What happened: Wednesday marks the anniversary of Ozzie Virgil becoming the first native of the Dominican Republic to appear in a major-league game. He made his historic debut for the New York Giants on Sept. 23, 1956.
Why it matters: The milestone opened the door for generations of talent from the nation. The Dominican Republic commemorates the anniversary annually as National Baseball Player Day.
By the numbers: Nearly 1,000 Dominican-born players have reached the majors since the debut, including 93 active players during the 2026 season.
What to watch: The sport continues to see heavy international representation as the regular season concludes.