It was formerly referred to as “the small republic of great baseball” because More Major League Baseball players have come from it than any other league. The country outside the United States. Additionally, the Dominican Republic has a lengthy and rich past. With baseball (about 400 players were born here).
The Dominican Republic has produced some of Major League Baseball’s all-time best players. These top 21 athletes from this tiny nation of 8 million people have achieved greatness.
1. Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols was Born in 1980 in Santo Domingo, D.R. Pujols signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1993. He is a Dominican-American professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB).
He was known as “The Machine” or “La Máquina” in Spanish and played for the St. Louis Cardinals for his first 11 MLB seasons. He then spent more than nine seasons with the Los Angeles Angels before spending half a season with the Los Angeles Dodgers and then returning to the Cardinals for what he declared would be his final season. Since 2020, he has been the oldest active MLB player.
2. David Ortiz
David Ortiz was born in 1975 in the Dominican Republic’s Santo Domingo. He is a Dominican designated hitter in professional baseball, first baseman, and Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox third baseman (MLB). Nicknamed “Big Papi”, he is considered one of the greatest baseball players of his generation.
Ortiz has been selected for the All-Star Game thirteen times, including eight consecutive selections from 2003 to 2010. A switch hitter who threw left-handed until 2008, Ortiz has since batted exclusively from the right side.
3. Julio Franco
Julio Franco was born in 1958 in the Dominican Republic. He is a retired professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter who spent the majority of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Texas Rangers and Cleveland Indians. Franco is one of only four players whose careers began before 1980 to accumulate more than 3,000 hits, 1,500 runs scored and 1,500 runs batted in (RBI).
4. Robinson Canó
Robinson Canó was born in 1982 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) player and outfielder for the Seattle Mariners of the National League (NL). He is nicknamed “El Perico” (The Parakeet) in Spanish. He bats and throws right-handed, stands 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall, and weighs 265 pounds (120 kg). Canó is a 12-time MLB All-Star and has led the American League in hits three times. His first MVP award came in 2005.
5. Alfonso Soriano
Alfonso Soriano was born in 1976 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He a Dominican former professional baseball left fielder and second baseman. He participated in MLB as a member of the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Washington Nationals, Chicago Cubs, and Baseball in Japan for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Soriano began playing baseball professionally in 1996 with Hiroshima, but in 1998 he signed a free agent deal with the Yankees and was assigned to the minor levels.
6. Plácido Polanco
Plácido Polanco was born in 1975 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) utility player. He was a winning team member at the 2001 World Series when he hit five home runs with 10 RBIs to capture the championship for the Braves. At San Jacinto College, he was a baseball player before being signed as an amateur free agent by the Toronto Blue Jays.
7. Luis Castillo
Luis Castillo was born in 1975 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) shortstop and third baseman who spent most of his career with the Cincinnati Reds (2004–08), with whom he made his league debut on April 3, 2004.
8. Tony Fernández
Antonio Fernández was born in 1962 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) player and current manager of the Toros del Este of the Dominican Winter Baseball League. He was known for having a powerful personality defense and being one of the best-hitting shortstops in baseball history.
9. Miguel Tejada
Miguel Tejada was born in 1974 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman. Apart from his native country, he has played for the Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). A six-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove Award winner, Tejada is the only MLB player to achieve five hits and five stolen bases in the same game.
10. José Reyes
José Reyes was born in 1983 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He played baseball in the Major Leagues in the past and shortstop for the New York Mets and Colorado Rockies. In 2004, he received the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award as a member of the Marlins. Overall, he is the winner of the six-time MLB All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger Award. He has led the NL in stolen bases nine times, including each year from 2003–07.
11. Rafael Furcal
Furcal was born in 1977 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop who has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves. He is mostly known for his defensive skill, which earned him two Gold Glove Awards and two Silver Slugger Awards from the National League (NL).
12. Adrián Beltré
Adrián Beltré was born in1979 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder, second baseman, and designated hitter for the Baltimore Orioles of the American League (AL). Beltré is a two-time Gold Glove Award winner and a four-time Silver Slugger Award recipient. On August 16, 2009, he blasted a home run for his 3,000th hit against the Tampa Bay Rays.
13. Aramis Ramírez
Aramis Ramírez was born in 1978 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is a baseball third baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has also played for the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates. With his 440th stolen base on August 21, 2009, Ramirez became only the eighth player in MLB history to have 400 home runs and 400 stolen bases.
14. Edwin Encarnación
Edwin Encarnación was born in 1983 in Samaná, Dominican Republic. He is a Dominican professional baseball first and the third baseman who is currently a free agent. He played Major League Baseball (MLB), Toronto Blue Jays, Oakland Athletics, and Cleveland Indians for the Seattle Mariners.
15. Tony Peña
Tony Peña was born in 1957 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) player, primarily a catcher. He presently works for MLB Network as a color commentator. Before joining the broadcast team, he served as the play-by-play announcer for the Nationals’ Triple-A affiliate Potomac Nationals.
16. Johnny Cueto
Cueto was born in 1986 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played for the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds. In his career as a Giant, Cueto has been selected to three All-Star Games (2012–2014). Noted for being an effective control pitcher with exceptional ground ball outs, Cueto only allows six hits per 9 innings.
17. Jhonny Peralta
Jhonny Peralta was born in 1982 in La Vega, Dominican Republic. He is a former Major League Baseball shortstop, third baseman, and designated hitter. He has played for the same team his entire career, the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals. Peralta has won four Gold Glove Awards, two with the Royals and two with the Tigers.
18. Ervin Santana
Santana was born in 1982 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Additionally, he has represented the Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and Atlanta Braves. During the 2008 World Series, Santana’s Angels faced the Tampa Bay Rays, where Santana started Game 1 of the Series and pitched six innings with no earned runs allowed.
19. Nelson Cruz
Nelson Cruz was born in 1981 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has played with the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, and Baltimore Orioles throughout his career. He is noted for his power-hitting, having courted controversy when he was caught using performance-enhancing drugs in violation of MLB’s drug policy and suspended.
20. Bartolo Colon
Bartolo Colon was born in 1973 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher and current TV analyst for the New York Mets. Before starting his Major League career, Colon also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, Florida Marlins, and New York Yankees.
21. Francisco Cordero
Francisco Cordero was born in 1975 in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic. He is a retired Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, and Cincinnati Reds. Cordero is a four-time All-Star, eight-time Gold Glove winner, and three-time World Series champion with the Rangers in 2010, 2011, and 2012, and the Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993.
