Baseball United: A New Era of Pro Baseball in the Middle East

By Carter Cromwell

DUBAI, U.A.E. – Since Baseball United’s birth three years ago, CEO and co-founder Kash Shaikh has often talked of the massive effort necessary to build something from nothing. 

And something now exists. Something more, actually.

Formed with the mission of bringing professional baseball to a region with little knowledge of the game, Dubai-based Baseball United held an inaugural two-game showcase in November 2023 involving a number of former Major League Baseball (MLB) standouts. A year later, it staged the Arab Classic, with the national teams of nine countries competing. And, in February 2025, the league put on an exhibition series between teams representing the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – the Arabia Wolves and Mid East Falcons.

But when pitcher Karan Patel of the Mumbai Cobras threw a fastball to Pavin Parks of the Karachi Monarchs at 8:21pm, local time, on November 14, it marked a major milestone. It was the first pitch of the first game of the first regular season of the first professional baseball league representing the Middle East and South Asia. And in the only pro baseball facility in the region – Baseball United Ballpark. 

For the record, Parks hit that first pitch over the leftfield fence for a home run. 

So this was something more, indeed. Quite a bit more. 

“We’ve been visualizing this for three years, and – as I stand before you now – it looks even better than in my dreams,” Shaikh told the crowd of approximately 3,000 prior to the opening game.

Photo: Hall-of-Famer, Barry Larkin (left) is Co-Founder of Baseball United with Kash Shaikh (right)

Former major-leaguer Mariano Duncan, who manages the Mumbai club and has been with Baseball United from early on, said, “We’ve finally brought a baseball season to Dubai. There’s a lot more work to do, but I’m happy we’ve been able to take this big step.”

The November 14 contest kicked off a one-month season in which each of the four teams will play nine games, followed by a best-of-three series for the championship.  Mumbai and Mid East have since qualified for the two spots in the championship series December 12-14. All four clubs play at Baseball United Ballpark with games broadcast in several countries and streamed live on YouTube.  

The clubs’ rosters include a mix of backgrounds. While many of the players are American, others hail from 23 countries, including some in Europe, South America, Central America, the Caribbean, South Asia (India, Pakistan), and East Asia (the Philippines).

Seven players have MLB experience, the most prominent being outfielder Alejandro de Aza of the Mid East Falcons, who performed for six MLB teams over 10 seasons. More than 20 players have been in the minor league organizations of MLB teams; more than 40 have played in independent leagues; and at least seven have played in European leagues. 

Shaikh said, “We’re creating a new platform for players to show what they can do. Mumbai has two players from the Philippines, as well as six from India. Karachi has four Pakistanis – look out for Musharraf Khan, a 6-7 pitcher – and there are 14 Japanese players on the Mid East Falcons.” 

Photo: South African player and BBJO member, Chris Beyers, plays for the Arabia Wolves. Chris has also been a fixture in the German Bundesliga in recent years. 

The Japanese contingent includes former Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) stars Munenori Kawasaki, Hiroyuki Nakajima, and Shuhei Fukuda; others with NPB experience; and Manato Tanai, an 18-year-old shortstop considered one of the Yokohama DeNA BayStars’ top prospects. Kawasaki is 44 years old, Nakajima 43, and Fukuda 36. Kawasaki spent five seasons in MLB with Seattle, Toronto, and the Chicago Cubs.

“Kawasaki has been in independent ball and wants to keep playing,” Chiharu Yanamura, Baseball United’s senior director of Japan Operations, said. “Nakajima had retired last year, but he liked the idea of participating in a new league. Fukuda had retired but wants to remain involved with baseball somehow.”

Three other Japanese – outfielder Yo Kanahara and pitchers Yudai Mizushina and Shotaro Nikata – earned their spots by winning a reality show competition produced by Japan’s Tokyo Broadcast System (TBS) network. 

“The show started with 300 players, and just the three were chosen,” Yanamura said. “I worked with TBS on the series, and they want to do it again next year – maybe even export the show format to other countries.”

Several of the Japanese played leading roles in Mid East’s first game November 19. Kazuki Yabuta and Shotaro Kasahara combined with Mizushina and former MLBer Severino Gonzalez to pitch the league’s first no-hitter in a 2-0 victory over Karachi. Kawasaki had two hits, including a double that led to the Falcons’ first run, and Kanahara scored both runs as the designated runner – more on that role later. 

