PHX Reporter

The Arizona Diamondbacks have announced a $1 million donation to the Banner Health Foundation. This contribution is aimed at providing professional-level baseball training to young athletes in the Valley. The announcement was made at the Banner Sports Medicine Scottsdale’s High Performance Center, where the Pitching & Hitting Tunnels were dedicated and named after the Diamondbacks.

This donation marks one of the largest charitable contributions by the team, enabling access to advanced performance training similar to that experienced by Major League Baseball players. The facility's MLB-grade tunnels are equipped with systems for pitching and hitting analysis, ensuring they remain updated with cutting-edge technology.

Peter S. Fine, CEO of Banner Health, stated: "One of the goals of Banner Sports Medicine is to ensure that athletes of all ages and skill levels can benefit from the best performance training, injury prevention, and when needed, expert sports medicine care and rehab, available right here in our community." He emphasized that this support would positively impact future generations of baseball players.

Derrick Hall, President and CEO of the Diamondbacks, highlighted how this initiative aligns with their community mission: “We believe in the power of sports to transform lives and build stronger communities,” he said. Hall added that partnering with Banner Health allows young athletes access to premier facilities and coaching.

The Diamondbacks’ NIKE RBI team will use these tunnels for 40 hours this summer. This team consists of young players who lack resources for club ball or private coaching. They will benefit from state-of-the-art analytics and training technologies such as force plate systems and Kinetrax 3D motion capture cameras.

Angel Valenzuela, a former member of last year’s NIKE RBI team, shared his experience: “Training with the team at the Banner Sports Medicine High Performance Center gave me great confidence in my ability headed into the Nike RBI World Series in Florida,” he said.

Banner Sports Medicine Scottsdale opened in May 2023 and has already hosted thousands of patients and athletes. The facility offers comprehensive services including orthopedic surgery, concussion management, physical therapy, among others.

Banner Health is one of America's largest nonprofit health care systems operating numerous hospitals across several states. Its foundation focuses on advancing its mission through community engagement and charitable contributions.