Around the World with the Spokane Indians
Published on November 20, 2025 under Northwest League (NWL)
Spokane Indians News Release
Baseball is truly a global game. During the 2025 MLB season, nearly one-quarter (24%) of MLB players were foreign-born while nearly one-third (32%) of players in the All-Star Game were foreign-born. Twenty-two members of Baseball's Hall of Fame have been born outside of the United States - a number that looks to grow in the coming years thanks to players like Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones, and Albert Pujols.
The Spokane Indians have had players from 26 different spanning six different continents (just waiting on you, Antarctica) take the field throughout the franchise's 100+ year history, including some of the team's most memorable players. While not all went on to noteworthy careers - or even reached the big leagues - they all have a story worth telling.
Australia
RHP Brett Walters
Born - Port Hedland, Australia
Notes - The first Australian to suit up for the Spokane Indians, right-hander Brett Walters appeared in a pair of games with the team in 1994 and reached as high as Double-A in the Padres organization. Walters finished his MiLB career with a 36-29 record and 3.88 ERA before a final season in Independent Ball with the Reno Blackjacks in 1999. A handful of other players (Guy Edmonds, Todd McDonald, Tim Stanford) from The Land Down Under also spent time in Spokane, though none was able to advance past the short-season level.
Canada
LHP Ted Bowsfield
Born - Vernon, British Columbia
Key MLB Stats - 37 W, 4.35 ERA, 2.3 bWAR
Accolades - Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee (1988)
Notes - A member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, Bowsfield grew up in Penticton - which had no Little League program at the time - and managed to grab the attention of MLB scouts despite playing just six to eight games a year for much of his childhood. The southpaw signed with the Red Sox in 1954 and reached the majors with Boston in 1958, finishing with a 4-2 record and 3.84 ERA in 16 appearances. Bowsfield enjoyed his finest season with the Los Angeles Angels in 1961 (11-8, 3.73 ERA) and continue to pitch in the majors through the 1964 season. He appeared in a pair of games with Spokane in 1965 - his final season in professional baseball - before transitioning to a career in stadium operations with the Angels and Mariners.
Honorable Mention: Tim Harkness (1.7 bWAR)
Colombia
C Jorge Alfaro
Born - Sincelejo, Colombia
Notes - A high-profile signing by the Texas Rangers out of Venezuela in 2010, "El Oso" was part of a talented 2011 Spokane Indians team that also featured Hanser Alberto, Kyle Hendricks, Nick Martinez, and Rougned Odor. Alfaro made his MLB debut with Philadelphia in 2015 and enjoyed his finest big league season with the Phillies in 2018 (.262/.324/.407, 16 2B, 10 HR, 37 RBI, 1.6 bWAR). He's bounced around the league over the past few seasons, including a 14-game stint with the Nationals in 2025, and is slated to compete with Team Colombia in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Cuba
OF Yanquiel Fernández
Born - La Habana, Cuba
Notes - Cuba has produced some incredible baseball players (Rafael Palmeiro, Luis Tiant, Tony Perez, Minnie Minoso, etc.) but not many have spent time in the Inland Northwest - yet. Yanquiel Fernández, who produced numerous memorable moments during the 2023 season with Spokane including hitting for the cycle and a $10K grand slam, made his big league debut with the Rockies in 2025 (4 HR, 11 RBI in 52 G) and has the talent to be one of the finest exports from the Pearl of the Antilles.
Curaçao
INF/OF Jurickson Profar
Born - Willemstad, Curacao
Key MLB Stats - 9.4 bWAR, 125 HR, 211 2B, 995 H
Accolades - 1x All-Star, 1x Silver Slugger
Notes - Curaçao has been a hotbed of baseball talent since Andruw Jones burst onto the scene in the mid-90s, with players like Andrelton Simmons, Kenley Jansen, Ozzie Albies, and former Spokane Indians standout Jurickson Profar following in his footsteps. Profar led Curaçao to a Little League World Series title in 2004 (and back to the championship game again in 2005) before signing with the Texas Rangers as one of baseball's top international prospects. He held his own as a 17-year-old with the Indians in 2010 (.250/.323/.373, 4 HR, 23 RBI in 63 G) and was the sport's top prospect heading into the 2013 season. Although injuries and inconsistency stopped him from living up to his enormous potential, Profar rebounded to earn an All-Star appearance and Silver Slugger with the Padres in 2024 - and at just 32 years old entering the 2026 season - still has plenty of time to add to his resume.