Through December 6, Nakajima was averaging .462, Kawasaki .370, and Fukuda .280. Nakajima’s averaged ranked second in the league behind Arabia’s Jacob Teter, and Kawasaki was fourth. Tanai has showed off a good arm, but has just five hits in 26 at bats. 

Photo: Baseball United teams are playing with some new baseball rules, including a “Money Ball” worth 2x the number of runs if hit for a home run. 

On the pitching side, Yabuta had an 1.35 earned-run mark  after 14 1/3 innings along with 24 strikeouts, and Kasahara had pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Shuto Sakurai, who has pitched in NPB for both Yokohama and Rakuten, was 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA and had struck out 11 batters in 10 innings.  Kodai Hamaya –  who also has six year of NPB time with Yokohama and Rakuten and has also played in Mexico, Italy, and Australia – has pitched five scoreless innings for Mid East. 

Regarding the three reality show winners, Mizushina has pitched two innings without allowing a run; Nikata has allowed three earned runs in 2/3 of an inning; and Kanahara has one hit in five at bats.  

Baseball United has worked to create a good fan experience. Similar to games in Japan and Korea, there were cheering sections on each side with people waving towels, as well as bands in the leftfield and rightfield stands. There was music throughout, a dance team that sometimes performed between innings, kids racing mascots around the bases between innings once per game, and a youngster enthusiastically announcing “Play Ball” to the crowd. 

Perhaps the most unique innovation was having each starting pitcher enter the game from the bullpen while riding a camel.

The league also features some rules unique to the league. 

• No game will go into extra innings. If a game is tied after nine innings, a home-run derby, or swing-off, will decide the winner. Each team’s nominated player gets 10 swings to hit as many home runs as possible. If the hitters tie, a sudden-death swing-off occurs. 
• Each team has a designated runner it can use as often as once per inning, without the man he replaces being removed from the game.
• As many as three times in a game, the team at bat can declare a “Money Ball”. If the player then at bat hits a home run, it doubles the number of runs scored. If the batter is walked or hit by a pitch, the Money Ball rolls over to the next batter.  A huge example came on December 6 when Mid East’s Federico Celli – a former Los Angeles Dodger farmhand who has since played several seasons in Italy – hit the first Money Ball grand slam, accounting for eight runs.  
• “Fireball” is a new rule this season. If the team in the field calls a fireball and the current batter strikes out, the inning is over, regardless of how many outs there were at the time. Each team is allowed three fireballs per game. 

“Some people like the rules, and others don’t,” Shaikh said, “but we think this makes us stand out a little more. We started the fireball because people said we had rules to help the teams at bat but nothing to help the pitchers.”

Photo: Barry Larkin (left) and Adrian Beltre throwing out the ceremonial first pitches before the very first game on November 14 between Mumbai and Karachi.

Antonio Barranca, an American and catcher for the Arabia Wolves who played two years in the Atlanta Braves organization, said, “It’s kind of crazy – but fun – to see some things like the new rules and pitchers riding on camels. It makes the league a little different and helps them get their brand out.”

Being a bit different seems necessary when trying to get the game to germinate in what might seem like infertile soil – a place where baseball exists as a niche sport, if at all. 

At a media event the day before the opener, Shaikh stood at home plate, pointed out left and right fields to the media members, and had to make it clear that second basemen don’t actually position themselves on the base. He also explained the “charge” fanfare and the seventh-inning stretch during which fans sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”. Then he invited them to play a game of catch with the likes of co-owner and former major league catcher Robinson Chirinos and others. 

Likewise, the television commentators sometimes explained situations that would be easily understood by a baseball fan but likely not by those new to the game. For example: why there was no need to tag a runner out on a force play. 

Still, the population of Dubai is approximately 90 percent expatriate, and more than a few residents come from baseball-playing countries such as the U.S., Canada, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and others. Baseball also has some similarities to cricket, which has a large, rabid following in countries like India and Pakistan, and the league hopes to attract some of those fans. 

“We’ve been talking a lot with various groups, such as people from the various embassies, the Philippine softball family, the cricket people from Australia, New Zealand, India, and Pakistan, and others,” said John Miedrich, co-owner and executive vice president of operations. 

