The Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg announced on Tuesday that the MLB European Academy will be held at the Armin-Wolf-Arena and its facilities from July 31 to August 16, 2013. It is the first time that the training camp for 45 of the best European and South African prospects between 15 and 19 years old will be hosted in Regensburg. In previous years the CONI training center in Tirrenia, Italy always was the home for the MLB European Academy.
“To get awarded with the European Academy in Regensburg has international merit and shows that Major League Baseball was satisfied with our hosting of the World Baseball Classic Qualifier. The main reason are the excellent conditions on site, which are a reflection of the good development here in recent years.” , says Martin Brunner (picture), head of the Baseball Academy in Regensburg, according a press release of the Buchbinder Legionaere.
Regensburg is no stranger to MLB International events, as the MLB Academies Tournament was held at the Armin-Wolf-Arena from 2010 to 2012. Eight attendees of the Regensburg Baseball Academy have signed professional contracts with Major League organizations since 2006 with Donald Lutz the biggest success, as he reached the big leagues this year and is still on the active Major League roster of the Cincinnati Reds.
The Buchbinder Legionaere want to build on this success and have plans to erect new dormitory for their academy, which is currently hosted in a near-by hotel. Additionally the structure around the Armin-Wolf-Arena will see improvements in the coming years. “We will do everything we can to justify the trust placed in us and would like to keep the MLB European Academy in Regensburg on a long-term basis.”, said Buchbinder Legionaere CEO Armin Zimmermann.
MLB International will announce the list of MLB European Academy participants and coaches in the coming weeks.
Photo: Walter Keller, www.catchthefever.de