# List of baseball players who defected from Cuba

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.

## Background

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) and forbade Cuban players to play abroad.
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. Bárbaro Garbey left Cuba in the Mariel boatlift in 1980. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Cuba's economy struggled badly and faced severe repercussions from the embargo. 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. 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.
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.
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." By the end of 2014, approximately 30 subsequent Cuban defectors had signed MLB contracts totaling just under $500 million.
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. First baseman José Abreu signed a six-year contract worth $68 million with the Chicago White Sox in 2013. The largest contract given to a pitcher was the $32 million the New York Yankees gave to José Contreras in 2002, while the Cincinnati Reds signed Aroldis Chapman for $30.25 million in 2010.
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. Players who defect are often separated from their families, leading to severed relationships, such as between Jorge Toca and the mother of his son.
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. However, the Trump administration declared the agreement illegal and revoked it in April 2019. Since then, players have continued to defect, such as Lázaro Blanco in 2021.

## List

Key :
| † | MLB All-Star |
| ‡ | Denotes player who is still active |
Defectors :
| Player | Position | Year defected | MLB debut | MLB seasons | Ref |
| José Abreu$^†$ | First baseman | 2013 | March 31, 2014 | 8$^‡$ | |
| Michel Abreu | Outfielder | 2004 | — | — | |
| Dariel Álvarez | Outfielder | 2012 | August 28, 2015 | 2$^‡$ | |
| Rogelio Álvarez | First baseman | 1963 | September 18, 1960 | 2 | |
| Yordan Alvarez$^†$ | Outfielder | 2016 | June 9, 2019 | 3$^‡$ | |
| Jesús Ametller | Second baseman | 1996 | — | — | |
| Leslie Anderson | Outfielder | 2010 | — | — | |
| René Arocha | Pitcher | 1991 | April 9, 1993 | 4 | |
| Randy Arozarena$^†$ | Outfielder | 2015 | August 14, 2019 | 3$^‡$ | |
| Noel Argüelles | Pitcher | 2008 | — | — | |
| Erisbel Arruebarrena | Shortstop | 2013 | May 23, 2014 | 1$^‡$ | |
| Rolando Arrojo$^†$ | Pitcher | 1996 | April 1, 1998 | 5 | |
| Danys Báez$^†$ | Pitcher | 1999 | May 13, 2001 | 10 | |
| Roberto Baldoquin | Second baseman | 2014 | — | — | |
| Alexei Bell | Outfielder | 2016 | — | — | |
| Yenier Bello | Catcher | 2013 | — | — | |
| Yuniesky Betancourt | Shortstop | 2003 | July 28, 2005 | 9 | |
| Dairon Blanco | Outfielder | 2016 | May 20, 2022 | 1$^‡$ | |
| Lázaro Blanco | Pitcher | 2021 | — | — | |
| Francisley Bueno | Pitcher | 2004 | August 13, 2008 | 2 | |
| Bárbaro Cañizares | First baseman | 2004 | June 11, 2009 | 1 | |
| Daniel Carbonell | Outfielder | 2013 | — | — | |
