draft pick of the National League Cincinnati Reds but was later moved to the San Diego Padres in a December 2011 multi-player transaction.
Hechavarria (age 23) is the most recent “defector” with any actual Cuban League playing experience to reach the majors. The versatile infield prospect played briefly for the Cuban national junior team in 2008 before defecting in Mexico a year later.
He earlier logged three seasons with the Santiago de Cuba club in the National Series, posting an overall .248 batting average (569 ABs) in mostly part-time action with the Avispas ball club. Hechavarria (pronounced He-cha-var-EE-a) appears under the name ADEINIS in the Cuban League record books, but the Toronto media has taken to spelling it as it might be enunciated in Cuba – with the dropping of the usually “silent” final letter s.
His debut as a fill-in third baseman and shortstop with the Blue Jays last week (August 4) has come on the heels of a breakout summer campaign with the Jays AAA affiliate in Las Vegas, where he posted a .312 batting mark in 102 games.
Since the outset of the 2001 season, 29 Cuban ballplayers have so far reached the majors, the largest dozen-year total since the decade of the sixties. Of this number, 21 owned previous top-level playing experience on their native island.
Less than a dozen, however, have ever boasted considerable achievements in the domestic Cuban League and only eight (Céspedes, Leonys Martin, Maya, Chapman, Alexei Ramírez, Kendry Morales, Contreras, and Danys Baez) appeared with the top echelon Cuban national squad.
Approximately a dozen other notable Cuban Leaguers are now laboring in either the North American minors or in the AAA Mexican League and a handful still possess at least reasonable possibilities of eventually tasting big league action.
Among these Yasel Puig is the most notable recent signee (having inked a July $42 million long-term contract with the LA Dodgers and now auditioning in the Arizona Rookie League), although flashy Boston-owned shortstop José Iglesias (currently at the plate with AAA Pawtucket) may still claim the brightest future.
Two high-price-tag pitchers on the other hand seem to be largely overvalued busts – southpaws Noel Argüelles (Kansas City) and Geraldo Concepción (Chicago Cubs) – so far have been anything but impressive with their current stratospheric minor league ERA numbers. Perhaps the most overlooked story this year on the Cuban big league scene has been the continued remarkable productivity of seemingly ageless hurler Liván Hernández. Now with his tenth big league club (twice with Washington) and in his sixteenth season, the robust right-hander continues to post numbers that only enhance his stature among the greatest of all Cuban big-league aces – including those from either the pre-revolution or post-revolution eras.
Liván recently climbed above the 500-game mark in big league appearances, thus reaching eighth place on the all-time Cuban list. And his 177 victories (against an equal number of losses) trail only Luis Tiant, Mike Cuéllar and Adolfo Luque while at the same time outstripping such giants from Cuba’s glorious past as Camilo Pascual and Pedro Ramos.
Liván has pitched with mediocre big league clubs most of his career and his victory total might stand well above the 200 mark if that had not been the case; he owns a mere seven full seasons where he registered a .500-plus winning percentage. As it is, his total of 354 career major league decisions is now the third most ever recorded by a Cuban big leaguer.
Liván wrote headlines at the outset of his career with a rookie-season 1997 World Series MVP trophy and he has been slowly but steadily writing his name into the MLB record books ever since.
Cuba’s Top Workhorse Big League Hurlers (Games Pitched)
Diego Seguí (639 in 15 seasons)
Pete Ramos (582 in 15 seasons)
Luis Tiant Jr. (573 in 19 seasons)
Tony Fossas (567 in 12 seasons)
Adolfo Luque (550 in 20 seasons)
Danys Baez (533 in 10 seasons)
Camilo Pascual (529 in 18 seasons)
Liván Hernández (506 in 16 seasons)
Cuba’s Top Workhorse Big League Hurlers (Decisions Earned)
Luis Tiant Jr. (401 with 229-172 record)
Adolfo Luque (373 with 194-179 record)
Liván Hernández (354 with 177-177 record)
Camilo Pascual (344, with 174-170 record)
Miguel Cuéllar (315 with 185-130 record)
Pete Ramos (277 with 117-160 record)
Diego Seguí (203 with 92-111 record)
Cuban Major Leaguers List (169 Cuban Major Leaguers updated on Aug. 13)
Key: Players with names in red font played in Cuba’s post-revolution National Series (are “defectors”) and players with names in blue font never played in either Cuba’s pre-revolution professional Winter League or in the post-revolution National Series (are Cubans by birth but not by baseball training).
