The development of the relationship between the Dominican Republic (D.R.) and Major League Baseball (MLB) over the past century has produced some of the most memorable Major League players in recent history. In the 21st century alone David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez were key components in leading the Boston Red Sox to a World Series win after 86 years and Juan Soto is still tops lists of the best players in the MLB right now. However, the production of these players has been honed by the MLB over the past 25 years in the creation of baseball academies run by each team in the D.R. Almost methodic in its scouting, recruiting, and developing of players in private facilities, some sports enthusiasts and academics have questioned the ethics of the MLB in producing these players, asking about issues such as the conditions players live in and schooling that occurs at the academies. 1 However, as players like Juan Soto come through the established system, what they provide for the sport cannot be overstated. Coupled with the increasing presence of Dominicans in the framework of how the MLB is structured – early scouts like Epifanio ‘Epy’ Guerrero ensured that attention was paid to the D.R. and its potential while advancements are still being made with Robin De Jesus making his debut as the first Dominican umpire in 2016 – and raises questions as to ‘who needs who’ anymore. Additionally, the MLB’s historic dominance in the relationship and use of the D.R. as a ‘storehouse’ for up and coming players is worrisome for those familiar with neocolonialism in Latin America and history of United States intervention in the Dominican Republic.
The relationship began to flourish in the aftermath of embargoes placed on Cuba by the United States in the 1960s. Unable to export Cuban players, scouting strategies shifted to other areas of Latin America including the ‘Wild West’ of early scouting practices in the Dominican Republic. Scouts would wander the island, find a player, sign him and send him to the United States. A lack of player preparation for the adjustment into the new environment, which was rife with racism and involved learning a new language, led to many Dominican players not being able to find their space and identity within the system. It highlighted the need for adequate player development ahead of sending Dominican players to the United States. The first Dominican-born player to reach the MLB was Osvaldo José Virgil “Ozzie” Pichardo Sr., who played the 1957 season with the then New York Giants, a team that would be moved to San Francisco in the 1960s. Virgil was born and raised in the Dominican Republic but moved with his family to the Bronx in New York as a teen.
The 1980s saw the introduction of the first of many baseball academies in the D.R. with the Los Angeles Dodgers facility Campo Las Palmas in 1986. A team with a showy reputation, many were skeptical of the production that would come out of the facility. However, the Toronto Blue Jays followed suit in 1987, in part thanks to what other former Dominican-born Blue Jays players have called “one of the first guys to put the infrastructure in place to get all that talent up here,” Epy Guerrero, then director of Latin American scouting for the organization. 2 Guerrero would sign 50 players over the course of his career, looking for “players that would become productive major-leaguers, not only based on their skills, but also on their ability to adjust to a new culture in North America,” an important factor in shaping the growth of players that was previously acknowledged as leading to failure.
Since then, the academy system has taken hold with each MLB team represented on the island. The organization itself also has an office on the island which was established in 2000 partially to combat issues that had begun to run rampant in the existing system. As the production of the players became more specialized, issues under the surface caught media attention from time to time. The office’s description on the MLB’s website makes clear that the Santo Domingo base is there to help in “ensuring that MLB Clubs are in compliance with laws and mandates of the Dominican Republic and the rules of Major League Baseball.” 3
The controversial relationship between Major League Baseball and the Dominican Republic is important for unpacking imperialism and neocolonialism. From the 1500s until an 1844 revolution, the Dominican Republic was colonized by both the French and Spanish empires. The Dominican Republic – and the region as a whole through decolonization – has subsequently struggled with both private corporations and imperial powers vying for control over the country’s economy, with the United States having occupied the island from 1916 to 1924 and again briefly in 1955-56. Given the United States’ imperialist policies in the region, another look at Major League Baseball’s use of the island reveals less ethical implications as to how the relationship functions.
At best, the academy system has grown the game in an immense way. The average cost of building one of these academies sits today at around $4,000,000, providing players with needed conditioning both for the sport and for cultural adjustment and education with food and dorms, but has also produced amazing talent. Some of the most dominant figures in the MLB today are Dominicans, whose reception has in turn shown a higher interest in learning and appreciating the heritage and sport. 4 Even more subtle forms of representation and memorialization of important Latin American baseball history are apparent as a display on the region’s ‘love affair’ with the sport was the first bilingual display at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 2018. 5 The identity of baseball in the Dominican Republic has been steadfast and crucial to the cultural character and as superstars come from the island, they bring their values and upbringing with them.
It is corporate interests that are at heart in how the MLB treats the D.R. Take Francisco Cordero, a Dominican pitcher, whose quote that “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a guy who’s been rich since he was little playing baseball,” immediately brings to mind the nation’s high percentage of people in poverty. 6 Matched with the devotion to baseball, the creation of a path out is what fuels many young players who live and breathe baseball through the academy system may appear more like a mirage. Because at worst, the MLB’s influence is the perpetuation of not just inequality but corporate interest influencing the economy of another Latin American nation.
As mentioned earlier, one of the reasons the MLB opened an office in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, was to crack down on issues in the system. This is an area of both scholarly and public interest, where it is apparent that there is an understanding of what is desired from the Major League, and what young players can do to reach it. Conditionality of Latin American talent is present in exploitative practices on the island like underage verbal agreements made with MLB teams. Even as players develop into Major League stars, they are still encouraged to take ‘team friendly’ contracts. The opportunity to sign a 7-year/$35 million deal that would take him to age 30 is what Ozzie Albies took for re-signing with the Atlanta Braves, a price the press deemed ‘insultingly low’ in the context of Albies’ career with the Braves and the world of pro sports. 7
Issues in the system have become worse over time and current policies in the MLB reflect a consistent power struggle between the billion dollar corporation and the nation of the Dominican Republic. At present, strides have to be made to create a equitable solution that removes the loopholes many use to exploit young players. There is hope for the future, the Dominican Republic just became the first international Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) union office. 8. Additionally, young prospects in the Dominican Republic have had their voices heard in the country’s judicial system about the way the MLB functions now which inspires hope for protection of players rights caught in the chaos. 9
- Alan Klein, “Chapter 2: The Rise of the Academy System,” in Dominican Baseball: Old Pride, New Prjeudice. Temple University Press, 2014. ↩
- Brendan Kennedy, “Legendary Blue Jays Scout Epy Guerrero dies.” Toronto Star, 2013. ↩
- Major League Baseball, “Locations – Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.” MLB.com ↩
- Enrique Rojas, “Baseball academies thrive in the Dominican Republic.” ESPN, 2015 ↩
- Jorge E. Moraga, “Viva Baseball!: National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum,” Journal of Sports History, Vol. 45, No. 2, 2018. ↩
- Alan Klein, “Introduction” in Dominican Baseball: Old Pride, New Prejudice. Temple University Press, 2014 ↩
- Jon Tayler, “Ozzie Albies’ Contract Extension Is Insultingly Low.” Sports Illustrated, 2019. ↩
- Keldy Ortiz, “Scoop: Dominican republic snags first MLB players union office outside U.S.” Axios, 2022 ↩
- Jeff Passan, “Prospects Willy Fañas, Keiderson Pavon suing Los Angeles Angels, alleging agreements pulled back by team.” ESPN, 2022. ↩