Santo Domingo.– Dominicans have been making their way to the major leagues since the 1950s, but the trickle has turned into a flood.

More than 10% of players in the major leagues now come from the island, including many of its leading stars, while below them, more than 40% of players in the minor leagues are Dominican too.

In turn, the creation of Dominican baseball players has shifted from an ad hoc and disorganized cottage industry to a maturing and sophisticated business.

The Dominican exodus is part of a wider globalization of American baseball. Domestic demand for players has been outstripping the supply, while the pool of players in youth and college baseball has been shrinking.

As a consequence, the sport has increasingly sought players form outside the US. This year, in addition to the 10% that were Dominican, there were another 15% from other countries such as Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Panama and Japan.