By The d’Arnaud brothers, Travis and Chase, opened a baseball academy called d’Arnaud Athletics just five minutes from where they grew up, giving young baseball players a chance to thrive just as they did growing up.
The facility is located at 3940 E. Gilman St. in Long Beach. The brothers, alongside their partner and baseball lifestyle brand Baseballism, run a 10,208-square-foot baseball development center, serving players from youth to professional levels.
The d’Arnaud Athletics facility contains 2,000 square feet of batting cages, one of the many ways athletes can train in the facility. Photo Credit: Alan Alejandro Ibarra
Travis and Chase both grew up in Lakewood Village, where they played in the Little League for the HeartWell Pony-Colts.
Chase then went on to play for Los Alamitos High School, while Travis played for Lakewood High School. After graduating high school, both brothers committed to Pepperdine University.
The d’Arnaud brothers would eventually be drafted into the MLB. Travis was drafted 37th overall by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007, and Chase was drafted in the fourth round by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2008.
The facility aims to provide a comprehensive and supportive environment for players’ physical and mental development.
It includes three pitching machines, over 8,000 square feet of turf, 2,000 square feet of batting cages, strength training equipment and a barbershop.
“So it’s filled a big hole, void in my heart, because once you stop playing baseball, it’s the end of something, you know, they’re in the greening process that professional baseball players go through,” Chase said.
Along with the baseball-related amenities, the facility offers a barber shop and places for parents to lounge while their kids are training. Photo credit: Alan Alejandro Ibarra
Beyond the world of baseball, they offer a podcast room “for those that are forward thinking and want to start building their own brand,” Chase said.
Parents can choose to relax in the lobby or in a dedicated office room, where they can get their work done without distractions.
They offer many class sessions for any baseball level, featuring qualified MLB, MiLB and NCAA instructors.
One of the instructors, Braden Murphy, is a hitting and fielding specialist at d’Arnaud Athletics who cares about more than just the baseball aspect of the facility.
“[It’s] more fun than it is a job and I love giving back to helping kids learn stuff earlier than when I found out,” Murphy said.
Micah Claverie, a junior baseball player at Millikan High School, has been going to the facility for a year and can already see his improvement on the diamond.
“I’ve gained a lot of confidence hitting here at d’Arnaud for the past year. A lot of my mechanics have improved as well.,” Claverie said. “Talking to Chase and all the other instructors [that] work here, it’s just a good time,” Claverie said.
With d’Arnaud signing for the Los Angeles Angels in the offseason and Chase no longer playing, they are back home to share their knowledge of the sport with the Long Beach community.
“They say ball players die twice, and I know a little something about that thing. So, and this [facility], this fills a big hole in my heart,” Chase said.
