The United States will permit Major League Baseball players from Cuba to represent their home country in the World Baseball Classic this year. Players from no other country require special authorization from the U.S. government to play with the team of their homeland in the World Baseball Classic.
ESPN wrote: “In December (2018), MLB and the MLB Players Association announced an agreement with the Cuban federation similar to those for players under contract to clubs in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan — one the league believed would end the defection of players and erase the human trafficking of Cuban players that has become the standard as they attempt to join MLB.” But in 2019, the Trump administration scuttled the deal forcing Cuban players to renounce their homeland to contract with a U.S. team. The National Network on Cuba will cheer the Cuban team throughout the Classic schedule and hope to cheer for them in Miami for the Semi-Finals and Final game in March.
