Progress is evident at the Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy under construction in Dallas. And now, the facility will include the names of two of the best players in franchise history.
Outfielder Josh Hamilton made a financial contribution toward the creation of the Academy and will have one of the fields named after him.
“To give these boys and girls opportunities to develop relationships on the field but to also develop relationships with families, it’s pretty important,” Hamilton said.
Third baseman Adrian Beltre’s financial gift will go toward creating the indoor turf field that is described as “major league size” and will include his number “29” in the turf.
“I never thought about anything else but being a baseball player (as a kid),” Beltre said. “I think these kids think the same. It’s just nice to provide for them and to make it easier for them to be on the right path.”
The estimated completion of the first portion of the Academy project is October 1st, with the remainder expected to be finished in the spring of 2017. The MLB Youth Academy program is provides baseball and softball instruction to youth in the community, but also features academic tutoring, as well as drug resistance and gang-prevention programs.
