Diamondbacks open new Dominican academy including education center, fields with lights

The Arizona Diamondbacks opened their new state-of-the-art Dominican academy at the Las Américas Complex in Boca Chico and held a ceremony on Monday.

Key features of the near-$20 million dollar complex include the Ken Kendrick Education Center named after the club’s managing partner and Junior Noboa Field, honoring Arizona’s longtime vice president of Latin operations. Noboa oversees the academy and was the D-backs’ first international hire in August 1995. 

The Diamondbacks also opened the first Dominican academy ball fields with lights for evening workouts and games.

“We made it known today that we wanted to have the best world class facility in all of baseball, and I think we do now,” president and CEO Derrick Hall said in a video produced by the club. “We have the best spring training facility back at home, and we have the greatest academy now in the Dominican. We thank the Dominican for always accepting us, embracing us and now celebrating us as we make finer young men because of this great complex.”

After years of hard work, we officially unveiled our brand new academy in the Dominican Republic today.

Attended by #Dbacks executives as well as Dominican President Luis Abinader, the ceremony showcased the state-of-the-art facility and our proud commitment to the country. pic.twitter.com/qRuQiOYan3

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) November 18, 2024

Arizona broke ground in 2018, and the complex sits on the same land the club used for the D-backs’ academy from 1996-2003.

Approximately 100 prospects, coaches and staff will have access to new dorms, three full fields, covered batting cages, a lounge, a barbershop, three classrooms and a “modernized” weight room and training room.

The D-backs’ academic program has provided minor leaguers the opportunities to earn high school equivalence diplomas since 2015. They were the first major league team to offer a high school diploma to its players, and other organizations have since followed suit. 

“They are going to benefit in different ways, like the education, they’re going to have better food, better rooms to sleep. I think it’s impressive,” shortstop Geraldo Perdomo said in the team video. “When I signed in 2016, I didn’t have the opportunity to have all these brand new facilities. I (roomed) with like 14-15 guys, and I think these guys are gonna have only three or four (roommates). So it’s been an amazing job.”

Perdomo is one of several current Diamondbacks players who graduated from the team’s academy in the Dominican Republic and reached the major leagues. Another is reliever Justin Martinez, who also attended the opening and said he was a bit jealous of the new group.

The facility doubles as a recruiting pitch to international amateurs. Arizona will have $6,908,600 in bonus pool money for the next international signing period which opens Jan. 15, according to Baseball America.

Monday’s ceremony was attended by club leaders such as Hall, Noboa, general manager Mike Hazen and vice president of Latin American scouting and development Cesar Geronimo.

Current and former players such as Perdomo, Martinez, Jordan Lawlar, Miguel Montero and Jose Valverde also joined, along with Dominican president Luis Abinader and minister of sports Kelvin Cruz.

 

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A post shared by Presidencia R. Dominicana (@presidenciard)

Latino/Hispanic players made up 30% of Opening Day rosters in 2024, and MLB academies have been the stepping stone for players for decades. The Dodgers opened the first MLB-affiliated academy in the Dominican Republic back in 1987.

All 30 clubs have had academies in the Dominican Republic as of 2003, and many have taken steps to modernize. The Marlins, Rays, Orioles, Red Sox and Brewers are among teams to open new facilities or renovate their complexes over the past couple years.

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