Look: Orioles Unveil New Dominican Republic Baseball Academy
The Baltimore Orioles held the opening ceremony for its new Dominican Republic Baseball Academy, an investment in developing young talent in the Caribbean that is unprecedented in the organization.
Orioles general manager Mike Elias and manager Brandon Hyde were among the members of the Orioles’ organization that attended the event in San Antonio de Guerra, D.R. Among the local dignitaries that attended was Dominican Republic president Luis Abinader.
Elias told MLB.com that he was first presented with the blueprints for the facility during his first week on the job in 2018. That vision now features a facility on 22.5 acres that will support the development of Orioles prospects.
The new facility includes three baseball fields, batting cages, bullpens, a weight room and residential housing. The housing will be for international prospects, including ones the Orioles sign from Latin America.
The opening ceremony came a day after the Orioles signed 19 international free-agent prospects on Monday, most of which came from the Dominican Republic.
Elias has made a push in the international market since he arrived with the Orioles, and it’s already started to pay off. Samuel Basallo is the Orioles’ No. 5 prospect and he was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2021.
The opening ceremony not only drew team officials but also drew current and former players like Félix Bautista, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr., Nelson Cruz, Melvin Mora, Hanser Alberto, Daniel Cabrera, Radhames Liz and Ubaldo Jiménez.
Bautista is another example of the Orioles making waves in the foreign market, even thought it was pre-Elias. The Orioles signed Bautista out of the Dominican Republic in 2016. He is there rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
