There have been 147 Mexican-born players in MLB history. The greatest among them was the legendary Fernando Valenzuela , who became an instant sensation with the Dodgers in the early 1980s and the only pitcher in Major League history to win both a Rookie of the Year Award and a Cy Young Award in the same year (1981).

Valenzuela, who passed away in 2024 , had one of baseball’s most unique deliveries, one which featured the left-hander looking up to the sky before unleashing each pitch. And he made his mark on the game in ways that few others have.

Now that he’s on the Contemporary Baseball Era ballot , with the vote taking place at the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla., next month, it’s a good time to examine Valenzuela’s case for Cooperstown, one which could make him the first Mex

See Full Page