Ohtani Tops Jersey Sales for 30th Month as MLB Lists 14 Japan-Born Players on Opening Day

The new figures show one quarter of MLB players were born outside the United States, signaling a broader global pull.

Overview

MLB, which released the figures Thursday, reported new rankings for replica jersey sales and a fresh count of player birthplaces on opening-day rosters.
Shohei Ohtani held the top spot in jersey sales for a 30th straight month, with Dodgers teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto second in a first for two Japan-born players.
Aaron Judge ranked third in sales, and the Dodgers placed four players in the top 10, including Mookie Betts in fifth and Freddie Freeman in seventh.
The roster tally listed 948 players, with 247 born outside the United States for a 26.1% share, led by the Dominican Republic with 93, Venezuela with 60, and Cuba with 20.
Japan counted 14 players, ranked fifth by birthplace, which is the second-highest total on record after 2008’s 16 and includes newcomers Munetaka Murakami, Kazuma Okamoto, and Tatsuya Imai.