MLB: Yoenis Céspedes’ and Aroldis Chapman’s exclusive club

Aroldis Chapman and Yoenis Cespedes have had solid MLB careers so far, but they may also be the only inhabitants of this exclusive club for a long time.

Yoenis Cespedes and Aroldis Chapman are the only two MLB players that have played in a Serie Nacional all-star and have represented both the National and American leagues in the midsummer classic.

Chapman represented Holguin in Cuba’s all-star game, while he appeared with Cincinnati from 2012-2016  and with the Yankees in 2018-2019 in MLB’s edition of the game. Cespedes appeared with Granma in Cuba, meanwhile, he also appeared with Oakland in 2014 and with the Mets in 2016.

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In total Chapman has made six all-star and is on his way to a Hall of Fame career when he decides to hang up his cleats. During his ten seasons in the majors, he has the lowest FIP for a pitcher who has pitched over 500 innings and has also saved 273 games, the most by and Cuban pitcher ever.

The lefty’s 14.8 SO9 is astonishing and his 883 K’s are a little over 300 off the all-time lead for closers. If the flamethrower continues at the pace he is on it is easy to assume his bust will grace the halls of Cooperstown one day.

Cespedes’ career, on the other hand, has taken a downturn because of various injuries. Even though the outfielder is made of glass he has been magnificent when he’s on the field. The slugger during his seven-year career has deposited 163 balls in the stands and driven in 524 runs.

Cespedes is still capable of hitting 30 longballs and driving in 100 runs. Although the power hitter’s trajectory isn’t heading in the way of Cooperstown he can still reach 300 homers and driven in 1,000 runs before his career comes to an end.

With two careers that are going in opposite directions, there’s one thing that can’t be taken away from either player and that thing is that they founded and exclusive club for their countrymen.