Marlins break ground on academy in D.R.

The Marlins broke ground on their new baseball academy in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, continuing to fulfill their promise to invest in international recruitment and player development.

In attendance at the ceremony were Marlins CEO Derek Jeter, general manager Kim Ng, Dominican Republic president Luis Abinader, Dominican Republic minister of sports Francisco Jose Camacho Rivas, and mayor of Boca Chica Fermin Brito.

The facility, which is located on a 35-plus-acre plot of land, will feature three Major League-sized fields, along with state-of-the-art batting tunnels, six covered pitching mounds and an agility field. The grounds will also house an athletic and administration building fitted with a dining hall, chapel and 4,800-square-foot weight room.

In line with the Marlins' commitment to educational excellence, the complex will also house four classrooms and a fully outfitted computer lab. Players at the Marlins’ Dominican League academy will be housed in a separate residential complex that will feature a communal courtyard and two player lounges.

Construction on the academy -- likely to be more than twice the size of the Marlins' current complex -- is expected to begin immediately.