The New York Yankees may or may not have really open the flood gates for Major League Baseball to sign an influx of Cuban talent to their rosters. Sure Minnie Minoso broke the barrier officially but things were not as wide spread until players like Jose Contreras were signed to lucrative contracts by Mr. George Steinbrenner. Let's take a quick look at some of the better Yankees players who called their native homes Cuba.
Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez wowed many Yankees fans with his clutch postseason performances and strong rookie campaign.
The aforementioned Contreras had an 11 season career that started in 2003 with New York. Contreras sported a nasty split fingered fastball that he made his way with in the Bronx before being shipped off to Chicago in 2004.
Jose Canseco was surprisingly Cuban born and spent time with the Yankees in 2000, getting a World Series ring, after New York got stuck with him after a waiver claim in August. Luis Tiant falls under the same category after spending the better part of his career with the Boston Red Sox before ending up in the Bronx.
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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)