Mike Piazza: Hispanic Baseball Players Should Learn English

Mike Piazza, one of the best catchers in the history of baseball, believes Hispanic players should make more of an effort to learn English while playing in the Major Leagues.

The former Los Angeles Dodger and New York Met great wrote about his thoughts in his new memoir, Long Shot, which will be released this week. 

“I certainly don’t dispute that Latin players are entitled to the same dreams and opportunities that I had, but I’m sorry: when they arrive on US soil, the onus isn’t on the American players to learn Spanish,” Piazza writes in his memoir. “It’s on the Latin players to learn English.”

Piazza was famously drafted in the 62nd round of the 1988 MLB draft and played 16 seasons in the Major Leagues. He was selected to the All-Star game 12 times. 

The New York Post published excerpts from the book.