MLB Kicks Off Brand New Player Development Program in Brazil

Inauguration event gathered executives and former MLB players; 50 athletes will be annually funded by the project (Photo: Reproduction/MLB Brazil)

After five years, Major League Baseball is back in Brazil to fund one of the most modern projects in the world

MLB kicks off brand new player development program in Brazil

Major League Baseball and the Brazilian Baseball and Softball Confederation (CBBS) kicked off their new partnership project, which will become the main means of developing high-performance athletes in Brazil. In an event that took place on Tuesday, 4th of February, the inauguration was attended by executives from Major League Baseball, representatives of public authorities and notable people linked to Brazilian baseball.

The event took place at the Yakult Training Centre, in the countryside part of São Paulo state, where the project’s athletes will live and train. The structure is the same where hundreds of Brazilian players have been trained over the last decades. Some were even at the event to pay their respects. Among them were Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Thyago Vieira, prospects Daniel Missaki, from the Texas Rangers, and Eric Pardinho, from the Toronto Blue Jays, as well as former MLB pitcher André Rienzo.

The project will be a continuation of what the Brazilian Baseball and Softball Confederation has done for almost three decades (Photo: Reproduction/MLB Brazil)

In terms of the difference from previous generations to the next, there is the way in which the development and selection of athletes will be carried out. Until 2024, names that would stand out during competitions were sent to the Academy, but they only stayed there if their parents could afford for their housing, operations and education. For MLB representatives who came to Brazil for the inauguration, the project has entered a phase of greater possibilities.

“The Brazilian Federation has done an amazing job for 30 years, but if we are able to bring in top athletes from all over the country, and they don’t have to worry about paying – it’s just talent, they’re not limited by resources -, we can really make this a very strong program, and it will contribute to the the future of the sport”, said Rebecca Seesel, MLB’s Vice-President of International Operations.

Brazilian players who where both part of the Academy and had signed contracts with MLB franchises during their careers (Photo: Reproduction/MLB Brazil)

About the development process, the recently-renewed facilities will offer analysis methodology based on Driveline Baseball, one of the world’s leading data-driven athlete development programs. For players who traveled the world to play pro-baseball, this is outstanding. 

“Many people don’t realise it, but what we have here in Brazil today is very good. The infrastructure we have here is better than a lot of places in other countries, and I hope these athletes can take advantage of it and continue to open doors through our baseball”, said Thyago Vieira, who had recently played in both Aguilas Cibaeñas (LIDOM) and Naranjeros de Hermosillo (LMP). 

One of the highlights of the event was the presence of former MLB star Nelson Cruz, who came to Brazil as an Ambassador for Major League Baseball. Cruz spent part of the previous day with the athletes, sharing experiences and helping with practices. About that, John D’Angelo, who is the Senior Vice-President for Amateur & Medical Operations at MLB, highlighted the presence of such a player.

“Nelson is a great ambassador for the sport and I think having him come and talk and interact with the kids, it gives them a sense of, you know eventually what they could be if everything goes right. We really appreciate him coming down here as it really helps with showing the kids what the payoff could be, as he was once where the kids are at this moment”.

Nelson Cruz had the opportunity to share his experience as an athlete, as well as the importance of education when building a career as a professional ball player (Photo: Reproduction/MLB Brazil)

For Cruz, this is once in a lifetime opportunity, even because the project covers every expense, including studies. “No doubt, this is a great opportunity for those kids. They have all this technology, the tools; and the most important thing is that they go to school, and make sure they have the education. That is the only thing that guarantees that they will be someone important in life, and positive for their communities”.

The Ambassador also spoke about the growth of the sport from the project, which has now a new start. “From this new beginning we shall see family and friends from these kids, who will start loving the game, and hopefully we will have a bunch of players coming to the big leagues from Brazil, and these athletes will be able to say that they were part of it”, he concluded.

Lastly, this project could also clear the path for a future development of a league in Brazil, a topic that was covered by Thiago Caldeira, the current President of the Brazilian Baseball and Softball Confederation. Caldeira, who was part of the selection process of the athletes, highlighted that the influx of new players will create a demand for them to play – specially for those who stay in Brazil after the program. 

“It is a desire to have a professional league in Brazil, something that we will definitely work on. For 2025 we plan to already start a project of having a college league, which will benefit the players from this group that may not have contracts signed”, he explained. 

The Major League Baseball project will have 50 players, ranging from 12 to 16 years, that will live as interns on a reference training ground in Ibiúna, São Paulo. All the expenses with housing, food, practice and studies will be fully covered by the MLB. 

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