Africans in the Majors & Minors: May 2025 Update
By DZ. Filed 11 May 2025.
The number of Africans playing for MLB organizations has remained fairly steady of the last two decades, but this year marks a continued shift in the origins of minor league players from South to East Africa. While Tayler Scott returns for his second consecutive Opening Day roster, the four African minor leaguers under contract were all developed in Uganda, including two off-season signings, one of whom became the first-ever professional baseball player born in South Sudan.
Key
Name (age*), organization, country, team.
*Age is as of Sept 1, 2025 (playing age this season).
MLB (1)
Tayler Scott (33), Houston Astros. South Africa.
Scott has settled into a middle relief role with the Astros, pitching 13 innings to date, with a 1-2 record and two holds. He has struck out 13 and walked nine. To briefly recapitulate Scott’s fascinating career to date, he was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. He moved to Arizona for high school, and was drafted as a 19-year-old by the Chicago Cubs in 2011. He first made it to the major leagues with Seattle in 2019.
The right-hander has appeared in the major leagues with the Mariners, Orioles, Padres, Dodgers, Red Sox, A’s, and Astros; played in the minors with the Cubs, Brewers, Rangers, and Phillies; pitched in the Arizona Fall League; the independent American Association; and spent two seasons (2020–21) with the Hiroshima Carp in Japan’s major league. It was not until 2024, his age 32 season, that he spent the entire season in the major leagues, establishing himself over the summer as a reliable bullpen arm with the Astros. Quite a career for anyone, much less the first African to ever pitch in MLB.
Low-A (1)
David Matoma (19), Pittsburgh Pirates. Uganda. Bradenton Marauders.
Matoma enters his third professional season in a full-season league for the first time. He played in the rookie level Dominican Summer League in 2023 and advanced to the Florida Complex League in 2024. The righty from Luwero has pitched in four games thus far, totaling 6.1 innings, striking out nine and walking three, while allowing four hits and two runs. He was activated late in April and is pitching one-to-two innings per appearance so far.
Rookie League, Dominican Complex Leagues (3)
The Dominican rookie leagues officially open their season on June 2. The players below are likely to be playing unofficial games for all of May, but we will not know anything about their results until the league is technically underway next month.
Allen Ajoti (20), Los Angeles Dodgers. Uganda. DSL LAD Mega.
A catcher from Lugazi, Ajoti was placed on the active roster July 31 last year and played in eight games before the season concluded, collecting three hits, with three strikeouts and three walks. He remains on the DSL roster this year and is likely playing unofficial games there now, with the actual season beginning on June 2.
Joseph Deng Thon (18), Los Angeles Dodgers. South Sudan/Uganda. DSL LAD Mega.
Deng became the first South Sudanese to sign an MLB contract this January, when he and the Dodgers came to terms. Born in the South Sudan capital of Juba, Deng was raised in Uganda and played at the same field in Luwero with David Matoma (above) and previous Dodger signees Ben Serunkuma and Umar Male. The 6-foot-7 right-handed pitcher is likely to debut in the DSL next month.
Armstrong Muhoozi (18), Pittsburgh Pirates. Uganda. DSL Pirates Black.
Muhoozi is only 17 years old, and will turn 18 in July. An infielder-outfielder from Jinja, he signed in January 2025 and is likely now in Dominican extended spring training, waiting for official games to begin next month. His story was featured in The Athletic with a story (subscription only) and a short video [free link].
Read posts in last year’s series:
April [link].
June [link].
Mid-July [link].
August [link].
Additional reporting by Gabriel Fidler.