Thursday Tidbits: 2021 International Signings

There is an ever-increasing focus on international markets for North American sports over the last decade-plus and it is one of the more interesting dynamics to observe. From the spectacle of NFL games in London, Mexico City, or even Brazil to the Opening Day festivities in Tokyo in just 61 days, it’s clear that these sports see significant growth potential overseas. For myself, it’s been equally fascinating to watch the players within the league become substantially more global over the past quarter century. In 2000, Latino players represented around a quarter of the league while today that number has crept up to a third and around the same number are foreign born players. That diversity inevitably expands the game’s influence and popularity on the global stage as it demonstrates a viable path to stardom that may not otherwise have existed. The next set of hopeful youngsters are beginning their journey on that path now as the international signing period began yesterday for the entire league. While the D-Backs will not be in on the undeniable star of the show in Roki Sasaki, there are plenty of other possible stars-in-waiting across the spectrum. In the same way that I completed a wrap-up of the D-Backs’ 2019 draft last season, I thought a similar exercise might be in order for the D-Backs’ 2021 signees who are four years into their development.

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