Dominican Republic
RHP Emmanuel Clase
Born - Rio San Juan, Dominican Republic
Key MLB Stats - 1.88 ERA, 182 SV, 0.936 WHIP, 12.2 bWAR
Accolades - 3x All-Star, 2x AL Reliever of the Year
Notes - Welp. Clase looked to be on a Hall-of-Fame trajectory before last year's stunning ban from baseball for gambling. The right-hander put together one of the greatest seasons ever by a reliever in 2024 (4-2, 0.61 ERA, 0.659 WHIP, 47 SV) and had already set Cleveland's franchise record for career saves. Despite this, Clase remains the best Spokane player from the Dominican Republic - even if he never takes the mound in an MLB game again.
Honorable Mention: Neftali Feliz (7.33 bWAR), Leody Taveras (4.47)
England
LHP Lance Painter
Born - Bedford, UK
Key MLB Stats - 25 wins, 314 appearances
Notes - A 25th-round pick out of the University of Wisconsin in 1990, Painter made his pro debut with Spokane that summer and put his name on the prospect radar with a 1.51 ERA and 104 K/15 BB mark in 71.2 innings. The southpaw was selected by Colorado in the 1992 expansion draft and made his big league debut with the Rockies in 1993, struggling to a 6.00 ERA in hitter-friendly Coors Field. Painter's best year in the majors came in 1995 (3-0, 4.37 ERA, 1.1 bWAR) and he retired following the 2003 season with the fifth-most wins (25) of all pitchers born in England.
France
C/MGR Bruce Bochy
Born - Landes de Bussac, France
Key MLB Stats - 2,252 wins, .606 career postseason winning percentage
Accolades - 4x World Series champion
Notes - One of just seven players from France to ever reach the big leagues, Bochy was born in La République Française while his father, Sergeant Major Gus Bochy, was stationed at Landes de Bussac Airfield. He spent time living in the Panama Canal Zone, South Carolina, and Northern Virginia before eventually graduating from high school in Melbourne, Florida. Bochy was selected in the first round by the Houston Astros in 1975 and spent a total of nine seasons in the bigs as a player, though his greatest success would come once he transitioned to managing. He led the Spokane Indians to a Northwest League title in 1989 and would go on to win a four World Series titles with the San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers over a 28-year managerial career.
Germany
OF Ed Kippert
Born - Stetten, Germany
Notes - Born in the small German village of Stetten, Kippert spent parts of four seasons in Spokane (1908, 1910-11, 1915) and made his MLB debut at the age of 35 with Cincinnati in 1914. "Kickapoo" went hitless in two at-bats across a pair of big league games, but still etched his name in history as just the 19th German-born player - and only to ever play for Spokane - to make the majors.
Ireland
RHP Tony Mullane
Born - Cork, Ireland
Key MLB Stats - 284 W, 3.05 ERA, 66.6 bWAR, 468 G
Notes - The greatest player to emerge from the Emerald Isle, Mullane was a workhorse over 13-year big league career and has the second-most wins (284) of any eligible pitcher not enshrined in the Hall of Fame. The right-handed Mullane taught himself how to throw left-handed after an arm injury and became the first switch-pitcher in big league history on July 18, 1882. Also a talented hitter, Mullane would often play in the field when not pitching, scoring over 400 runs and stealing over 100 bases. At the time of his retirement, he ranked seventh in wins, sixth in innings, seventh in complete games, and sixth in strikeouts. He spent this final professional season pitching with Spokane (2-0, 2.59 ERA) before retiring to Chicago, where he spent many years as a detective for the Chicago Police Department.