Baseball United is betting that a long-term, grass-roots approach will eventually bear fruit. 

Shaikh said, “It’s a long process to really grow the fan base. We’re taking the game where most people don’t know it, so we’re building from scratch. This is the most under-developed region as far as baseball goes, so this is going to take some time. A big thing we have to do is make sure people enjoy the overall experience.”

Miedrich concurred, saying, “We’re talking about teaching the game, of course, but it’s just as important to teach the fan experience. Baseball is so new to the region that most people don’t have an understanding of the game, but if they have a good overall experience when they attend, there’s a chance they’ll come back.”

Getting to this point, of course, has been no easy task.

Photo: Japanese pitcher, Kazuki Yabuta, throws a pitch in the Mid East’s first game on November 19. 

“This whole project was exciting because it was an empty canvas here, but it was daunting because it was an empty desert,” Shaikh said. “I had an idea of [the size of the task] beforehand, but didn’t know the level of what it would take in training and so forth. And I didn’t realize how much government relations there was to do – with the federations, tourism councils, and government officials. That’s been a crazy part of the journey. 

“I knew it would be the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s been even harder.”

Duncan, the Mumbai manager, said he’s been associated with Baseball United since the early days and that he got Hall-of-Famer Barry Larkin involved. As a co-founder, Larkin is a senior vice president and leads player development strategies and initiatives. 

“I was asked to help find investors, and Barry was the first person I thought about,” Duncan said. “Knowing that he’d been involved internationally as coach of the Brazil WBC (World Baseball Classic) team, I thought he’d be the perfect guy.”

For his part, Larkin said he had been to India a number of years ago as part of a government program during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations. 

“I worked a lot of baseball tryouts, camps, and clinics in New Delhi,” Larkin said. “Even though I didn’t see many baseball-specific skills there, I noticed that there was a lot of athleticism there. I said to myself then that if I ever got a chance to come back to this region and do something, I’d do it.”

Larkin said he went to Shaikh, whom he had known from some previous promotional projects, and Dubai was eventually chosen as a base of operations “because it’s more centrally located.”

More investors joined over time. Shaikh, Larkin and fellow Hall-of-Famers Mariano Rivera and Adrian Beltre are co-founders and sit on the board of directors along with Chirinos. The group of 20 former players listed as co-owners also includes Albert Pujols, Elvis Andrus, Felix Hernandez, Nick Swisher, Ryan Howard, Bartolo Colon, Hanley Ramirez, Matt Barnes, Shane Victorino, Luis Severino, Jair Jurrgens, Andrelton Simmons, Didi Gregorius, Starling Marte, Ronald Acuna, Jr., and Robinson Cano. 

As for progress, Shaikh points to accomplishments such as the events held in 2023, 2024, and early 2025; partnering with media outlets such as TBS in Japan, PTV, the national broadcaster in Pakistan, and Zee Entertainment Enterprises in India, both of which will broadcast all this season’s games live; signing up sponsors, including some from the U.S. and Japan; and getting the ballpark built.

Video: This Baseball United livestream from December 4th, 2025 features the Mumbai Cobras vs the Mid East Falcons Live Stream

The league said that three million viewers watched the international broadcast of the February 2025 series between the Wolves and Falcons and that 17 linear and digital broadcast partners carried the games, with viewership in more than 100 countries. 

Appearing on the broadcast of a recent game, Shaikh said that the broadcasts of the opening game attracted approximately seven million viewers. “That’s an MLB All-Star Game-level [of viewership],” he said, “and it’s going to continue adding up.”

Another data point is the views of the games streamed over YouTube.  The 14 games played as of December 6 recorded approximately 203,000 views.

Completing the ballpark was a significant milestone. The original plan had been to play in a cricket stadium modified for baseball, but scheduling quickly became an issue, as other events sometimes had priority and bumped baseball to other dates. 

“We were the red-headed stepchild,” Shaikh said wryly. “We realized that we couldn’t have a season without having our own stadium. We would be having to move dates at the last minute.”

So he and his team built Baseball United Ballpark on space next to a soccer/rugby stadium and a cricket ground – in just 38 days.

