List of Major League Baseball players from Australia
| 1B | First baseman |
|---|---|
| 2B | Second baseman |
| 3B | Third baseman |
| C | Catcher |
| DH | Designated hitter |
| IF | Infielder |
| M | Manager |
| OF | Outfielder |
| P | Pitcher |
| SS | Shortstop |
| U | Utility |
| * | Member of Baseball Australia Hall of Fame |
The first recorded baseball event in Australia took place in Melbourne, Victoria in 1857, between teams from Collingwood and Richmond. Accounts vary as to the details, including whether it was a single game or a series of three games, though details in common include a score of 350–230 in favour of Collingwood, and that the rules used were some form of hybrid between cricket and baseball, with teams batting until all players were out, and runs being scored for every base crossed, rather than just for reaching home plate. Though there are no records to confirm it, the commonly held belief is that baseball in Australia originated on the Ballarat gold-fields among American miners. The Claxton Shield, the first annually recurring national tournament, commenced in 1934. Though the tournament itself has been supplanted at various points in its history, the physical Shield is still awarded to the national champions in the Australian Baseball League. From 2011, the national champions will meet other champions from Japan, South Korea and Chinese Taipei in the Asia Series.
As of the 2012 Major League Baseball (MLB) season[update], 31 Australians have played in at least one MLB game. Of those players, 28 were born in Australia, the remainder having been born elsewhere but raised in Australia and have played for the Australia national baseball team at International Baseball Federation or sanctioned tournaments such as the Olympic Games and World Baseball Classic. 21 of the players have been pitchers and the other 10 have been position players.
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