Having completed recent renovations at their Camp Las Palmas facility in San Antonio Guerra, Dominican Republic, the Los Angeles Dodgers are holding a dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting on Tuesday, Jan. 31, to unveil the improvements.
In addition, the Dodgers will make a special announcement on commitments to the community surrounding Campo Las Palmas, and tours of the facility will be conducted. Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, Dodgers owner Mark Walter and team president and CEO Stan Kasten are among those scheduled to attend the ceremony.
So too is relief pitcher Pedro Baez and former Dodgers and Dominican Republic natives Ramón Martínez and Juan Uribe. Dodgers Hall of Fame broadcaster Jaime Jarrín will serve as emcee.
The Dodgers were the first MLB team to establish an academy in the Dominican Republic. Former Dodgers president Peter O’Malley and former scout and vice president Ralph Avila arranged for the club to purchase land in San Antonio de Guerra on which Campo Las Palmas was constructed.
This year marks the 30-year anniversary of the Dodgers opening the academy. The Guggenheim ownership group purchased a neighboring parcel of land to expanded the facility’s grounds to 70 acres.
The original four buildings have undergone significant renovations and Campo Las Palmas now boasts 10 structures in total. It will house 96 players and 19 coaches and support staff. Training facilities include three and one-half fields, a covered batting cage large enough to accommodate infield practice, a one-mile-long running track, conditioning and weight room and training areas within the clubhouse.
Players will have access to four classrooms, a quiet room and social area. Also on the grounds are offices for the Dodgers’ international scouting department and to accommodate coaching, training and educational staff and team managers.
Additional updates include the Jackie Robinson Hall, which will function as a movie house that uses English-language films as part of language learning and is a place where players can spend time with their families when they visit Campo Las Palmas.
The fields and buildings at the complex are named after Dodgers greats including, Manny Mota, Tommy Lasorda, Roy Campanella, Pedro Guerrero and Walter O’Malley. Also honored by names on facilities at Campo Las Palmas include the Martínez brothers, Ramón, Jesus and Pedro, and Jarrín, among others.
The renovation project falls in line with the Dodgers’ vision and commitment to international scouting, and developing prospects to excel both on and off the field once they begin their respective professional careers in the United States.
