The Los Angeles Dodgers opened the 2021-22 international signing period with a flurry of activity and now appear to have made MLB history with the signings of Ben Serunkuma and Umar Male.
They are the first prospects born in Uganda who went on to sign with a team. Serunkuma and Male will begin their professional careers at the Dodgers’ Dominican Complex in Santo Domingo.
Furthermore, the Dodgers have also added Joshua Kizito Muwanguzi to coach at their Campo Las Palmas facility in San Antonio Guerra, Dominican Republic. The franchise completed renovations at Campo Las Palmas and held a ribbon cutting ceremony in January 2017.
The Dodgers’ signings were reported by the National Council of Sports-Uganda.
US Los Angeles Dodgers have signed Uganda Baseball players Ben Serunkuma & Umar Male as the first two Ugandan born to play professionally for a Major League Baseball (MLB) organization in USA.
1/6 pic.twitter.com/aNCI4J8IaW
— National Council of Sports -Uganda (@NCSUganda1) January 28, 2022
The Ugandan players- the only from Africa, join players from additional Ten countries for the 2022 signing period.
Another Ugandan, Joshua Kizito Muwanguzi has equally been signed by the Dodgers to coach at the Campo Las Palmas for the 2022 season- the first🇺🇬born coach in @MLB. pic.twitter.com/VPV0A30t2Z
— National Council of Sports -Uganda (@NCSUganda1) January 28, 2022
Complete details about Serunkuma and Male, such as the position(s) each plays, have not been publicly disclosed. Nor were the signing bonuses they received.
Dodgers’ international signing period additions
Prior to adding Serunkuma and Male, the Dodgers signed Kosuke Matsuda days after opening the international signing period by coming to terms with 30 prospects despite being among the teams with the lowest bonus pool money at $4,644,000.
Included in their haul are top-end talents Samuel Muñoz (outfielder; Dominican Republic), Accimia Morales (pitcher; Venezuela) and Mairo Martinus (shortstop; Curacao).
Muñoz is ranked No. 7 on MLB.com’s top-50 international prospects for the current class, and Morales is No. 37. Meanwhile, Martinus is viewed by some as the best infielder from Curacao sign Ozzie Albies signed with the Atlanta Braves.
Of the Dodgers’ signings, the bulk (20) hail from Venezuela. That’s followed by seven prospects out of the Dominican Republic.
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