Though baseball was part of only five Olympic Games, a surprising number of major league players participated for their countries. Many of these players appeared in the Olympics prior to appearing in the majors, but a few appeared after the end of their major league career. A couple even appeared between stints in the major leagues. All told, 140 major leaguers also competed for medals at the Olympics. More players will join the list as 2008 Olympians make their way into the majors. I realize it's staggering, but I've listed all 140 MLB Olympians below.
MLB Players Who Played Olympic Baseball
Count | Name | Olympic Team | MLB Career | Teams |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Brent Abernathy | 2000 USA | 2001-2005 | TBD, KCR, MIN |
2 | Willie Adams | 1992 USA | 1996-1997 | OAK |
3 | Kurt Ainsworth | 2000 USA | 2001-2004 | SFG, BAL |
4 | Chad Allen | 1996 USA | 1999-2005 | MIN, CLE, FLA, TEX |
5 | Rolando Arrojo | 1992 Cuba | 1998-2002 | TBD, COL, BOS |
6 | Wladimir Balentien | 2004 Netherlands | 2007-2008 | SEA |
7 | Grant Balfour | 2000 Australia | 2001-2008 | MIN, MIL, TBD |
8 | Brian Barden | 2008 USA | 2007-2008 | ARI, STL |
9 | Cley Bellinger | 2004 Greece | 1999-2002 | NYY, ANA |
10 | Shayne Bennett | 2000 Australia | 1997-1999 | MON |
11 | Kris Benson | 1996 USA | 1999-2006 | PIT, NYM, BAL |
12 | Jung Bong | 2008 South Korea | 2002-2004 | ATL, CIN |
13 | Pat Borders | 2000 USA | 1988-2005 | TOR, KCR, HOU STL, CAL, CHW CLE, SEA, MIN |
14 | Matthew Brown | 2008 USA | 2007-2008 | LAA |
15 | Sean Burroughs | 2000 USA | 2002-2006 | SDP, TBD |
16 | Chin-Feng Chen | 2004/2008 Taiwan | 2002-2005 | LAD |
17 | Stubby Clapp | 2004/2008 Canada | 2001 | STL |
18 | Ivanon Coffie | 2004 Netherlands | 2000 | BAL |
19 | Jose Contreras | 1996/2000 Cuba | 2003-2008 | NYY, CHW |
20 | Rheal Cormier | 2008 Canada | 1991-2007 | STL, BOS, MON PHI, CIN |
21 | Eric Cyr | 2004 Canada | 2002 | SDP |
22 | David Davidson | 2008 Canada | 2007 | PIT |
23 | Gookie Dawkins | 2000 USA | 1999-2003 | CIN, KCR |
24 | Yurendell DeCaster | 2004/2008 Netherlands | 2006 | PIT |
25 | R.A. Dickey | 1996 USA | 2001-2008 | TEX, SEA |
26 | Jason Dickson | 2004 Canada | 1996-2000 | CAL/ANA |
27 | Darren Dreifort | 1992 USA | 1994-2004 | LAD |
28 | Rob Ducey | 2004 Canada | 1987-2001 | TOR, CAL, TEX, SEA PHI, TOR, MON |
29 | Robert Eenhoorn | 2000 Netherlands | 1994-1997 | NYY, CAL |
30 | Mark Ettles | 2000 Australia | 1993 | SDP |
31 | Adam Everett | 2000 USA | 2001-2008 | HOU, MIN |
32 | Rikkert Faneyte | 2000 Netherlands | 1993-1996 | SFG, TEX |
33 | Oswaldo Fernandez | 1992 Cuba | 1996-2001 | SFG, CIN |
34 | Dexter Fowler | 2008 USA | 2008 | COL |
35 | Ryan Franklin | 2000 USA | 1999-2008 | SEA, PHI, CIN, STL |
36 | Kosuke Fukudome | 1996/2004 Japan | 2008 | CHC |
37 | John Gall | 2008 USA | 2005-2007 | STL, FLA |
38 | Nomar Garciaparra | 1992 USA | 1996-2008 | BOS, CHC, LAD |
39 | Chris George | 2000 USA | 2001-2004 | KCR |
40 | Jason Giambi | 1992 USA | 1995-2008 | OAK, NYY |
41 | Troy Glaus | 1996 USA | 1998-2008 | ANA, ARI, TOR, STL |
42 | Steve Green | 2008 Canada | 2001 | ANA |
43 | Rick Greene | 1992 USA | 1999 | CIN |
44 | Seth Greisinger | 1996 USA | 1998-2005 | DET, MIN, ATL |
45 | Jeffrey Hammonds | 1992 USA | 1993-2005 | BAL, CIN, COL MIL, SFG, WSN |
46 | Rick Helling | 1992 USA | 1994-2006 | TEX, FLA, ARI BAL, MIL |
47 | Orlando Hernandez | 1992 Cuba | 1998-2007 | NYY, CHW, ARI, NYM |