| Cuban Ballplayers | Debut Dates | Positions | Debut Teams | Debut Leagues | Seasons (Games) |
| Pre-Twentieth Century | 1800s | ||||
| Enrique Esteban Bellán (1) | 1871 (5/9/1871) | Infield | Troy Haymakers | National Association | 3 (60) |
| Pre-Revolution Period | 1911-1960 | ||||
| Armando Marsans (2) | 1911 (7/4/1911) | Outfield | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 8 (655) |
| Rafael Almeida (3) | 1911 (7/4/1911) | Outfield | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 3 (102) |
| Miguel (Mike) González (4) | 1912 (9/28/1912) | Catcher | Boston Braves | National League | 19 (1042) |
| Merito (Baldomero) Acosta (5) | 1913 (6/15/1913) | Outfield | Washington Senators | National League | 5 (180) |
| Jacinto (Jack) Calvo (6) | 1913 (9/5/1913) | Outfield | Washington Senators | American League | 2 (34) |
| Angel (Pete) Aragón (7) | 1914 (8/20/1914) | Infield | New York Yankees | American League | 3 (32) |
| Adolfo (Dolf) Luque (8) | 1914 (5/20/1914) | RHP | Boston Braves | National League | 20 (550) |
| Manolo (Manuel) Cueto (9) | 1914 (6/25/1914) | Outfield | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 3 (151) |
| Emilio (Pal) Palmero (10) | 1915 (9/21/1915) | RHP | New York Giants | National League | 4 (41) |
| Joseito Rodríguez (11) | 1916 (10/5/1916) | Infield | New York Giants | National League | 5 (58) |
| Oscar Tuero (12) | 1918 (5/30/1918) | RHP | St. Louis Cardinals | National League | 3 (58) |
| Eusebio González (13) | 1918 (7/26/1918) | SS | Boston Red Sox | American League | 1 (3) |
| Ricardo Torres (14) | 1920 (5/18/1920) | Catcher | Washington Senators | American League | 3 (22) |
| José Acosta (15) | 1920 (7/28/1920) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 3 (55) |
| Pedro Dibut (16) | 1924 (5/1/1924) | RHP | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 2 (8) |
| Ramón (Mike) Herrera (17) | 1925 (9/22/1925) | Infield | Boston Red Sox | American League | 2 (84) |
| Oscar Estrada (18) | 1929 (4/21/1929) | LHP | St. Louis Browns | American League | 1 (1) |
| Roberto (Tarzan) Estalella (19) | 1935 (9/7/1935) | Outfield | Washington Senators | American League | 8 (680) |
| Fermín (Mike) Guerra (20) | 1937 (9/19/1937) | Catcher | Washington Senators | American League | 9 (565) |
| René Monteagudo (21) | 1938 (9/6/1938) | LHP | Washington Senators | American League | 3 (46) |
| Gilberto Torres (22) | 1940 (4/25/1940) | Infield | Washington Senators | American League | 4 (44) |
| Jack (Angel) Aragón (23) | 1941 (8/13/1941) | Pinch Runner | New York Giants | National League | 1 (1) |
| Roberto (Bobby) Ortíz (24) | 1941 (9/6/1941) | Outfield | Washington Senators | American League | 6 (213) |
| Chico (Sal) Hernández (25) | 1942 (4/16/1942) | Catcher | Chicago Cubs | National League | 2 (90) |
| Napoleón (Nap) Reyes (26) | 1943 (5/19/1943) | Infield | New York Giants | National League | 4 (279) |
| Mosquito Ordeñana (27) | 1943 (10/3/1943) | SS | Pittsburgh Pirates | National League | 1 (1) |
| Tomás (Tommy) de la Cruz (28) | 1944 (4/20/1944) | RHP | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 1 (34) |
| Santiago (Carlos) Ullrich (29) | 1944 (5/3/1944) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 2 (31) |
| Rogelio (Roy) Valdés (30) | 1944 (5/3/1944) | Pinch Hitter | Washington Senators | American League | 1 (1) |
| Preston (Pedro) Gómez (31) | 1944 (5/5/1944) | Infield | Washington Senators | American League | 1 (8) |
| Luis Suarez (32) | 1944 (5/28/1944) | Third Base | Washington Senators | American League | 1 (1) |
| Baby (Oliverio) Ortíz (33) | 1944 (9/23/1944) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 1 (2) |