Italy
RHP Matt McDonnell
Born - Rome, Italy
Notes - Just nine players from Italy have reached the big leagues through the 2025 season, including former Seattle Mariners third baseman Alex Liddi and 2024 No. 2 overall pick Chase Burns. The lone player born in "The Boot" to suit up the Indians, right-hander Matt McDonnell was signed by the Royals as an undrafted free agent out of UNC-Wilmington in 2002. He appeared in 21 games with Spokane that summer, posting a 1-1 record and 4.29 ERA in 35.2 innings, and spent two more years in Indy Ball with the Washington WildThings before retiring following the 2004 season.
Jamaica
OF Goef Tomlinson
Born - St. Elizabeth, Jamaica
Notes - Born in Jamaica but raised in Texas, Tomlinson was a fourth-round pick of the Kansas City Royals after a standout collegiate career with the Houston Cougars. The speedy outfielder had a terrific pro debut with Spokane in 1997, slashing .338/.440/.471 with 16 doubles, four home runs, 28 RBI, and 19 stolen bases in 58 games. Tomlinson was selected for the 1999 Futures Game and reached Triple-A the following year, but never managed to crack the big leagues with Kansas City after a serious ankle injury stalled his development. He spent nine seasons with Capitales de Québec of the Canadian-American Association, where he learned to speak flawless French, and continues to live and work in Quebec City.
Japan
OF Hirotoshi Onaka
Born - Nishinomiya, Japan
Notes - Japan has become one of the world's top exporters of big league players over the past few decades, with superstars like Ichiro Suzuki, Shohei Ohtani, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto making their mark on MLB. The vast majority of these players go directly from Japan to the big leagues, so the Spokane Indians have yet to have a player from the "Land of the Rising Sun" to reach the majors. Hirotoshi Onaka might not have ever got the call to the Show, but the outfielder from Nishinomiya certainly stole the hearts of Spokane fans with his keen eye at the plate and daring baserunning in parts of three seasons with the Indians (2011-13).
Mexico
INF/OF Germán Durán
Born - Zacatecas, Mexico
Notes - Durán was born in Mexico but grew up in Fort Worth, TX, and was drafted by his hometown Texas Rangers in the sixth round out of Weatherford College in 2005. The infielder slashed .262/.313/.393 in 62 games with Spokane that summer, helping the Indians capture their second Northwest League title in three years. Durán reached the big leagues with the Rangers in 2008, hitting .231 with 10 extra-base hits and 16 RBI in his lone taste of MLB action.
Netherlands
INF Nick Urbanus
Born - Uithoorn, Netherlands
Urbanus is baseball royalty in the Netherlands where his grandfather and father both won multiple MVPs and his great uncle is a member of the Dutch Baseball Hall of Fame. The infielder became the first European player to sign with the Texas Rangers in 2010, spending time with the Spokane Indians in 2011 and 2012, but failing to advance past Low-A in four seasons in the minors. Urbanus fared better in his return to the Netherlands, winning Hoofdklasse MVP in 2016 (becoming part of the first three-generation family to win the award) while also leading his home country to a title in that year's European Championship.
New Zealand
C Andy Skeels
Born - Paraparaumu, New Zealand
Skeels was the first-ever New Zealand-born player to be drafted by a Major League organization when the San Diego Padres selected him in the 7th round of the 1987 draft out of the University of Arkansas. The sweet-swinging backstop hit .289 with 23 doubles and 64 RBI in 72 games with Spokane that summer, helping the Indians to the first of four-straight Northwest League titles. Skeels reached as high as Triple-A in the Yankees organization and continued to play professionally through the 2001 season. He recorded a .584 winning percentage in seven seasons as an MiLB manager and helped lead an unranked New Zealand team to the championship game of the 2013 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers.
