Here is the comprehensive list of former Asian American players, coaches, and executives in Major League Baseball. Click here for a list of active Asian Americans in MLB.
Last updated: November 15, 2024. Have any additions or corrections? Please contact us at the form below.
MLB Debut: 6/17/1998
Club: New York Mets, Colorado Rockies, Boston Red Sox
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Benny Agbayani
Outfield
Agbayani, who has Filipino, Hawaiian, and Samoan heritage, was a fan favorite in New York. Nicknamed “Hawaiian Punch”, he is known for hitting 15 home runs during the 2000 season, and for haphazardly tossing an in-play ball to a child in the stands, then trying to take it back. After five years in MLB, he would go on to play for the Chiba Lotte Marines of NPB before retiring in 2009.
MLB Debut: 9/16/1956
Club: Cincinnati Reds
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Bobby Balcena
Outfield
Balcena, of Filipino heritage, had only two at-bats in seven big league games, but nevertheless represented the continuation of an important shift in the public mindset that started to gain momentum when Jackie Robinson broke MLB’s color barrier on April 15, 1942: that anyone, no matter their heritage, could play at the highest level.
MLB Debut: 8/3/2004
Clubs: Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego Padres
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Jason Bartlett
Shortstop
Bartlett, who is of Filipino descent via his mother’s side, was a shortstop drafted by the Padres in 2001. Known for his exceptional defensive skills and speed, Bartlett played in the 2008 World Series and represented the Tampa Bay Rays as an All-Star in 2009 before being traded back to the Padres in 2010. He retired from professional baseball in 2015 after 11 MLB seasons.
MLB Debut: 8/3/1994
Clubs: Oakland Athletics
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Jim Bowie
First Base
Bowie, a Japanese-American born in Tokyo, was drafted by the Mariners in 1986. He made his big league debut with the Oakland Athletics in 1994. His MLB career spanned just six games in one season.
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Bruce Chen
Pitcher
Chen, who is of Chinese descent, made his debut with the Atlanta Braves in 1998 and had a 17 year career. He posted 1,140 strikeouts and a 4.62 ERA. In 2017, Chen represented China in the World Baseball Classic.
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Johnny Damon
Outfield
Damon, whose mother is a Thai immigrant, was a first round draft pick selected by the Kansas City Royals in 1992. He’s a 2x All-Star, 2x World Series Champion, and lead the AL in stolen bases in 2000. Damon played a critical role in the 2004 Red Sox’s “Reversing of the Curse”, including two home runs in game 7 of the ALCS against the Yankees. He last played in MLB for Cleveland in 2012, and made his debut with the Savannah Bananas in 2023.
MLB Debut: 9/6/1983
Clubs: New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Oakland Athletics
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Ron Darling
Pitcher
Darling, who was born in Hawaii to a Hawaiian-Chinese mother, was drafted by the Texas Rangers ninth overall in 1981 draft. He made his debut with the Mets in 1983 and would go on to become an All-Star in 1985, a World Series winner in 1986, and a Gold Glover in 1989. Over his 13 seasons in the majors, he racked up 1,590 strikeouts and posted a career ERA of 3.87. Darling has been a part of the Mets broadcast crew since 2006 and has even won two Emmys for “Best Sports Analyst” in New York.
MLB Debut: 6/24/2011
Clubs: Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Kansas City Royals
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Chase d’Arnaud
Shortstop
D’Arnaud, who is the older brother of Travis d’Arnaud, was drafted by the Pirates in 2008. Known for his versatility and athleticism on the field, d’Arnaud played multiple infield positions through his career, and was nicknamed “Cheetah”. His mother mother, Marita, is of Filipino American descent. D’Arnaud was looking forward to representing the Philippines in the 2020 WBC before it was cancelled due to COVID. Later in 2020, d’Arnaud announced his retirement from baseball.
MLB Debut: 7/20/2008
Club: San Francisco Giants
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Geno Espineli
Pitcher
MLB Debut: 4/26/1972
Clubs: Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals
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Bobby Fenwick
Second Base
Fenwick was born in Naha, Japan to a Japanese mother and U.S. Navy corpsman. He was the second American of Japanese ancestry (after Mike Lum) to play in the majors. His career was short, spanning just two years and a total of 41 games.
MLB Debut: 7/13/1996
Clubs: Cleveland, Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets
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Danny Graves
Pitcher
Graves was born in Saigon, Vietnam to a Vietnamese mother and a U.S. Army sergeant. He is the only Vietnam-born player in the history of MLB. Nicknamed “The Baby Faced Assassin”, Graves spent 11 years pitching in the big leagues before retiring in 2006. He is currently a baseball analyst for several sports media outlets.
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Jeremy Guthrie
Pitcher
Guthrie, who is of Japanese heritage, was drafted in the first round of 2002 by Cleveland. He debuted in 2004 and went on to play 12 plus seasons tallying 1,046 strikeouts and a career 4.42 ERA. The Kansas City Royals hired Guthrie as a broadcaster in 2023 and in doing so made him one of two Asian American broadcasters in MLB, along with Stephen Nelson of the Dodgers.
MLB Debut: 8/13/1981
Clubs: Kansas City Royals, San Fransisco Giants, San Diego Padres, Chicago White Sox
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Atlee Hammaker
Pitcher
Hammaker, whose mother was Japanese, was a 1983 All-Star and won the National League ERA title the same year with an ERA of 2.25. The snazzy lefty played 12 seasons in the big leagues before moving on to various coaching roles and eventually retiring from baseball. He collected 615 strikeouts and posted a career ERA of 3.66.