| José Zardón (34) | 1945 (4/18/1945) | Outfield | Washington Senators | American League | 1 (54) |
| Jorge Comellas (35) | 1945 (4/19/1945) | RHP | Chicago Cubs | National League | 1 (7) |
| Armando Roche (36) | 1945 (5/10/1945) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 1 (2) |
| Isidoro (Sid) Léon (37) | 1945 (6/21/1945) | RHP | Philadelphia Phillies | National League | 1 (14) |
| Adrian Zabala (38) | 1945 (8/11/1945) | LHP | New York Giants | National League | 2 (26) |
| Regino (Reggie) Otero (39) | 1945 (9/2/1945) | First Base | Chicago Cubs | National League | 1 (14) |
| Moín (Ramón) García (40) | 1948 (4/19/1948) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 1 (4) |
| Angel Fleitas (41) | 1948 (7/5/1948) | SS | Washington Senators | American League | 1 (15) |
| Julio (Enríque) González (42) | 1949 (8/9/1949) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 1 (13) |
| Orestes (Minnie) Miñoso (43) | 1949 (4/9/1949) | Outfield | Cleveland Indians | American League | 17 (1835) |
| Luis (Witto) Aloma (44) | 1950 (4/19/1950) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 4 (116) |
| Conrado (Connie) Marrero (45) | 1950 (4/21/1950) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 5 (118) |
| Sandalio (Sandy) Consuegra (46) | 1950 (2/2/1950) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 8 (248) |
| Rogelio (Limonar) Martínez (47) | 1950 (2/2/1950) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 1 (2) |
| Julio (Jiqui) Moreno (48) | 1950 (2/2/1950) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 4 (73) |
| Carlos Pascual (49) | 1950 (2/2/1950) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 1 (2) |
| Rafael (Ray) Noble (50) | 1951 (2/2/1951) | Catcher | New York Giants | National League | 3 (107) |
| Willy (Guillermo) Miranda (51) | 1951 (5/6/1951) | SS | Washington Senators | American League | 9 (824) |
| Francisco (Cisco) Campos (52) | 1951 (9/11/1951) | Outfield | Washington Senators | American League | 3 (71) |
| Héctor Rodríguez (53) | 1952 (4/15/1952) | Third Base | Chicago White Sox | American League | 1 (124) |
| Raúl Sánchez (54) | 1952 (4/17/1952) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 3 (49) |
| Edmundo (Sandy) Amorós (55) | 1952 (8/22/1952) | Outfield | Brooklyn Dodgers | National League | 7 (517) |
| Miguel (Mike) Fornieles (56) | 1952 (9/2/1952) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 12 (432) |
| Camilo Pascual (57) | 1954 (4/15/1954) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 18 (529) |
| Carlos Paula (58) | 1954 (9/6/1954) | Outfield | Washington Senators | American League | 3 (157) |
| Pedro (Pete) Ramos (59) | 1955 (4/11/1955) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 15 (582) |
| Roman Mejías (60) | 1955 (4/13/1955) | Outfield | Pittsburgh Pirates | National League | 9 (627) |
| Vince (Wenceslao) González (61) | 1955 (4/13/1955) | LHP | Washington Senators | American League | 1 (2) |
| Juan Delís (62) | 1955 (4/16/1955) | Third Base | Washington Senators | American League | 1 (54) |
| Vicente Amor (63) | 1955 (4/16/1955) | RHP | Chicago Cubs | National League | 2 (13) |
| Lino Donoso (64) | 1955 (6/18/1955) | LHP | Pittsburgh Pirates | National League | 2 (28) |
| José (Joe) Valdivielso (65) | 1955 (6/21/1955) | SS | Washington Senators | American League | 5 (401) |
| Julio Bécquer (66) | 1955 (9/13/1955) | First Base | Washington Senators | American League | 7 (488) |
| Lázaro (Cholly) Naranjo (67) | 1956 (7/8/1956) | RHP | Pittsburgh Pirates | National League | 1 (17) |
| Chico (Humberto) Fernández (68) | 1956 (7/14/1956) | SS | Brooklyn Dodgers | National League | 8 (856) |
