Main Services
Empower Baseball is a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of youth in the Dominican Republic by combining quality baseball training with a strong commitment to education. Founded by Brian Straley in 2020, Empower Baseball was built on the belief that no child should have to choose between chasing a dream and securing an education. Unlike traditional baseball academies that push kids to abandon school, our model requires every player to stay enrolled and succeed academically in order to participate. Based in Barahona, we currently serve 46 student-athletes across three teams—high school, middle school, and t-ball—supported by dedicated coaches and staff. Our players train year-round on two baseball fields, while also receiving tutoring, mentorship, and life skills development to prepare them for futures beyond the game. To further remove barriers, we provide essential resources including meals, clean drinking water, and healthcare access, ensuring athletes have the support they need both on and off the field. The impact has been profound: our program has kept boys in school who might otherwise have dropped out, created pathways to higher education, and shown families that baseball can be a tool for opportunity rather than a gamble. In just a few short years, Empower Baseball has become a model of what’s possible when sports and academics work together—laying the foundation for the first generation of college-bound student-athletes from Barahona. Our long-term vision is to expand across the Dominican Republic, proving that education-first baseball development can break the cycle of poverty and change lives for generations.