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Gosuke Katoh
Infield
After spending eight seasons in the minor leagues, Katoh’s early success in 2022 was a heartwarming tale. In April, he achieved his first major league hit with the Toronto Blue Jays, which brought tears to his eyes. The versatile player revealed that it wasn’t the hit itself that stirred his emotions, but rather the overwhelming support and encouragement from his teammates in the dugout, after overcoming numerous obstacles to reach this milestone. Katoh is currently playing for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball.
MLB Debut: 5/20/1975
Clubs: St. Louis Cardinals
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Ryan Kurosaki
Pitcher
Ryan Kurosaki made history in 1975 as the first Major League Baseball player of full East Asian descent. Kurosaki, whose mother and father were Japanese debuted with the St. Louis Cardinals on May 20. Known for his sharp slider and remarkable control, Kurosaki’s achievement marked a pivotal moment for Japanese American athletes in baseball. Although his major league career spanned only seven games, his impact as a trailblazer remains an enduring source of inspiration.
Tim Lincecum
Pitcher
Lincecum, whose mother is the daughter of Filipino immigrants, spent the bulk of his career with the Giants. Lincecum was a 4x All-Star, 3x World Series Champion, 2x Cy Young Winner, and 3x NL Strikeout Leader. He also pitched two no-hitters, and finished his career with a 3.74 ERA and 1,736 strikeouts. Lincecum had a unique delivery that generated seemingly impossible power from his small frame, earning him the nickname “The Freak”.
MLB Debut: 9/12/1967
Club: Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs
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Mike Lum
Outfield / First Base
Born in Hawaii to a Japanese mother and American father, Lum was adopted by a Chinese couple as a baby. He would become the first American of Japanese ancestry to play Major League Baseball. Spending the largest portion of his career with the Braves, he collected 15 seasons in the big leagues and one season in NPB before transitioning into coaching with various MLB clubs.
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Lenn Sakata
Second Base
Sakata, who is Japanese American, was selected by the Brewers in the first round of the 1975 draft. He posted a .230 career batting average, and was the first Asian American to participate in and win a World Series (1983). His three decades as a minor league manager resulted in his number fourteen being retired by the San Jose Giants and induction into the California League Hall of Fame. Sakata is also known as being the last Baltimore Oriole to play shortstop before Cal Ripken began his famed “Iron Man” streak. Read our feature on Sakata.
MLB Debut: 5/24/1969
Clubs: St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres
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John Sipin
Second Base
Sipin, whose father was Filipino, was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1965. In 1969, he was traded to the San Diego Padres and made his major league debut, playing in 68 games that season. He finished the ’69 season with an average of .223, 12 doubles, two triples (which came in his first two MLB at-bats!), and two home runs. He signed with NPB’s Taiyo Whales in 1972. With a penchant for flare and showmanship, Sipin quickly became one of the most popular players in NPB, earning the nickname “Lion Maru.” He won the Golden Glove in both 1972 and 1973, making him the first foreign player to do so. In 1978 he was traded to the Yomiuri Giants where he would play through the 1980 season before retiring. He was one of the most productive power hitters in Japan over nine seasons, slugging 218 home runs (with a .297 average) in just 1036 games.
MLB Debut: 6/12/2007
Former Clubs: Oakland Athletics, Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels
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Kurt Suzuki
Catcher
Suzuki, a celebrated All-Star in 2014 and the backstop of the triumphant 2019 Washington Nationals World Series team, has earned a well-deserved place among the most accomplished catchers in MLB history. He has achieved the remarkable feat of recording 10,000 putouts at his position, making him one of only 16 players to do so, and has played in 33rd most games of all time. As a Hawaiian and fourth-generation Japanese American, Suzuki is one of the most recognizable Asian Americans in baseball. As a player, he was highly regarded for his exceptional leadership skills and his willingness to go above and beyond to support his younger teammates. Suzuki retired at the end of the 2022 season.
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Don Wakamatsu
First Asian MLB Manager
In 2008, Wakamatsu, a Japanese American, made history by becoming the first Asian American manager in MLB. His dedication to the game and his ability to build strong relationships on and off the field were widely praised. Even famed baseball executive Fred Claire acknowledged Wakamatsu’s reputation, stating that he was “well-known and highly respected within the game.” Wakamatsu served in various bench roles across the league and eventually won a World Series ring in 2015 with the Kansas City Royals. He also gained notoriety for his beautifully-written lineup cards, as seen in the photo below. Wakamatsu retired after the 2021 season and more than 25+ years in the game.
MLB Debut: 6/12/2019
Former Clubs: Miami Marlins, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers
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Jordan Yamamoto
Pitcher
Yamamoto, who is Hawaiian and of half-Filipino descent with Japanese, Chinese, Spanish and Portuguese ancestry, made a splash in the MLB as a rookie at the age of 23 in 2019. He burst onto the scene with the Miami Marlins, showcasing his cunning pitching skills by throwing 14 consecutive scoreless innings and striking out 12 batters, leading him to secure victories in his first two starts. After a challenging season in 2021, Yamamoto joined the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. In 2023, Yamamoto joined the Dodgers organization before announcing his retirement in March.
