Building a proud legacy

Over the past four years, China’s three MLB Development Centers, the only such facilities outside the United States, have churned out four groups of graduates in Wuxi, Changzhou and Nanjing, all in Jiangsu province.

Of the 55 grads, 28 are attending Chinese universities, seven are attending universities in the US, 12 are playing with CBA teams, three are working at the DCs and three have signed with MLB clubs.

“Besides the three players signing with MLB teams, I am very proud of the fact we have student athletes going to universities in China and we have student athletes going to universities in the US and playing baseball,” said Rick Dell, general manager of baseball development for MLB Asia.

“So the story doesn’t end with who got signed; the story continues with all our student athletes and their opportunities to go on and have life-changing experiences. The mission of the DCs is to develop student athletes, not just as baseball players but as total persons.”

Aaron Wang, general manager of business and media development for MLB China, agreed.

“MLB arrived in to China in 2007 with the aim of developing baseball and education, kicking off the Play Ball! program that covered more than 100 elementary schools and setting up DCs in Wuxi, Changzhou and Nanjing,” he said.

“Justin Qiangbarenzeng is a product of the DCs and sets a good example of how our system combines sports and academic excellence. I believe the future of China’s baseball development will be ensured by the growing number of Chinese graduates.” Dell said it will be an ongoing process. “There’s an old saying that it takes a whole village to raise a boy, and that really is what our MLB Development Centers are — villages of trainers, coaches and supporters on many levels that cluster around our student athletes to get them to realize their full potential,” said Dell.