“Less than a year ago, this was all dust and dirt,” Shaikh said proudly with a sweep of his arm. “Now, it’s our Field of Dreams here in the desert.”

It has identical dimensions to Yankee Stadium, top-quality lighting, and seating for approximately 3,000 fans. When necessary, the current stands can be expanded higher, and there is room down the lines to add more sections. The stands, as well as the food and drink setups, can be moved and stored when not in use.

Except for the mound, the field is covered with artificial turf, the same as used by the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. 

Carlos Mirabal, Baseball United’s director of baseball operations, did much of the work on this, leveraging contacts he made in Japan during the six seasons he pitched for NPB’s Nippon-Ham Fighters.

“We have to wash the turf now and then to keep the dust off, but we’ll use a lot less water than if we had natural grass,” Mirabal explained. “The turf is a combination of mud from Pakistan and the U.S. Most of the mound is Pakistan mud, but the area around the rubber and where the pitchers land is American mud because it’s softer.”

So, as to the future . . . 

“We want to make sure everyone gets playing time and experiences this journey,” said former major league shortstop Jay Bell, who manages the Karachi Monarchs. “Ultimately, we’re here to represent baseball and help it expand – that’s more important than anything.”

Larkin said, “We want to be a very competitive league; that’s the main thing. Regardless of whether the level of play is rookie league, Class A, AA or whatever. 

“We want our players to get exposure and have chance to play at higher levels. Like the two kids from the Philippines [infielder Lord De Vera (.259) and outfielder Ian Mercado (.250)]. There is no pro ball there, so maybe playing here will give them a shot somewhere else. Or [Pavin] Parks – maybe he turns out to be a Kyle Schwarber type of guy.”

Barranca, the Wolves’ catcher, said, “I definitely see this as a chance to play and prove yourself. It’s always an opportunity when you have a chance to put on a uniform and play pro ball. Especially with the experienced coaches you have here.”

Lou Helmig, a first baseman/outfielder and German national who spent time in the Philadelphia Phillies system and last year was in the U.S. independent leagues, said, “I love this. It’s a new opportunity to make things happen.”

As for next season, Shaikh said “the plan is to have two additional teams and for each team to play 15 games. If we can get another venue, we might lengthen the season to two or two-and-a-half months. The dream scenario is to play in most of the November – February time frame and in multiple locations, but there is a lot to figure out with logistics and politics.”

Photo: Young German rising star, Lou Helmig, takes a healthy hack at a pitch. 

In March 2024, Baseball United announced a partnership with the Saudi Baseball and Softball Federation that gives the league an unlimited term to host games and tournaments in Saudi Arabia and includes rights to new Baseball United franchises representing Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. But there is much to work out before that happens. 

“A limiting factor there is getting partners to help build ballparks,” Shaikh said. “The Saudi sports scene is experiencing massive transformation now in a lot of areas – the 2034 World Cup will be there – and pretty much all the venues are under construction or on lockdown, so we’ve been slower about moving into Saudi.”

For the moment, the primary goal is to put the existing operations on solid footing.

“We’ve come further in three years than anyone expected,” Shaikh said. “The challenge now is the build momentum over the course of this season. Our goal is sustainability, and these next two years are really important.”

NOTES: Miedrich said Baseball United has development programs in India and Pakistan and that the one in Pakistan is near the city of Peshawar, in territory heavily influenced by the Pakistani Taliban. Taliban members sometimes watch baseball training sessions while carrying weapons and wearing bandoliers. Because of tribal custom, the players must wear long pants during workouts, regardless of the temperature . . . With the field almost entirely covered with artificial turf, there is no dirt around the bases or in the batters’ boxes. It was amusing to see hitters automatically start to smooth out the dirt as they approached the plate – only to realize that there was none . . . A dance team performed between innings. While dance teams at athletic events are almost always comprised entirely of women, there were two men on this eight-person team, and a number of fans remarked on it . . . Of the four umpires, two were from the Czech Republic (Zdenek Zidek and Frantisek Pribyl) and two from Mexico (Jair Fernandez and Humberto Saiz). Zidek has experience umpiring in the U.S. affiliated minor leagues . . . There is no place at the ballpark to store a regular (metal) batting cage – colloquially called a “turtle” – so Baseball United uses an inflatable one.