| Evelio Hernández (69) | 1956 (9/12/1956) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 2 (18) |
| René Valdez (70) | 1957 (4/21/1957) | RHP | Brooklyn Dodgers | National League | 1 (5) |
| Tony (Antonio) Taylor (71) | 1958 (4/15/1958) | Infield | Chicago Cubs | National League | 19 (2195) |
| Panchón (Juan) Herrera (72) | 1958 (4/15/1958) | First Base | Philadelphia Phillies | National League | 3 (300) |
| Fernando (Freddie) Rodríguez (73) | 1958 (4/18/1958) | RHP | Chicago Cubs | National League | 2 (8) |
| Osvaldo (Ossie) Alvarez (74) | 1958 (4/19/1958) | Infield | Washington Senators | American League | 2 (95) |
| Daniel (Dan) Morejón (75) | 1958 (7/11/1958) | Outfield | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 1 (12) |
| Orlando Peña (76) | 1958 (8/24/1958) | RHP | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 18 (427) |
| Rodolfo (Rudy) Arias (77) | 1959 (4/10/1959) | LHP | Chicago White Sox | American League | 1 (34) |
| Miguel (Mike) Cuéllar (78) | 1959 (4/18/1959) | LHP | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 15 (453) |
| Zoilo (Zorro) Versalles (79) | 1959 (8/1/1959) | SS | Washington Senators | American League | 13 (1400) |
| Tony (Antonio) González (80) | 1960 (4/12/1960) | Infield | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 12 (1559) |
| Eduardo (Ed) Bauta (81) | 1960 (7/6/1960) | RHP | St. Louis Cardinals | National League | 5 (97) |
| Miguel (Mike) de la Hoz (82) | 1960 (7/22/1960) | Infield | Cleveland Indians | American League | 9 (494) |
| Leo (Leonardo) Cárdenas (83) | 1960 (7/25/1960) | Infield | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 16 (1941) |
| Joe (Joaquin) Azcue (84) | 1960 (8/3/1960) | Infield | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 11 (909) |
| Borrego (Rogelio) Alvarez (85) | 1960 (9/18/1960) | First Base | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 2 (17) |
| Leo (Leopoldo) Posada (86) | 1960 (9/21/1960) | Outfield | Kansas City Athletics | American League | 3 (155) |
| Héctor Maestri (87) | 1960 (9/24/1960) | RHP | Washington Senators | American League | 2 (2) |
| Post-Revolution Period | 1961-2011 | ||||
| Berto (Dagoberto) Cueto (88) | 1961 (6/18/1961) | RHP | Minnesota Twins | American League | 1 (7) |
| Manuel (Manny) Montejo (89) | 1961 (7/25/1961) | RHP | Detroit Tigers | American League | 1 (12) |
| Orlando McFarlane (90) | 1962 (4/3/1962) | Catcher | Pittsburgh Pirates | National League | 5 (124) |
| Octavio (Cookie) Rojas (91) | 1962 (4/10/1962) | Infield | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 16 (1822) |
| José Tartabull (92) | 1962 (4/10/1962) | Outfield | Kansas City Athletics | American League | 9 (749) |
| Diego Seguí (93) | 1962 (4/12/1962) | RHP | Kansas City Athletics | American League | 16 (639) |
| Marty (Orlando) Martínez (94) | 1962 (5/2/1962) | Infield | Minnesota Twins | American League | 7 (436) |
| Héctor (Rodolfo) Martínez (95) | 1962 (9/3/1962) | Outfield | Kansas City Athletics | American League | 2 (7) |
| Tony (Pedro) Oliva (96) | 1962 (9/9/1962) | Outfield | Minnesota Twins | American League | 18 (2017) |
| Tony (Gabriel) Martínez (97) | 1963 (4/9/1963) | Infield | Cleveland Indians | American League | 4 (73) |
| José Cardenal (98) | 1963 (4/14/1963) | Infield | San Francisco Giants | National League | 18 (2017) |
| Marcelino López (99) | 1963 (4/14/1963) | LHP | Philadelphia Phillies | National League | 8 (171) |
| Aurelio Monteagudo (100) | 1963 (9/1/1963) | RHP | Kansas City Athletics | American League | 7 (72) |
| Chico (Hiraldo) Ruiz (101) | 1964 (4/13/1964) | Infield | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 8 (565) |
