Matt Higgins
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has expressed concern about how President Donald Trump’s immigration policies could affect the league’s substantial international player base.
During comments to reporters at the Associated Press Sports Editors meeting, Manfred disclosed having direct conversations with Trump regarding the White House’s immigration mandates and their potential impact on players from countries like Cuba and Venezuela.
“Given the number of foreign-born players we have, we’re always concerned about ingress and egress,” Manfred explained, via The Athletic’s Mark Puleo. “We have had dialogue with the administration about this topic. And, you know, they’re very interested in sports. They understand the unique need to be able to go back and forth, and I’m going to leave it at that.”
The stakes are significant for MLB, where international talent forms a crucial component of the league. According to MLB.com, 265 international players appeared on Opening Day rosters for the 2025 season, representing 27.8% of all major leaguers. The Dominican Republic leads with 100 players, followed by Venezuela with 63 and Cuba with 26.
The talks come as the Trump administration has directed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to conduct raids targeting undocumented immigrants. These operations have resulted in U.S. citizens being detained as well.
While the administration has temporarily postponed a proposed travel ban that would restrict entry for citizens from numerous countries, including baseball hotbeds Cuba and Venezuela, the possibility remains a significant concern for MLB leadership. Such restrictions would impact virtually every team roster across the league.
Manfred met with Trump at the White House on April 16. They also had discussions about Pete Rose, whom Trump said he would pardon. Manfred added he will rule on whether to posthumously reinstate Rose from the league’s ineligible list following his lifetime ban for gambling on baseball games, including as manager of the Cincinnati Reds.