Nicaragua
C Melvin Novoa
Born - Nandaime, Nicaragua
Signed by the Texas Rangers as an international free agent in 2013, Novoa became the first player from Nicaragua to play for Spokane when he joined the Indians in 2017. He performed well as the team's backup catcher that season (.281, 4 HR, 15 RBI) and remained in the Rangers organization through the 2021 season. Novoa continues to play professionally with Indios del Bóer of the Nicaraguan Winter League and also represented his home country in the 2023-24 Caribbean Series.
Panama
OF Bobby Prescott
Born - Colón, Panama
Notes - The world's second largest isthmus (trailing only the Suez) has produced a pair of Hall of Famers in Rod Carew and Mariano Rivera as well as All-Stars like Carlos Lee, Ben Oglivie, and Manny Sanguillén. Although he didn't reach the same heights as other players from Panama, Prescott was a legendary slugger in the minor leagues who accumulated over 300 home runs across 20 seasons in MiLB and the Mexican League. The hard-hitting outfielder received his only taste of the big leagues with the Kansas City Athletics in 1961 (1-for-12 in 10 G) before spending the entire next year with Spokane, where the 31-year-old Prescott recorded 31 extra-base hits in 125 games with the Indians.
Philippines
C/1B/OF Brad Dandridge
Born - Clark AFB, Phillipines
The nephew of Hall of Fame third baseman Ray Dandridge, Brad was born at Clark Air Force Base while his father was stationed in the Phillipines with the U.S. Air Force. He played collegiately at Fresno St. and appeared in 64 games with the Spokane Indians in 1993 (.238 AVG, 4 HR, 41 RBI) after signing with the San Diego Padres as a free agent. Dandridge reached as high as Triple-A in the Dodgers organization, but a career-ending injury in 1998 prevented him from becoming just the third player born in the Phillipines to reach the majors. After his playing career, Dandridge returned to school to finish his degree and currently serves as the fire chief in Santa Maria, California.
Puerto Rico
OF Carlos Beltrán
Born - Manati, Puerto Rico
Key MLB Stats - 70.0 bWAR, 435 HR, 312 SB, 1,587 RBI, 2,725 H
Accolades - 1999 AL Rookie of the Year, 9x All-Star, 3x Gold Glove, 2x Silver Slugger
Notes - A second-round pick out of Fernando Callejo HS (Puerto Rico) by Kansas City in 1995, Beltrán held his own as a 19-year-old with Spokane in 1996, slashing .270/.359/.433 with 7 HR, 29 RBI, and 10 SB and 59 games. He was named American League Rookie of the Year with the Royals in 1999 (becoming the first rookie since Mark McGwire in 1987 to reach 100 RBI) and made his first of nine All-Star appearances in 2004. A true five-tool talent, Beltrán retired as one of just eight members of baseball's 300 HR/300 SB club while also collecting three Gold Gloves for his stellar defensive work in center field. One of the game's greatest all-time postseason performers, Beltrán had a 1.021 OPS in 65 playoff games and captured a World Series title with Houston in 2017.
Honorable Mentions - Sandy Alomar Jr. (13.71 bWAR), Joey Cora (7.94 bWAR)
South Africa
RHP Barry Armitage
Born - Durban, South Africa
Notes - The right-hander signed with the Royals in 2000 and appeared in 15 games with the Spokane Indians the following season. Armitage remained in the Royals farm system for the next five years and became the first South African-born baseball player to make an appearance in any MLB game when he threw an inning for Kansas City against Houston in a 2005 exhibition game. He represented South Africa in both the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classics and currently works as a mortgage processor in Arizona.
South Korea
LHP Yoon-Hee Nam
Born - Seoul, South Korea
Notes - The first and only player from South Korea to play for the Spokane Indians, Yoon-Hee Nam was signed as an international free agent by the Texas Rangers in 2007 and joined the Indians the following year. He posted a 2-0 record and 4.20 ERA in 19 appearances for the Northwest League champions and was a South Atlantic League Mid-Season All-Star with the Hickory Crawdads in 2009. The southpaw was slowed by injuries and returned to Korea following the 2011 season, reaching his home country's MLB equivalent with the KBO's SK Wyverns in 2018.
