Player
Development
 The
Dominican passion for baseball is evident on sandlots cut into the
parks, sugar cane fields and other patches of sun-scorched earth where
Dominican boys learn to emulate their homegrown heroes like Miguel
Tejada and Vladimir Guerrero. These boys dream of making it to the
majors and once they complete their mandatory educational commitment –
fifth grade – many turn their attention to developing their baseball
skills.
More than 800,000
children play organized baseball in the Dominican Republic – nearly 10
percent of the population. Teams can be found in every town, barrio, and
crossroad. Formal leagues, traveling teams, and government-sponsored
tournaments provide many venues for players to develop their skills and
showcase their talent. Most of the activity is under the watchful eye of
a coach, a sponsor, or a scout…everyone looking for the next “big
thing”.
Private coaches or
buscones work tirelessly and compete frantically to develop that one
great player that will produce a life-changing financial windfall – for
player and coach. In some ways they mirror the larger Dominican society
– they have identified a need or opportunity and then work relentlessly
to improve their standing in life. Outside the purview of the Major
League Baseball player draft, all Dominican players are free agents –
available on the open market to the highest bidder. Some buscones “hide”
their prize players in remote locations to keep competitors away and to
prevent MLB scouts from signing the player before an optimal price can
be obtained.
The ultimate
destination for any young player is a Major League Baseball academy,
which serves as their proving ground and ultimately the provider of an
“admission ticket” to the United States. The core mission of the
academies is to take raw talent and refine it into minor league
capabilities.
We will tour one of these academies at
Dominican Baseball Camp. |
DOMINICAN
BASEBALL CAMP