Cincinnati Reds Dominican Republic Academy
Posted on 18. Nov, 2009 by Corey in All, General Baseball.
In addition to the six minor league teams that the Cincinnati Reds are affiliated with, they also have players playing year round in the Dominican Republic. The players that are at this academy in the Dominican Republic as generally newly signed Dominican natives and very young, with most under 18 years old. Some do not even speak English and may spend several years playing on the island before being sent to the United States.
Besides working with Reds coaches and instructors at the Academy, there is also The Dominican Summer League, a branch of affiliated minor league baseball played in the Dominican Republic. The league was founded in 1985 and the league holds a 72-game season, usually running from Junes until late August. Following the season, a playoff begins for the teams.
The Dominican Summer League (DSL) consists of 33 teams in four different divisions, located at different spots on the island. Each team is affiliated with a single Major League Franchise, except for a team shared by the Baltimore Orioles and the Milwaukee Brewers. Three Major League teams, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, and New York Yankees, have two affiliates in the DSL.
The Reds Academy and Dominican Summer League team is located in Boca Chica, a short distance (19 miles) from the capital city of the Dominican Republic. It is said that the “crystalline waters and the white sands,” turned Boca Chica into the most crowded beach on the island.
I have been many places in the world, but have not had the privilege to visit the Dominican Republic. I would like to, as I now I have many new friends through baseball that I can visit and stay with. A huge thank you goes out to a loyal blog reader who had the chance to visit the Reds Boca Chica Baseball Complex on a recent trip and send me a few pictures to pass along.
Back side of main building
Outside view of the Baseball Complex
Inside the Complex...training room
Main Backfield at the DSL complex
Bullpen Mounds
Me gusto tus pics de este academia, estan el himbre Corey
You should take a tour group of Reds fans down there this winter and make some coin for yourself. That looks like a Great place to visit. Just bring sun screen
Not a bad idea…
Aren’t the pictures cool? Always great to have my readers contribute to the site and help out!!
Maybe someday I can get some good pics of new spring training complex
Meet me down there in Febuary. I need someone to help me drive there from Ohio.
Corey, I need to post this to my twitter johnson. You need to make your good stuff accessible from twitter
To be honest, I have never used Twitter…i do have an account set up but haven’t used it yet…
Well you need to start tweeting, Brinn. Would you like to go to Dominican with me in November? Get a passport and buy some AD medicine
Passport is current and ready…brushing up on my espanol aqui…
I was at this academy in January 2011. I have some pictures if you are interested. I am a Cincinnati native and a life long fan of the Reds. Our family is involved with the San Francisco Giants complex that they use for this winter and summer league also located in Boca Chica.
Scott-
I would love to see some more pictures from the complex and share on this website if that is ok with you. You can email some to me at Corey@coreybrinn.com
Thanks and hope you had a great trip.