With new Florida training facility, Orioles commit to player development

SARASOTA, Fla. — Last month, as Pete Alonso described some of the reasons the Orioles ultimately won his services during free agency, the first baseman spoke of the high level of commitment that was apparent to him “from top to bottom” in the organization.

That level of commitment was on display Monday as the Orioles unveiled their new player development complex at Ed Smith Stadium. The project, which cost $23 million, vastly expands the resources available to Baltimore’s players and is seen as an enticing factor in player acquisitions.

Matt Blood, the Orioles’ vice president of player and staff development, said details of the expanded and upgraded training facility in Sarasota have been major pieces in every discussion with free agents. And for those already in the organization, the additional technology available in a biomechanics lab within the “aviary” — the nickname of an indoor hitting center — and elsewhere could elevate performance.

“This is maybe the best indoor hitting facility in the world right now,” president of baseball operations Mike Elias said. “The technology that’s available here, the space, the comfort, this is something that’s a huge advantage for us as we train and try to get our players better.”

The entire facility is 47,700 square feet, and the design from Fawley Bryant Architecture was completed within a year by Tandem Construction.

The Orioles use the Ed Smith Stadium complex year-round for spring training, rehabilitation, practice and games for minor leaguers in the Florida Complex League, and youth tournaments. Given that usage, Baltimore feels the expanded offerings available through indoor space will make training easier. There will be no rainouts when it comes to a bullpen session or batting practice, and more players can train simultaneously.

For instance, the new pitching center now holds eight mounds that allow for an entire eight-man bullpen to throw at the same time. Around the corner, inside a warehouse-like structure, is the aviary. And in a room next to the aviary rests the biomechanics lab, which is an improvement over the current pitching lab in Bel Air, because the Sarasota version includes hitting data.

Within the biomechanics lab, force plates are embedded beneath both sides of the batter’s box and in the mound. There are 37 cameras in the room to capture various data points.

“From the time players step in the door, this is the first place players go from the time they’re drafted,” said assistant pitching coach Mitch Plassmeyer. “It provides us a ton of data we’re going to be able to use at all levels of development.”

The aviary can be used to work on infield defense, too, with the four square nets rising to make a large open space. That’s in addition to the multiple full-size practice fields on the edge of the facility.

Just outside the door from the hitting facility is a new artificial turf surface. Rather than small, rubber pellets, the Orioles used sand and a sort of sawdust infill called BrockFILL, which is engineered to be nontoxic while also lowering the heat associated with artificial fields. While natural grass is still generally cooler, Drew Wolcott, the Orioles’ director of Florida grounds and operations, said that the BrockFill surface cools down the field by up to 25 degrees compared to the crumb rubber.

“In the summer, with our rehabs and our FCL teams, being able to be out here and not have it 120 degrees is a huge, huge selling point for us,” said Nick White, the Orioles’ head of strength and performance. “Whether it’s that point or just building athleticism, there’s a lot of ingenuity that Drew’s team put into this.”

White said the artificial field will be helpful for running drills (and the 50 yards of football field lines make those easier to track). White said that to maintain hamstring health, among other things, players must build their running workload. In the past, the limited artificial turf area meant that players weren’t getting straight-line reps during rainstorms; they would potentially damage areas of dirt and grass. Now, the artificial turf runs about as long as a football field and can be used if there’s no thunder.

The same goes for the bullpen area, which is open-air but covered from the sun and any storms.

“This facility is about optimizing our flexibility and functionality,” said Trevor Markham, the Orioles’ senior director of Florida operations. “And this spot really helps with the pitching progressions and the growth of the pitching department.”

In the first row during introductory remarks sat primary owner David Rubenstein, and he cut the ribbon to officially unveil the new facility. The Orioles hope they now have the crown jewel of spring training facilities in Florida.

“We love our relationship here with this city and this facility,” Elias said, “and hopefully this construction signals our long-term commitment to being here and what an important part of our operation this place is. So, thanks to David Rubenstein and his group. This was a major investment done by our ownership group. And while we’re looking to bring in the best talent we can with our players, we’re also a big believer in facilities and infrastructure.”