| Luis Tiant Jr. (102) | 1964 (7/19/1964) | RHP | Cleveland Indians | American League | 19 (573) |
| Dagoberto Campaneris (103) | 1964 (7/23/1964) | Infield | Kansas City Athletics | American League | 20 (2328) |
| Tony (Atanasio) Pérez (104) | 1964 (7/26/ 1964) | Infield | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 23 (2777) |
| Sandy (Hilario) Valdespino (105) | 1965 (4/12/1965) | Outfield | Minnesota Twins | American League | 7 (382) |
| Tito (Rigoberto) Fuentes (106) | 1965 (8/18/1965) | Outfield | San Francisco Giants | National League | 13 (1499) |
| Jackie (Jacinto) Hernández (107) | 1965 (9/14/1965) | SS | California Angels | American League | 9 (618) |
| Paul (Paulino) Casanova (108) | 1965 (9/18/1965) | Catcher | Washington Senators | American League | 10 (859) |
| Minnie (Minervino) Rojas (109) | 1966 (5/30/1966) | RHP | California Angels | American League | 3 (157) |
| José Ramón López (110) | 1966 (8/21/1966) | RHP | California Angels | American League | 1 (4) |
| Hank (Enrique) Izquierdo (111) | 1967 (8/9i/1967) | Catcher | Minnesota Twins | American League | 1 (16) |
| George (Jorge) Lauzerique (112) | 1967 (9/17/1967) | RHP | Kansas City Athletics | American League | 4 (34) |
| José Arcia (113) | 1968 (4/10/1968) | Infield | Chicago Cubs | National League | 3 (293) |
| Chico (Lorenzo) Fernández (114) | 1968 (4/20/1968) | Infield | Baltimore Orioles | American League | 1 (24) |
| José Martínez (115) | 1969 (6/18/1969) | Infield | Pittsburgh Pirates | National League | 2 (96) |
| Minnie (Berto) Mendoza (116) | 1970 (4/9/1970) | Infield | Minnesota twins | American League | 1 (16) |
| Oscar Zamora (117) | 1974 (6/18/1974) | RHP | Chicago Cubs | National League | 4 (158) |
| Orlando González (118) | 1976 (6/7/1976) | First Base | Cleveland Indians | American League | 3 (79) |
| Bobby (Roberto) Ramos (119) | 1978 (9/26/1978) | Catcher | Montreal Expos | National League | 6 (103) |
| Leo (Leonardo) Sutherland (120) | 1980 (8/11/1980) | Outfield | Chicago White Sox | American League | 2 (45) |
| Bárbaro Garbéy (121) | 1984 (4/3/1984) | Outfield | Detroit Tigers | American League | 3 (226) |
| José Canseco (122) | 1985 (9/2/1985) | Outfield | Oakland Athletics | American League | 17 (1887) |
| Rafael Palmeiro (123) | 1986 (9/8/1986) | First Base | Chicago Cubs | National League | 20 (2831) |
| Orestes Destrade (124) | 1987 (9/11/1987) | First Base | New York Yankees | American League | 4 (237) |
| Nelson Santovenia (125) | 1987 (9/16/1987) | Catcher | Montreal Expos | National League | 7 (297) |
| Tony (Emilio) Fossas (126) | 1988 (5/15/1988) | LHP | Texas Rangers | American League | 12 (567) |
| Israel Sánchez (127) | 1988 (7/7/1988) | LHP | Kansas City Royals | American League | 2(30) |
| Ozzie Canseco (128) | 1990 (7/18/1990) | Outfield | Oakland Athletics | American League | 3 (24) |
| Tony Menéndez (129) | 1992 (6/22/1992) | RHP | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 3 (23) |
| René Arocha (130) | 1993 (4/9/1993) | RHP | St. Louis Cardinals | National League | 5 (124) |
| Ariel Prieto(131) | 1995 (7/2/1995) | RHP | Oakland Athletics | American League | 5 (67) |
| Rey Ordóñez (132) | 1996 (4/1/1996) | SS | New York Mets | National League | 9 (973) |
| Osvaldo Fernández (133) | 1996 (4/5/1996) | RHP | San Francisco Giants | National League | 7 (76) |
| Eisler (Liván) Hernández (134) | 1996 (9/24/1996) | RHP | Florida Marlins | National League | 16 (506) |
| Elieser (Eli) Marrero (135) | 1997 (9/3/1997) | Catcher | St. Louis Cardinals | National League | 10 (724) |
| Rolando Arrojo (136) | 1998 (4/1/1998) | RHP | Tampa Bay Rays | American League | 5 (158) |