| Alberto Castillo | Pitcher | 1993 | July 8, 2008 | 4 | |
| Diosdany Castillo | Pitcher | 2014 | — | — | |
| Rusney Castillo | Outfielder | 2013 | September 17, 2014 | 3$^‡$ | |
| Amaury Cazana | Outfielder | 2005 | — | — | |
| Geisel Cepeda | Outfielder | 2021 | — | — | |
| Yoelkis Céspedes | Outfielder | 2019 | — | — | |
| Yoenis Céspedes$^†$ | Outfielder | 2011 | March 28, 2012 | 8$^‡$ | |
| Loidel Chapelli Jr. | Outfielder | 2021 | — | — | |
| Aroldis Chapman$^†$ | Pitcher | 2009 | August 31, 2010 | 12$^‡$ | |
| Oscar Colas | Outfielder | 2020 | March 30, 2023 | 1$^‡$ | |
| Roberto Colina | First baseman | 1996 | — | — | |
| Gerardo Concepción | Pitcher | 2011 | June 21, 2016 | 1 | |
| José Contreras$^†$ | Pitcher | 2002 | March 31, 2003 | 11 | |
| Josimar Cousín | Pitcher | 2022 | — | — | |
| Jozzen Cuesta | First baseman | 2013 | — | — | |
| Odrisamer Despaigne | Pitcher | 2013 | June 23, 2014 | 6$^‡$ | |
| Aledmys Díaz | Shortstop | 2012 | April 5, 2016 | 6$^‡$ | |
| Juan Díaz | First baseman | 1995 | June 12, 2002 | 1 | |
| Yandy Díaz | Third baseman | 2013 | April 3, 2017 | 5$^‡$ | |
| Roenis Elías | Pitcher | 2010 | April 3, 2014 | 6$^‡$ | |
| Yunel Escobar | Shortstop | 2004 | June 2, 2007 | 11 | |
| José Fernández$^†$ | Pitcher | 2008 | April 7, 2013 | 4 | |
| José Miguel Fernández | Infielder | 2015 | June 8, 2018 | 1$^‡$ | |
| Osvaldo Fernández | Pitcher | 1995 | April 5, 1996 | 4 | |
| Bárbaro Garbey | First baseman | 1980 | April 3, 1984 | 3 | |
| Adonis García | Outfielder | 2011 | May 19, 2015 | 3$^‡$ | |
| Adolis García$^†$ | Outfielder | 2016 | August 8, 2018 | 3$^‡$ | |
| Onelki García | Pitcher | 2010 | September 11, 2013 | 2$^‡$ | |
| Yasser Gómez | Outfielder | 2008 | — | — | |
| Miguel Alfredo González | Pitcher | 2013 | September 3, 2014 | 1 | |
| Lourdes Gurriel Jr.$^†$ | Infielder | 2016 | April 20, 2018 | 4$^‡$ | |
| Luis Enrique Gurriel Jr. | Outfielder | 2024 | — | — | |
| Yulieski Gurriel | Infielder | 2016 | August 21, 2016 | 6$^‡$ | |
| Alex Guerrero | Shortstop | 2013 | March 22, 2014 | 2 | |
| Vladimir Gutiérrez | Pitcher | 2015 | May 28, 2021 | 1$^‡$ | |
| Adeiny Hechavarria | Shortstop | 2009 | August 4, 2012 | 9$^‡$ | |
| Guillermo Heredia | Outfielder | 2015 | July 29, 2016 | 5$^‡$ | |
| Adrián Hernández | Pitcher | 2000 | April 21, 2001 | 3 | |
| Liván Hernández$^†$ | Pitcher | 1995 | September 24, 1996 | 17 | |
| Michel Hernández | Catcher | 1996 | September 6, 2003 | 3 | |
| Orlando Hernández | Pitcher | 1997 | June 3, 1998 | 9 | |
| Yoslan Herrera | Pitcher | 2005 | July 12, 2008 | 2 | |
| Dalier Hinojosa | Pitcher | 2013 | May 3, 2015 | 2 | |
| Andy Ibáñez | Second baseman | 2014 | May 4, 2021 | 1$^‡$ | |
| Yunior Ibarra | Catcher | 2023 | — | — | |
| José Iglesias $^†$ | Shortstop | 2008 | May 8, 2011 | 10$^‡$ | |
| Raisel Iglesias | Pitcher | 2013 | April 12, 2015 | 7$^‡$ | |
| Hansel Izquierdo | Pitcher | 1994 | April 21, 2002 | 1 | |
| Dyan Yamel Jorge | Shortstop | 2020 | — | — | |
| Raudel Lazo | Pitcher | 2011 | September 5, 2015 | 1 | |