Spain
Justin Abbott
Born - Madrid, Spain
Spain has produced just four major league players to date - the last being Danny Rios with the Kansas City Royals in 1998. Spokane's lone player from Spain, Abbott was born in Madrid but grew up in Utah and attended Salt Lake Community College and Southern Utah University before signing with the Texas Rangers as a free agent. The right-hander appeared in a trio of games with Spokane in 2005 - his lone season of affiliated ball - before spending three years in Indy Ball. Abbott retired following the 2009 season and currently serves as the head baseball coach at Crimson Cliffs High School in Utah.
Suriname
RHP Marlon Hubbard
Born - Paramaribo, Suriname
Raise your hand if you can find Suriname on a map. The tiny nation on the northeastern coast of South America - the smallest country on the continent in both territory and population - was part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands until it gained independence in 1975. Hubbard was born in the country's capital city of Paramaribo in 1961 and attended Vanderbilt University after graduating from high school in New Jersey. The right-hander was selected in the 15th round of the 1983 draft by the San Diego Padres and had a solid pro debut with Spokane that summer (3-3, 4.22 ERA, 2 SV). Hubbard spent three more seasons in the minors, highlighted by a 6-2 record and 1.69 ERA in 1985, but was never able to advance past Single-A and retired following the 1986 season. To this day, he remains the only player born in Suriname to appear in an MiLB game.
Taiwan
RHP Jen-Ho Tseng
Born - Taipei, Taiwan
Notes - One of just 18 players from Taiwan to reach the majors, Tseng appeared in three games with the Cubs across the 2017-18 seasons before making a rehab appearance with Spokane in 2019. The right-hander has spent the last five seasons pitching for the Rakuten Monkeys of the Chinese Professional Baseball League while also representing Chinese Taipei in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
United States
RHP Zack Greinke
Born - Orlando, FL
Key MLB Stats - 77.4 bWAR, 225 W, 2,979 K's
Accolades - 2009 AL Cy Young, 6x All-Star, 6x Gold Glove, 2x Silver Slugger, 2x ERA Title
Notes - The sixth-overall selection out of Apopka High School (FL) in 2002, Greinke made a brief pit stop in Spokane that summer and was in the big leagues with Kansas City just two years later. He took home AL Cy Young honors in 2009 after a breakout campaign with the Royals (16-8, 2.16 ERA, 10.4 bWAR) and was runner-up for the award in 2015 with the Dodgers after leading the National League with a 1.66 ERA. The talented right-hander was also one of the best fielding and hitting pitchers of his era, capturing six Gold Glove awards and a pair of Silver Sluggers, and should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer as soon as he is eligible in 2028.
Honorable Mentions - Don Sutton (66.7 bWAR), Stan Coveleski (61.5 bWAR), Willie Davis (60.7 bWAR)
Venezuela
LHP Martín Pérez
Born - Guanare, Venezuela
Key MLB Stats - 91 wins, 15.6 bWAR
Accolades - 1x All-Star, 2023 World Series champion
Notes - Signed out of Venezuela by the Texas Rangers in 2007, Pérez had a strong freshman season with Spokane the following year (1-2, 3.65 ERA in 15 G) to earn a spot among baseball's top 100 prospects. The southpaw made his big league debut in 2012 and earned Rookie of the Year votes with the Rangers in 2013 after finishing 10-6 with a 3.62 ERA. Pérez posted pedestrian numbers over the next eight seasons before a breakout 2022 campaign in his return to the Rangers helped him earn his first All-Star appearance at the age of 31. Pérez helped Texas capture the franchise's first World Series title in 2023 and has continued to post above-average numbers on the mound over the last two season with Pittsburgh, San Diego, and Chicago (AL).
Northwest League Stories from November 20, 2025
- Rockies Add Trio of Indians to 40-Man Roster - Spokane Indians
- Year in Review: Hops 2025 Community Impact Report - Hillsboro Hops
- Around the World with the Spokane Indians - Spokane Indians
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