48 | Mike Hessman | 2008 USA | 2003-2008 | ATL, DET |
49 | Shawn Hill | 2004 Canada | 2004-2008 | MON/WSN |
50 | A.J. Hinch | 1996 USA | 1998-2004 | OAK, KCR, DET, PHI |
51 | Mark Hutton | 2000 Australia | 1993-1998 | NYY, FLA, COL, CIN |
52 | Tadahito Iguchi | 1996 Japan | 2005-2008 | CHW, PHI, SDP |
53 | Marcus Jensen | 2000 USA | 1996-2002 | SFG, DET, MIL, STL MIN, BOS, TEX |
54 | Kevin Jepsen | 2008 USA | 2008 | LAA |
55 | Kenji Johjima | 2004 Japan | 2006-2008 | SEA |
56 | Charles Johnson | 1992 USA | 1994-2005 | FLA, LAD, BAL CHW, COL, TBD |
57 | Mike Johnson | 2004/2008 Canada | 1997-2001 | BAL, MON |
58 | Jacque Jones | 1996 USA | 1999-2008 | MIN, CHC, DET, FLA |
59 | Gene Kingsale | 2004/2008 Netherlands | 1996-2003 | BAL, SEA, SDP, DET |
60 | Mike Kinkade | 2000 USA | 1998-2003 | NYM, BAL, LAD |
61 | Danny Klassen | 2004 Canada | 1998-2003 | ARI, DET |
62 | Brandon Knight | 2008 USA | 2001-2008 | NYY, NYM |
63 | Masahide Kobayashi | 2004 Japan | 2008 | CLE |
64 | Billy Koch | 1996 USA | 1999-2004 | TOR, OAK, CHW, FLA |
65 | Mike Koplove | 2008 USA | 2001-2007 | ARI, CLE |
66 | Mark Kotsay | 1996 USA | 1997-2008 | FLA, SDP, OAK ATL, BOS |
67 | George Kottaras | 2004 Greece | 2008 | BOS |
68 | Rick Krivda | 2000 USA | 1995-1998 | BAL, CLE, CIN |
69 | Hiroki Kuroda | 2004 Japan | 2008 | LAD |
70 | Pete LaForest | 2004 Canada | 2003-2007 | TBD, SDP, PHI |
71 | Matt LeCroy | 1996 USA | 2000-2007 | MIN, WSN |
72 | Travis Lee | 1996 USA | 1998-2006 | ARI, PHI, TBD, NYY |
73 | Graeme Lloyd | 2004 Australia | 1993-2003 | MIL, NYY, TOR, MON FLA, NYM, KCR |
74 | Braden Looper | 1996 USA | 1998-2008 | STL, FLA, NYM |
75 | Calvin Maduro | 2004 Netherlands | 1996-2002 | PHI, BAL |
76 | Oswaldo Mairena | 1996 Nicaragua | 2000-2002 | CHC, FLA |
77 | Nick Markakis | 2004 Greece | 2006-2008 | BAL |
78 | Lou Marson | 2008 USA | 2008 | PHI |
79 | Shairon Martis | 2008 Netherlands | 2008 | WSN |
80 | Daisuke Matsuzaka | 2000/2004 Japan | 2007-2008 | BOS |
81 | Chris Mears | 2004 Canada | 2003 | DET |
82 | Hensley Meulens | 2000 Netherlands | 1989-1998 | NYY, MON, ARI |
83 | Doug Mientkiewicz | 2000 USA | 1998-2008 | MIN, BOS, NYM KCR, NYY, PIT |
84 | Ralph Milliard | 2000/2004 Netherlands | 1996-1998 | FLA, NYM |
85 | Warren Morris | 1996 USA | 1999-2003 | PIT, MIN, DET |
86 | Calvin Murray | 1992 USA | 1999-2004 | SFG, TEX, CHC |
87 | Aaron Myette | 2004 Canada | 1999-2004 | CHW, TEX, CLE, CIN |
88 | Micheal Nakamura | 1996/2000 Australia | 2003-2004 | MIN, TOR |
89 | Norihiro Nakamura | 2000/2004 Japan | 2005 | LAD |
90 | Blaine Neal | 2008 USA | 2001-2005 | FLA, SDP, BOS, COL |
91 | Mike Neill | 2000 USA | 1998 | OAK |
92 | Phil Nevin | 1992 USA | 1995-2006 | HOU, DET, ANA, SDP TEX, CHC, MIN |
93 | Kevin Nicholson | 2004 Canada | 2000 | SDP |
94 | Dave Nilsson | 2000/2004 Australia | 1992-1999 | MIL |
95 | Jayson Nix | 2008 USA | 2008 | COL |
96 | Augie Ojeda | 1996 USA | 2000-2008 | CHC, MIN, ARI |
97 | Pete Orr | 2004 Canada | 2005-2008 | ATL, WSN |
98 | Roy Oswalt | 2000 USA | 2001-2008 | HOU |
99 | Chris Oxspring | 2004 Australia | 2005 | SDP |
100 | Erik Pappas | 2004 Greece | 1991-1994 | CHC, STL |
101 | Jim Parque | 1996 USA | 1998-2003 | CHW, TBD |
102 | Simon Pond | 2004 Canada | 2004 | TOR |
103 | Ryan Radmanovich | 2004/2008 Canada | 1998 | SEA |
104 | Alexei Ramirez | 2004 Cuba | 2008 | CHW |
105 | Jon Rauch | 2000 USA | 2002-2008 | CHW, MON/WSN, ARI |