| J.C. Linares | Outfielder | 2009 | — | — | |
| Yoan López | Pitcher | 2014 | September 9, 2018 | 4$^‡$ | |
| Yadel Martí | Pitcher | 2008 | — | — | |
| Leonys Martín | Outfielder | 2010 | September 2, 2011 | 9$^‡$ | |
| J. P. Martínez | Outfielder | 2017 | August 11, 2023 | 1$^‡$ | |
| Yunesky Maya | Pitcher | 2009 | September 7, 2010 | 3$^‡$ | |
| Ubert Mejías | Pitcher | 2021 | — | — | |
| Víctor Víctor Mesa | Outfielder | 2018 | — | — | |
| Juan Miranda | First baseman | 2005 | September 18, 2008 | 4 | |
| Andy Morales | Third baseman | 2000 | — | — | |
| Luis Danys Morales | Pitcher | 2021 | — | — | |
| Kendrys Morales | First baseman | 2004 | May 23, 2006 | 13 | |
| Adrian Morejón | Pitcher | 2015 | July 21, 2019 | 3$^‡$ | |
| Yadil Mujica | Shortstop | 2009 | — | — | |
| Gabriel Eduardo Mustelier | Infielder | 2023 | — | — | |
| Ronnier Mustelier | Outfielder/Third baseman | 2009 | — | — | |
| Vladimir Núñez | Pitcher | 1995 | September 11, 1998 | 9 | |
| Héctor Olivera | Second baseman | 2014 | September 1, 2015 | 2 | |
| Jorge Oña | Outfielder | 2015 | September 7, 2020 | 2$^‡$ | |
| Rey Ordóñez | Shortstop | 1993 | April 1, 1996 | 9 | |
| Eddie Oropesa | Pitcher | 1993 | April 2, 2001 | 4 | |
| Bill Ortega | Outfielder | 1996 | September 7, 2001 | 1 | |
| Andy Pages | Outfielder | 2017 | April 16, 2024 | 1$^‡$ | |
| Brayan Peña | Catcher | 1999 | May 23, 2005 | 13 | |
| Hassan Peña | Pitcher | 2005 | — | — | |
| Orlando Pérez | Infielder | 2013 | — | — | |
| Ariel Prieto | Pitcher | 1995 | July 2, 1995 | 7 | |
| Iván Prieto | Catcher | 2023 | — | — | |
| Yasiel Puig$^†$ | Outfielder | 2012 | June 3, 2013 | 7$^‡$ | |
| Alexei Ramírez$^†$ | Shortstop | 2007 | March 31, 2008 | 9$^‡$ | |
| Roberto Carlos Ramírez | Shortstop | 2011 | — | — | |
| Alejandro Regueira | Catcher | 2021 | — | — | |
| Victor Rivas | First baseman | 2013 | — | — | |
| Luis Robert | Outfielder | 2017 | July 24, 2020 | 2$^‡$ | |
| Eddy Rodríguez | Catcher | 1993 | August 2, 2012 | 1 | |
| Larry Rodríguez | Pitcher | 1995 | — | — | |
| Omar Luis Rodriguez | Pitcher | 2012 | — | — | |
| Yariel Rodríguez | Pitcher | 2023 | April 13, 2024 | — | — |
| Euclides Rojas | Pitcher | 1994 | — | — | |
| José Julio Ruiz | First baseman | 2009 | — | — | |
| Alex Sánchez | Outfielder | 1994 | June 15, 2001 | 7 | |
| Amauri Sanit | Pitcher | 2006 | May 12, 2011 | 1 | |
| Juan Yasser Serrano | Pitcher | 2009 | — | — | |
| Misael Siverio | Pitcher | 2013 | — | — | |
| Alay Soler | Pitcher | 2003 | May 24, 2006 | 1 | |
| Jorge Soler | Outfielder | 2011 | August 27, 2014 | 8$^‡$ | |
| Deinis Suárez | Pitcher | 2009 | — | — | |
| Michael Tejera | Pitcher | 1994 | September 8, 1999 | 5 | |
| Jorge Toca | First baseman | 1998 | September 12, 1999 | 3 | |
| Yasmany Tomás | Outfielder | 2014 | April 4, 2015 | 4$^‡$ | |
| Henry Urrutia | Outfielder | 2011 | July 20, 2013 | 2$^‡$ | |
| Raúl Valdés | Pitcher | 2003 | April 11, 2010 | 5 | |
| John Valle | Pitcher | 2021 | — | — | |
| Dayán Viciedo | Outfielder | 2008 | June 20, 2010 | 5$^‡$ | |