Ashanty Brianna Chapman is the eldest daughter of Major League Baseball relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman and his former partner Raidelmis Mendosa Santiestelas. She was born in Holguín, Cuba, on June 28, 2009, and moved to the United States in 2014 following her father’s defection to Major League Baseball.
Biographical Profile and Personal Background
Ashanty Brianna Chapman was born in Holguín, Cuba, on June 28, 2009. Her mother is Raidelmis Mendosa Santiestelas, and her father is Albertín Aroldis Chapman de la Cruz, the famous Major League Baseball pitcher known as the Cuban Missile. Her paternal grandparents are Juan Albert Chapman Benett and María Caridad De La Cruz. Her paternal aunts are Yusmila Chapman and Yurixan Chapman.
Her birth name is recorded in sports records and family interviews as either Ashanty Brianna Chapman or Ashanti Brianna Chapman. The variation in spelling comes from English and Spanish transliterations used by news reporters and family members. Ashanty holds Cuban and American background. She grew up in Holguín during her early childhood before moving to South Florida in early 2014.
Ashanty Brianna Chapman is not a professional athlete or public celebrity. She maintains a quiet personal life focused on her studies and family. Her media presence comes from her father’s baseball career and public family statements.
| Attribute | Profile Detail |
| Full Name | Ashanty Brianna Chapman |
| Alternative Spelling | Ashanti Brianna Chapman |
| Date of Birth | June 28, 2009 |
| Place of Birth | Holguín, Cuba |
| Father | Albertín Aroldis Chapman de la Cruz |
| Mother | Raidelmis Mendosa Santiestelas |
| Paternal Grandfather | Juan Albert Chapman Benett |
| Paternal Grandmother | María Caridad De La Cruz |
| Paternal Aunts | Yusmila Chapman, Yurixan Chapman |
| Half-Brother | Atticus Gabriel Chapman |
| Half-Sister | Angelina Chapman |
| Current Residence | South Florida, United States |
| Primary Notability | Eldest daughter of MLB pitcher Aroldis Chapman |
Early Years in Holguín, Cuba
Ashanty Brianna Chapman spent the first four years of her life in Holguín, Cuba. Holguín is a major city in eastern Cuba where her family lived in a three-room home. Her grandfather, Juan Albert Chapman Benett, worked as a boxing trainer before taking a job with the city. Her grandmother, María Caridad De La Cruz, managed the family home.
Her mother, Raidelmis Mendosa Santiestelas, was in a relationship with Aroldis Chapman for two years before Ashanty was born. During this time, Aroldis Chapman was a rising star pitcher for the Holguín team in the Cuban National Series. He also pitched for the Cuban national baseball team in international tournaments.
Ashanty was born on June 28, 2009, while her father was preparing for an international tournament in Europe with the Cuban national team. Because of these athletic travel commitments, her father was not present in the hospital during her birth.
The Defection of Aroldis Chapman
On July 1, 2009, three days after Ashanty was born, Aroldis Chapman defected from Cuba. The Cuban national team was staying at a hotel in Rotterdam, Netherlands, for the World Port Tournament. Aroldis walked out the front door of the team hotel and entered a car driven by an acquaintance.
This was his second attempt to defect. In the spring of 2008, he tried to leave Cuba but failed. Cuban President Raúl Castro met with him and issued a conditional reprieve. That reprieve suspended him for the rest of the Cuban National Series season and kept him off the 2008 Beijing Olympics team.
After his successful defection in Rotterdam, Aroldis Chapman established legal residency in Andorra. This status allowed Major League Baseball to declare him an unattached international free agent. However, the defection meant he could not return to Cuba. He was forced to leave his newborn daughter, her mother, his parents, and his sisters behind in Holguín.
Separation and Long Distance Connection
Aroldis Chapman signed a six-year, $30.25 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds on January 10, 2010. Although he achieved financial success, he was separated from his newborn daughter. Cuban travel regulations made it difficult for citizens to leave the country.
During these years of separation, Aroldis got a tattoo of the name “Ashanti” on his right triceps. He showed the tattoo to news reporters during interviews when speaking about his family in Cuba. He used phone calls and photos to stay in contact with Raidelmis and track Ashanty’s growth.
Aroldis provided financial support to Ashanty and her mother in Cuba. He worked through legal channels to bring his family to the United States.
The 2014 Immigration and Reunion in Arizona
In 2013, Aroldis Chapman’s parents successfully left Cuba and arrived in the United States. Final legal permissions for Ashanty and her mother were granted in late 2013. In January 2014, four-year-old Ashanty Brianna and her mother Raidelmis Mendosa Santiestelas left Cuba. They traveled to South Florida to live at Aroldis’ home in Davie, Florida.
In March 2014, Ashanty met her father in person for the first time. The reunion took place at the Cincinnati Reds Spring Training complex in Goodyear, Arizona. Aroldis Chapman spoke to reporters through translator Tomas Vera about the emotional moment. He stated that he was very happy but also nervous because they had never met in person before.
Aroldis explained that he wanted Ashanty to watch him pitch in Major League Baseball. He stated that as she grew older, she would understand why he left Cuba and why he worked hard in the United States to support her.
| Date | Event | Location |
| June 28, 2009 | Ashanty Brianna Chapman is born. | Holguín, Cuba |
| July 1, 2009 | Aroldis Chapman defects from Cuba. | Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| January 10, 2010 | Aroldis signs six-year contract with Cincinnati Reds. | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Late 2013 | Paternal grandparents leave Cuba for the United States. | Florida, United States |
| January 2014 | Ashanty and mother Raidelmis arrive in Florida. | Davie, Florida |
| March 3, 2014 | First in-person reunion between father and daughter. | Goodyear, Arizona |
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Family Structure and Sibling Relationships
After arriving in Florida, Ashanty Brianna Chapman lived in a family environment that included her mother, father, and extended relatives. Although her parents ended their romantic relationship, they continued to co-parent Ashanty in South Florida.