106 | Chris Reitsma | 2008 Canada | 2001-2007 | CIN, ATL, SEA |
107 | Ryan Rowland-Smith | 2004 Australia | 2007-2008 | SEA |
108 | Anthony Sanders | 2000 USA | 1999-2001 | TOR, SEA |
109 | Nate Schierholtz | 2008 USA | 2007-2008 | SFG |
110 | Bobby Seay | 2000 USA | 2001-2008 | TBD, COL, DET |
111 | Ben Sheets | 2000 USA | 2001-2008 | MIL |
112 | Jason Simontacchi | 2000 Italy | 2002-2007 | STL, WSN |
113 | Chris Snelling | 2000 Australia | 2002-2008 | SEA, WSN, OAK, PHI |
114 | Sean Spencer | 2004 Greece | 1999-2000 | SEA, MON |
115 | Paul Spoljaric | 2004 Canada | 1994-2000 | TOR, SEA, PHI, KCR |
116 | John Stephens | 2004 Australia | 2002 | BAL |
117 | Adam Stern | 2004/2008 Canada | 2005-2007 | BOS, BAL |
118 | Andy Stewart | 2004 Canada | 1997 | KCR |
119 | Phil Stockman | 2004 Australia | 2006-2008 | ATL |
120 | R.J. Swindle | 2008 Canada | 2008 | PHI |
121 | So Taguchi | 2000 Japan | 2002-2008 | STL, PHI |
122 | Taylor Teagarden | 2008 USA | 2008 | TEX |
123 | Brad Thomas | 2000 Australia | 2001-2004 | MIN |
124 | Rich Thompson | 2004 Australia | 2007-2008 | LAA |
125 | Scott Thorman | 2008 Canada | 2006-2007 | ATL |
126 | Terry Tiffee | 2008 USA | 2004-2008 | MIN, LAD |
127 | Chin-Hui Tsao | 2004/2008 Taiwan | 2003-2007 | COL, LAD |
128 | Michael Tucker | 1992 USA | 1995-2006 | KCR, ATL, CIN, CHC SFG, PHI, NYM |
129 | Jason Varitek | 1992 USA | 1997-2008 | BOS |
130 | Ron Villone | 1992 USA | 1995-2008 | SEA, SDP, MIL, CLE CIN, COL, HOU, PIT FLA, NYY, STL |
131 | Chien-Ming Wang | 2004 Taiwan | 2005-2008 | NYY |
132 | Jeff Weaver | 1996 USA | 1999-2007 | DET, NYY, LAD LAA, STL, SEA |
133 | Brad Wilkerson | 2000 USA | 2001-2008 | MON, TEX, SEA, TOR |
134 | Glenn Williams | 2000/2004 Australia | 2005 | MIN |
135 | Jeff Williams | 1996/2004 Australia | 1999-2002 | LAD |
136 | Todd Williams | 2000 USA | 1995-2007 | LAD, CIN, SEA NYY, BAL |
137 | Craig Wilson | 1992 USA | 1998-2000 | CHW |
138 | Ernie Young | 2000 USA | 1994-2004 | OAK, KCR, ARI DET, CLE |
139 | Tim Young | 2000 USA | 1998-2000 | MON, BOS |
140 | Clint Zavaras | 2004 Greece | 1989 | SEA |
It's a really long list. The 2004 Greek team, only in the Olympics by virtue of the Games being held in Athens, was made up mainly of Greek-Americans (and at least one Greek-Canadian, Mr. Kottaras). That circumstance gave the last man on the list, Clint Zavaras, a chance to play on the world stage fifteen years after his cup of coffee in the majors.
As expected, the USA laps the field in the number of major league Olympians. Sixty-six of the 140 men listed above played for the United States. The full breakdown looks like this:
- USA - 66
- Canada - 23
- Australia - 16
- Japan - 8
- Greece - 6
- Cuba - 5
- Taiwan - 3
- Italy - 1
- Nicaragua - 1
- South Korea - 1
It's possible I missed someone while going through the rosters for all forty squads to play in the Olympics. If you know of someone who should be on the list but isn't, email me or comment below.
3 comments:
Theron, you did use the word "participated". There were others on the teams that had MLB on-field experience. Up here in Canada, for example, we had Ernie Whitt (the former Blue Jay) act as manager for our Olympic team.
That's true. Davey Johnson managed the USA team. I should have said "played" since I couldn't find lists of all the coaches and others.
Great reading this
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