Arizona Diamondbacks honor graduates at Dominican ceremony

Five young men will don caps and gowns atop Diamondbacks uniforms on Friday morning in the Dominican Republic, where club officials will present them with high school diplomas.

They represent the first graduating class in a program that's believed to be the first of its kind. For years, every major-league club has operated a Dominican academy where players as young as 16 begin their professional careers. The Diamondbacks' academy in Boca Chica is the first to also offer players a classroom education.

Each year, teams sign dozens of young Dominicans to minor-league deals. Some include sizable bonuses; most do not. A tiny fraction eventually become major-league stars; most wash out.

"Not only do most not make it to the big leagues, but most don't make it over here to play in our minor-league system," said Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall, who will take part in the ceremony. "I feel responsible for them and would like to provide them with an education. Each player has the opportunity to receive that education and graduate, and we're fully subsidizing it."

Participating players are required to attend classes two days a week for four hours a day and are evaluated weekly by instructors. Tuition is paid by the team, which also gives each participant a laptop computer.

Concerned about the Dominican Republic's poor education system, Hall said the club began talking internally about this sort of program about five years ago. It was put into action two years ago, not long after Hall made a promise to Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina.

"He said it was very important for him to find a way to try to educate players at all of the academies," Hall said. "I said, 'I'll tell you what, I will give you our word that we're going to educate them and we're going to do it at a level higher than anybody.'"

Players who are released by the organization are still eligible to complete the program; one of the five graduates on Friday is a former player. Another is 20-year-old right-hander Jose Martinez, who is regarded as one of the organization's best pitching prospects. All five passed what a team official described as the Dominican equivalent of the GED.

Hall believes the program helps give the Diamondbacks a leg up on signing players at a time when major-league rules have made it more difficult for teams to spend wildly in Latin America.

"I'll give Ken a lot of credit there," Hall said, referring to Diamondbacks Managing General Partner Ken Kendrick. "Ken said that if it's a level playing field, we can have an advantage looking these parents in the eyes and telling them, 'We're going to take care of your son. We're going to provide him an education so that if he doesn't make it in baseball he has something to fall back on.'

"I hope it's pioneering. I hope other teams follow suit. Of course, we'd lose our competitive advantage, but I wouldn't mind. I'd be pretty proud to say, 'Look what we started.'"

Short hop

Former Diamondbacks player Luis Gonzalez will be inducted Saturday into the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame. He will be inducted alongside Pedro Martinez, Carlos Delgado, Nomar Garciaparra, Ozzie Guillen and Roberto Kelly.