BALLPLAYER: PELOTERO Documentary Set for Dominican Republic, VOD Release July 13

Related: John Leguizamo, Bobby Valentine

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Strand Releasing will release a new documentary called BALLPLAYER: PELOTERO about the underbelly of baseball recruiting in the Dominican Republic in theaters and on VOD on July 13th. The film is directed by Ross Finkel, Trevor Martin and Jon Paley, and narrated by John Leguizamo and executive produced by Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine.

The documentary is a gritty and never before seen look inside the world of Major League Baseball (MLB) training camps in the Dominican Republic. Miguel Angel and Jean Carlos are two of the top prospects and they are both about to turn 16, which means they can be signed to an MLB farm team and ultimately move up to the majors. BALLPLAYER: PELOTERO filmmakers Ross Finkel, Trevor Martin and Jonathan Paley take you inside this never before seen world for an up close and personal look at the cost of the American dream.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT from Ross Finkel, Trevor Martin and Jon Paley:

"The central question behind Pelotero was a simple one: Why are Dominicans so good at baseball? The tiny island nation is consistently overrepresented in the Major Leagues, and as America’s pastime continues to globalize, every year brings a fresh crop of young Dominican Peloteros to the top levels of the game. We had a romantic image of these players’ humble beginnings etched in our minds; poor kids chasing rolled up socks through dusty streets as motorbikes whizzed by. However, that vision of street ball felt disconnected to another romantic idea of Dominican baseball; Big Papi, Sammy Sosa, or Robinson Cano slowly trotting around the bases under the bright lights and cheering fans of a big league ballpark. How does one lead to the other? And what is the story in between the two?

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