D-Backs to Graduate Second Class at Dominican Republic Academy This Sunday

(Phoenix, AZ) — The Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks, @LosDbacks) will host their second annual high school graduation this Sunday at the team’s academy in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic. The first-of-its-kind program will see 10 of the team’s prospects graduate from high school following last year’s inaugural event in which the first five players were graduated.

“We are so proud of these students who have committed to continuing their education, even as they pursue their baseball careers on the field,” said D-backs President & CEO Derrick Hall. “We know that they will not all play in the big leagues or even make it to a minor league affiliate in the United States, but we are committed to ensuring that when they sign with us, they know they will be able to get their schooling paid for.”

The ceremony will take place on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. local time and the players will receive their diplomas from D-backs Sr. Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer Marian Rhodes and D-backs Vice President of Latin Operations Junior Noboa.

The unique part of the D-backs program is that prospects continue to have their educated funded by the team even if they are no longer playing in the organization.

The program stemmed from a promise made by Hall to the president of the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina, in 2013 that the team would provide the youth of his country with the best education among all 30 franchises. Rhodes developed and coordinates the program, which includes the players being required to attend school two days per week for four hours with assigned tutors and with weekly progress evaluations performed by the education committee. Each student is provided with a laptop computer and the team covers the cost of tuition for each player.