Top Five Breakout Hitters Playing in Latin America

During the spring and summer, the only active league in Latin America is Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB). It’s the only league that runs around the same time as Major League Baseball, with each team playing 98 games in the LMB season, which runs from April to September, including playoffs. Here at World Baseball Network, we took a dive into the top five breakout hitters:

1. Vimael Machin- Charros de Jalisco

One hitter who has turned his career around in Mexico is Puerto Rican infielder and former Oakland Athletic Vimael Machin. The 31-year-old played in the MLB with the A’s from 2020-2022 and signed a minor-league contract with the Phillies for 2023. After being released by the Phillies in June 2023, he quickly signed in LMB six days later with the Mariachis de Guadalajara. He signed with the Charros de Jalisco for the 2024 season. Machin was impressive in 2024, playing in 85 games, hitting for a .401 average, adding seven home runs and 54 RBIs, and leading the LMB with a .495 on-base percentage. After a strong season in Mexico, Machin has signed a minor-league contract with the Baltimore Orioles for the 2025 season.

2. Alexi Amarista- Guerreros de Oaxaca

After last appearing in the MLB in 2017, Alexi Amarista is still raking over in Mexico. At 35-years-old, the utility player took a break from playing in LMB for the 2023 season. After playing in Venezuela during the 2023-24 winter season, he joined the Guerreros de Oaxaca for 2024. Amarista showed that he still has a ton of tools left in the tank, hitting for a .361 average with 15 home runs, 57 RBIs, and an on-base percentage of .402. Amarista also helped Venezuela reach the Super Round at Premier12 this past November, going 8-35 with three doubles, scoring four runs, and driving in two RBIs.

3. Jose Marmolejos- Diablos Rojos del México

Marmolejos, 31, appeared in the MLB from 2020-21 with the Seattle Mariners. Since then, he played 2022 in Japan in Nippon Professional Baseball with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles and made it back stateside in 2023, playing in the Atlantic League (ALPB) with the Spire City Ghost Hounds, breaking out with 28 home runs and 90 RBIs. For 2024, Marmolejos joined the Diablos Rojos del Mexico, playing alongside Trevor Bauer and Robinson Cano. Playing fewer games compared to 2023, Marmolejos still impressed, hitting .364, with ten home runs and 48 RBIs, with an on-base percentage of .470. He is playing under Albert Pujols with the Leones del Escogido in LIDOM for the 2024-25 winter season.

4. Andretty Cordero- Rieleros de Aguascalientes

Playing in his first season in Mexico, Andretty Cordero showed he was ready for the challenge. The 27-year-old first baseman was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and

was a member of the Texas Rangers organization from 2014-2019. After his departure, he spent a few winters playing in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Colombia before heading to the Frontier League in 2021. Cordero would join the Lancaster Barnstormers, part of the ALPB, for the 2022-23 seasons, putting together two stellar seasons. In 254 games in a Barnstormers uniform, Cordero hit 33 home runs, adding an insane 234 RBIs in two seasons, collecting 350 hits while hitting for a .339 average. After playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic and Mexico during the 2023-24 winter, Cordero signed with LMB for 2024. Playing in 90 games this year, Cordero hit 14 home runs and 78 RBIs while hitting for a .342 average, holding an on-base percentage of .389. He also represented the Dominican Republic at Premier12 in 2024.

5. Leonys Martin- Conspiradores de Querétaro

The former MLB outfielder from 2011-2019 is still showing that he has what it takes to compete. Leonys Martin, 36, is coming off an incredible first season in Mexico. After he was released by the Cleveland Guardians in 2019, he quickly joined NPB, signing with the Chiba Lotte Marines, where he would play until 2022. Never known for his power, Martin slugged 75 home runs during his four seasons in Japan. After not taking the diamond in 2023, Martin joined the Conspiradores de Queretaro for 2024. Playing in 82 games, Martin hit a career-high 29 home runs, with 74 RBIs, hitting for a .305 average with a .410 on-base percentage. This winter, he played with the Tiburones de La Guaira in Venezuela and the Tigres del Lacey in LIDOM.

With the 2024 LMB season complete and winter leagues taking place all across Latin America, it will be fascinating to see which hitters will improve and stay hot heading into the 2025 season. It will also be intriguing to see if more of these players could potentially sign minor-league contracts with MLB organizations after their strong individual performances on the diamond.