| Orlando (Duque) Hernández (137) | 1998 (6/3/1998) | RHP | New York Yankees | American League | 9 (219) |
| Vladimir Núñez (138) | 1998 (9/11/1998) | RHP | Arizona Diamondbacks | National League | 9 (254) |
| Michael Tejera (139) | 1999 (9/8/1999) | LHP | Florida Marlins | National League | 5 (111) |
| Jorge Toca (140) | 1999 (9/12/1999) | Infield | New York Mets | National League | 3 (25) |
| Adrian Hernández (141) | 2001 (4/21/2001) | RHP | New York Yankees | American League | 3 (14) |
| Danys Báez (142) | 2001 (5/13/2001) | RHP | Cleveland Indians | American League | 10 (533) |
| Edilberto (Eddie) Oropeza (143) | 2001 (4/2/2001) | LHP | Philadelphia Phillies | National League | 4 (125) |
| Alex Sánchez (144) | 2001 (6/15/2001) | Outfield | Milwaukee Brewers | National League | 5 (427) |
| Bill Ortega (145) | 2001 (9/7/2001) | Outfield | St. Louis Cardinals | National League | 1 (5) |
| Hanzel Izquierdo (146) | 2002 (4/21/2002) | RHP | Florida Marlins | National League | 1 (20) |
| Juan Díaz (147) | 2002 (6/12/2002) | First Base | Boston Red Sox | National League | 1 (4) |
| José Ariel Contreras (148) | 2003 (3/31/2003) | RHP | New York Yankees | American League | 10 (292) |
| Michel Hernández (149) | 2003 (9/6/2003) | Catcher | New York Yankees | American League | 3 (45) |
| Branyan Peña (150) | 2005 (5/23/2005) | Catcher | Atlanta Braves | National League | 8 (318) |
| Yuniesky Betancourt (151) | 2005 (7/8/2005) | SS | Seattle Mariners | American League | 8 (1019) |
| Kendry Morales (152) | 2006 (5/23/2006) | First Base | Anaheim Angels | American League | 6 (424) |
| Yunel Escobar (153) | 2007 (6/2/2007) | SS | Atlanta Braves | National League | 6 (746) |
| Alexei Ramírez (154) | 2008 (3/31/2008) | Infield | Chicago White Sox | American League | 5 (708) |
| Alberto Castillo (155) | 2008 (4/28/2008) | LHP | Baltimore Orioles | American League | 4 (74) |
| Francisley Bueno (156) | 2008 (8/13/2008) | RHP | Atlanta Braves | National League | 2 (5) |
| Juan Miranda (157) | 2008 (9/18/2008) | First Base | New York Yankees | American League | 4 (111) |
| Bárbaro Cañizares (158) | 2009 (6/11/2009) | Infield | Atlanta Braves | National League | 1 (5) |
| Raúl Valdés (159) | 2010 (4/11/2010) | LHP | New York Mets | National League | 2 (45) |
| Dayan Viciedo (160) | 2010 (6/20/2010) | Infield | Chicago White Sox | American League | 3 (172) |
| Aroldis Chapman (161) | 2010 (8/31/2010) | LHP | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 3 (122) |
| Yonder Alonso (162) | 2010 (9/1/2010) | Outfield | Cincinnati Reds | National League | 3 (179) |
| Yunieski Maya (163) | 2010 (9/7/2010) | RHP | Washington Nationals | National League | 2 (15) |
| José Iglesias (164) | 2011 (5/8/2011) | SS | Boston Red Sox | American League | 1 (10) |
| Amaury Sanit (165) | 2011 (5/12/2011) | RHP | New York Yankees | American League | 1 (4) |
| Leonys Martin (166) | 2011 (9/2/2011) | Outfield | Texas Rangers | American League | 2 (23) |
| Yoennis Céspedes (167) | 2012 (3/28/2012) | Outfield | Oakland Athletics | American League | 1 (81) |
| Yasmani Grandal (168) | 2012 (6/2/2012) | Catcher | San Diego Padres | National League | 1 (24) |
| Adieny Hechavarria (169) | 2012 (8/4/2012) | Infield | Toronto Blue Jays | American League | 1 (7) |
(*) Peter Bjarkman is author of A History of Cuban Baseball, 1864-2006 (McFarland, 2007) and is widely recognized as a leading authority on Cuban baseball, past and present. He has reported on Cuban League action and the Cuban national team as senior writer for www.BaseballdeCuba.com during the past five-plus years and is currently writing a book on the history of Cuba’s post-revolution national team.