Summer 2025 marked a whole new level for our baseball and softball community service trips to the Dominican Republic! With historic stadiums, MLB partnerships, hands-on experiences, and more trips than ever before, it was our biggest, boldest, and most exciting season yet. We led four different week-long trips, meaning Global Baseball Adventures spent over a month in the Dominican Republic, bringing along more players than ever before. Each day, we traveled to new towns, stepping onto diamonds that, in many cases, Americans had never played on before. Players not only competed and honed their skills, but also engaged in meaningful community service, helping schools, local fields, and neighborhoods in ways that left lasting impact. Every day was a balance of athletic excitement and giving back, creating unforgettable experiences and building bridges across communities.
New Teams, New Adventures
For the first time ever, we hosted a Middle School Baseball Trip, bringing together players and families from the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and San Diego! On the softball side, girls from across the Bay Area joined us, and we welcomed new coaches Octavia Bond and Jacee Almond from 008 Training Facility.
Hands-On at Elevate Bat Company
Our trip participants got an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Elevate Bat Company, where professional wooden bats are made for MLB players. Even better? Each player got to hand-make their own bat! And the final giveaway? Lucky participants won and took home bats from the factory during our end of the trip awards dinner, a truly unforgettable keepsake.
Training Like the Pros
This year, we partnered with MLB teams for academy days with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Yankees. Players also trained on the beach with professional instructors from Elevate Academy, blending skill-building, fun, and the beauty of the Dominican coast. A special night game with the Dominican Republic Junior National team at University of Santo Domingo was an experience to remember!
Playing at Historic Stadiums
Summer 2025 was all about stepping onto historic grounds. We played at Estadio Normal, the oldest stadium in the Dominican Republic, a place rich in history—from Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers’ 1948 spring training to being the home field where Juan Soto trained as a kid. Players met Rafael Pape Zapata, Juan Soto’s youth coach, and learned first-hand about training at the highest level.
Four Trips, Countless Memories
This summer marked our largest program yet with four separate trips to the Dominican Republic. Players and families experienced:
- Cultural immersion with local communities.
- Youth clinics, equipment giveaways, food assistance projects with local undeserved communities.
- Training sessions and games at historic stadiums, local Sandlots and fields that were home to our MLB players/coaches on staff!
- Beach workouts and fun off-field adventures.
- Daily doses of smiles, skill-building, and transformative experiences.
Looking Ahead to Summer 2026
We are already planning Summer 2026 and can’t wait to welcome new players and families to experience the magic of the Dominican Republic. Details on how to sign up will be coming soon—get ready to Play, Live, and Give with us next summer!