Ashanty is the oldest of three children born to Aroldis Chapman. Her siblings are:
- Atticus Gabriel Chapman: Her younger half-brother.
- Angelina Chapman: Her younger half-sister, born on June 22, 2015.
Her paternal grandparents, Juan Albert and María Caridad, also lived in the South Florida home. Her father bought the residence to keep the entire family together under one roof.
In late October 2015, police were called to the Davie home following a dispute between Aroldis Chapman and a girlfriend. Media reports noted that family members, including Ashanty’s mother Raidelmis, were present during or after the argument. Assistant State Attorney Marcie Zaccor reviewed the case and declined to file criminal charges due to conflicting reports, lack of physical injuries, and uncooperative witnesses.
Aroldis Chapman’s Career and Impact on Family Life
Ashanty Brianna Chapman grew up while her father built one of the most successful careers for a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball history.
Aroldis Chapman made his Major League debut with the Cincinnati Reds on August 31, 2010. On September 24, 2010, he threw a pitch recorded at 105.1 miles per hour against Tony Gwynn Jr. of the San Diego Padres. This pitch broke the record for the fastest pitch in Major League Baseball history and earned a Guinness World Record. He was later clocked at 105.8 miles per hour.
Aroldis played for multiple Major League teams during Ashanty’s childhood and teenage years. The following list outlines his team history:
- Cincinnati Reds (2010–2015): Four consecutive All-Star selections.
- New York Yankees (2016): Traded to New York before mid-season trade to Chicago.
- Chicago Cubs (2016): Won the World Series championship in 2016.
- New York Yankees (2017–2022): Signed five-year, $86 million contract; named AL Reliever of the Year in 2019.
- Kansas City Royals (2023): Signed one-year deal before trade to Texas.
- Texas Rangers (2023): Won his second World Series championship in 2023.
- Pittsburgh Pirates (2024): Played one season, passing key career strikeout goals.
- Boston Red Sox (2025–present): Signed one-year contract for $10.75 million in 2025 and agreed to a $13.3 million extension for 2026.
On July 3, 2026, Aroldis Chapman recorded his 1,364th career strikeout while pitching for the Boston Red Sox. This strikeout broke Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm’s record for the most strikeouts by a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball history. On July 10, 2026, he was selected to his ninth All-Star Game.
| Season | Team | Major Highlights and Statistics |
| 2010–2015 | Cincinnati Reds | Set world record fastball speed (105.8 mph); 4x All-Star. |
| 2016 | NY Yankees / Chicago Cubs | Won World Series with the Chicago Cubs. |
| 2017–2022 | New York Yankees | 2019 AL Reliever of the Year; joined 300 save club. |
| 2023 | KC Royals / Texas Rangers | Won second World Series championship with Texas. |
| 2024 | Pittsburgh Pirates | Surpassed 1,200 career strikeouts. |
| 2025 | Boston Red Sox | 32 saves, 1.17 ERA; named AL Reliever of the Year. |
| 2026 | Boston Red Sox | Set all-time MLB relief strikeout record (1,364+ strikeouts); 9th All-Star. |
Disambiguation and Public Record Clarifications
Online searches for Ashanty Brianna Chapman sometimes display results for other people with similar names. It is important to separate these records to ensure factual accuracy.
Entrepreneur Brianna Chapman
In September 2023, an interview published by Bold Journey magazine featured an entrepreneur named Brianna Chapman. This individual is the owner of Young Bread Chasers Company (YBC Company), a business that sells clothing, prints custom apparel, and offers photography services. She also hosts community back-to-school events giving scholarships to high school seniors.
That business owner is a different adult person and is not Ashanty Brianna Chapman. Ashanty Brianna Chapman was born in 2009 and is not the founder of YBC Company.
Public Court and Citation Logs
Municipal arrest logs and public warrant lists from cities such as Bridgeport, Connecticut, or Crowley and Plano, Texas, include names such as Brianna Chapman or Brittany Ann Chapman.
- Bridgeport, Connecticut: A arrest record from July 2022 lists a Brianna Chapman born in September 1995.
- Crowley, Texas: Citation logs list a Brittany Ann Chapman for traffic and municipal infractions.
- Plano, Texas: Municipal warrant lists include individuals with the surname Chapman.
None of these legal records belong to Ashanty Brianna Chapman. She has no criminal record or public court warrants.
Recent Updates and Personal Life
Ashanty Brianna Chapman turned 16 years old in June 2025 and turns 17 years old in June 2026. She continues to live in Florida, focusing on her education.
In November 2024, Aroldis Chapman posted a public message to Ashanty on his official social media accounts following a long video call conversation. He shared a screenshot of their video call showing both of them smiling.
Aroldis wrote a personal message to her in Spanish. In the statement, he expressed gratitude for being able to talk openly with her about life, thoughts, and personal experiences. He told her that he would always be there to listen to her and support her, stating that he felt fortunate to be her father.
Ashanty Brianna Chapman remains close with her father, her mother Raidelmis, her brother Atticus, her sister Angelina, and her grandparents. Her family history reflects a path of overcoming hardship, separation, and relocation from Cuba to the United States.
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