A Golden Era for Nicaraguan Baseball

With the new season well under way, it’s worth noting that we are in a golden era for Nicaraguans playing in Major League Baseball. Of the fourteen nationals who have played at the top level of the game in the last forty years, no less than five of them are currently playing today, proudly flying the Nicaraguan flag on the world’s biggest sporting stage.

Let’s take a look at who is pitching and swinging with the very best in Major League Baseball.

Nicaraguan players cover the full spectrum of American League baseball outright betting, from Jonathan Loáisiga at second favourites the New York Yankees, to Cheslor Cuthbert at rank outsiders the Kansas City Royals.

Of the two, Loáisiga is the real star in the making, having exploded on to the scene in 2018, when he pitched five scoreless innings for the Yankees on debut, earning a win for his new team.

Elsewhere, Erasmo Ramirez is working hard to gain a regular place with the Boston Red Sox, despite his selection for the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series. Having started the season at AAA level with the Pawtucket Red Sox, he was promoted to the main Boston team in April, only to be sent back down after leaking four runs in three innings in an 8-0 thrashing by the New York Yankees. His namesake, J.C. Ramirez, is also struggling, having fought his way to a starting role with the Los Angeles Angels, only to injure the elbow on his throwing arm after just two starts last year and then missing the rest of the season following surgery.

Once rated on the list of best prospects by Baseball America magazine, Chelsor Cuthbert has been loyal to the Royals for more than a decade, despite often playing understudy to first choice starter Mike Moustakas at the Kansas City club.

Completing the round up, free agent Everth Cabrera is unlikely to be without a club for long, especially with his reputation as a prolific base stealer. Opportunistic to the last, he took the record for stolen bases in the National League in 2012.

Looking at the recent history of Nicaraguan Major League Baseball players, one statistic stands out for potential new players. If you are looking to crack the big leagues, then pitcher is the position to try for. Of the fourteen Nicaraguan players who have featured in the league since 1979, no less than ten of them have had the ball in hand on the top of the mound, with just four playing as specialist fielders or basemen.