Los Angeles Dodgers sign players from Africa
Few clubs have worn the globe-trotting badge quite like the Los Angeles Dodgers.
There was Fernando Valenzuela’s legendary arrival from Mexico in the 1980s; Hideo Nomo’s burst on the scene from Japan in the 1990s; Hyun Jin Ryu’s All-Star run out of South Korea in the 2010s. The Dodgers have made a habit of finding talent where other teams don’t look, and developing it into championship fuel.
Now, they’re pushing that boundary again — this time all the way to Africa.
In January, the Dodgers made headlines by signing Joseph Deng Thon, a 17-year-old right-handed pitcher who instantly made history as the first player from Sudan to sign with an MLB organization. For a club that prides itself on its international pipeline, Thon’s signing is something bigger — a move that could help push baseball into a place where basketball, soccer, and track and field have long dominated the dreams of young athletes.
Joseph Deng Thon Opens Eyes with 6-Foot-7 Frame, 97 mph Fastball
Standing 6-foot-7, Thon has had no trouble generating buzz since his signing. Overnight, he turned from a raw unknown into a viral sensation when videos surfaced of his fastball already touching 97 mph — not bad for a teenager still learning the basics of organized baseball.
Thon’s story has traveled far beyond the dusty fields of Sudan. BroBible, posting clips of the wiry right-hander blowing fastballs past stunned hitters during a workout at the Dodgers’ Dominican Summer League complex, touted Thon’s “limitless” potential, stating that despite his lack of in-game competition, Thon has “looked every bit the part” of a young prospect.
TMSPN.com, praising the Dodgers for their “elite scouting and player development pipeline,” acknowledged that Thon’s road to Los Angeles will be very long, while stressing that the Sudanese phenom could not be in the hands of a better organization.
“It’s still very early, and expectations are being managed. Most within the organization agree it will likely be at least five years before Deng is knocking on the door of the Majors. Realistically, it may take even longer before he becomes a factor at the Double-A or Triple-A levels. But in a sport built on patience, few organizations are better suited for this kind of long-term investment than the Dodgers.”
Thon’s signing is part of a small but growing wave of African-born prospects making their way into MLB pipelines. The Dodgers are helping lead that charge — and Thon is not alone.
Joseph Deng Thon, Allen Ajoti Hope to Blaze Trail from Africa to MLB
In January 2024, the Dodgers also signed Ugandan catcher Allen Ajoti, who caught the attention of scouts thanks in large part to a full scholarship awarded to him by Uganda Little League Baseball. Ajoti played eight DSL games last season, and in his first full season this summer, the 19-year-old has posted a slash line of .188/.286/.458 with four home runs and 14 RBIs in 16 games.
“Ajoti is not only a great player, but an even better person. He is proof that the sport of baseball is continuing to grow across Uganda and greater Africa,” said Will Nolden, Assistant Director of Africa Operations for the Dodgers.
It’s a long road from Uganda or South Sudan to Dodger Stadium, but that’s exactly the kind of gamble the Dodgers have long been willing to make. They did it when they brought Jackie Robinson to Brooklyn. They did it when they opened the doors to Mexico, Japan, and Korea.
Now, they’re helping baseball stretch its roots into Africa — one raw, athletic kid at a time. If Joseph Deng Thon or Allen Ajoti can develop into the real deal, the next generation of African baseball talent may have its first standard-bearers wearing Dodger blue.
