It appears as if the Cold War tensions between Cuba and the United States of America are thawing out, and the effects could be more widespread than just in politics.

U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro recently agreed to begin normalizing diplomatic relations again and establish official embassies in each country.

Separated by less than 100 miles from each other, Cuba and the United States have been at odds since 1960, when the United States stopped all exports to the small Latin American island nation. In 1961, the United States ended all political relations with Cuba, and shut down their embassy in the capital city of Havana.

So how does this affect the baseball world?

Baseball is the most popular sport in Cuba today. Like everyday citizens, Cuban baseball players have dreams of showing off their talents, and getting paid top dollar. Unfortunately, because of Cuba's communist regime, players have been banned from playing in American leagues. Cuban-born players have gone to great lengths to make it to Major League Baseball.

Notable players who defected from Cuba include José Abreu, Yoenis Céspedes, Yasiel Puig, Aroldis Chapman and Orlando and Liván Hernández. Rafael Palmeiro and his family fled Cuba when he was just five years old.

Chicago White Sox first baseman José Abreu risked his life in one of the most daring risky adventures we have ever heard. Abreu successfully made it to the Dominican Republic on a small boat, and recently signed an $68 million contract with the White Sox.

With Cuba and the United States coming together more than ever on terms, we could see far less Cuban baseball players risking their lives attempting to reach Florida, Haiti and other nearby territories.

“Major League Baseball is closely monitoring the White House’s announcement regarding Cuban-American relations. While there are not sufficient details to make a realistic evaluation, we will continue to track this significant issue, and we will keep our clubs informed if this different direction may impact the manner in which they conduct business on issues related to Cuba” the league said in a statement.

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig has yet to comment on the situation.

Latin American talent has been at an all-time high in the 21st century in MLB. High profile players such as Sammy Sosa, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Pablo Sandoval and so many others hail from various Latin American countries like Venezuela, Mexico, Peru and most notably the Dominican Republic. More than 24 percent of MLB players today are from Latin American countries, and the talent pool is almost unmatchable by any other demographic region.

Not only would Cuban baseball players benefit tremendously, but the United States would, as well. Being able to acquire talented and skilled players from a neighboring country would only boost MLB's ratings, especially among Hispanic viewers.

Cuba and the United States have competed against one another before on the baseball diamond. Both Cuba and the United States participated in the World Baseball Classic in 2006, 2009 and 2013, all of which were hosted on American soil.

With Cuba and the United States entering a new chapter in their relationship, it is almost certain to affect the baseball world.

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