Baseball United Announces New Leadership Structure As League Enters Next
Phase Of Growth
Barry Larkin appointed Chairman; Adrián Beltré
and Robinson Chirinos named Vice Chairmen; Co-Founder John Miedreich appointed
Chief Executive Officer
Dubai, UAE (March 16, 2026) – Baseball United, the first professional baseball league focused on the
Middle East and South Asia, today announced a new leadership structure designed
to accelerate the league’s next phase of growth, deepen regional partnerships,
and elevate the fan and player experience across its global platform.
The league’s Board will now be led
by an ownership group comprised of some of the most accomplished players in Major League Baseball history:
●
Barry Larkin:
National Baseball Hall of Famer, 12-time MLB All-Star, three-time Gold Glove
Award winner, 1995 National League MVP, and World Series champion, has been
appointed Chairman.
●
Adrián
Beltré: National Baseball Hall of Famer,
19-year MLB veteran, four-time All-Star, five-time Gold Glove Award winner, and
member of the 3,000-hit club, has been named Vice Chairman.
●
Robinson Chirinos:
11-year Major League veteran and Baltimore Orioles Special Assistant has also been named Vice Chairman.
This structure positions Baseball
United among a small group of global professional sports leagues where former players play
a leading role in governance, ownership, and long-term strategy.
Baseball United’s
new leadership group is aligned around a shared vision to build a sustainable
professional baseball ecosystem across the Middle East and South Asia. “We are
focused on strengthening the organization for long-term success with the right structure,
the right partnerships, and a clear strategy for growth,” said Chairman Barry
Larkin. “This is about creating a permanent home for professional baseball in
the region.”
Vice Chairman
Adrián Beltré added, “Baseball United represents a meaningful opportunity to
expand the game globally by developing talent and creating a true pathway for
players in a new part of the world.”
Vice Chairman
Robinson Chirinos emphasized the league’s broader impact, saying, “Our goal is
to connect with fans and communities, grow the game at the grassroots level,
and create opportunities for young players to be part of the sport’s future.”
As part of this evolution, John
Miedreich, a co-founder of Baseball United
and former Vice Chairman and Executive Vice President, has been appointed Chief
Executive Officer, effective immediately.
In his previous role at Baseball United, Miedreich oversaw Baseball Operations, fundraising,
government relations, investor relations, and the building of Baseball United Ballpark.
Miedreich brings more than two decades of leadership
experience from the New York City Police Department, where he managed complex
operations, led large-scale international initiatives, and built strategic
partnerships across multiple regions, including the Middle East.
“Baseball United has established a
historic foundation over the past three years,” said Miedreich. “Our focus now
is disciplined execution and scalable growth. We will work in close
collaboration with our partners
across the UAE and the broader region to deliver an even more dynamic 2026 season this November enhancing the
on-field competition, growing our global broadcast reach,
and creating engaging fan and partner experiences.”
The leadership team shares a unified
long-term vision: to unlock one of the world’s largest untapped markets for
baseball through elite professional competition, youth development programs,
grassroots participation, and community engagement.
Building on the momentum of its inaugural season, the
UAE Series, and
the Arab Classic,
Baseball United’s 2026 season will
feature:
●
Expanded game schedule
●
Elevated broadcast production
●
Heightened
on-field competition
●
Enhanced fan experiences
●
Strengthened
community initiatives
More details about the 2026 season will be
announced later this year.
For more
information on Baseball United, visit baseballunited.com and follow @BaseballUnited on all
social media platforms.
###
About Baseball United
Baseball United is the first
professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and the Indian
Subcontinent. Our mission is to inspire one billion new fans to fall in love
with baseball. Our ownership group includes 20 baseball legends, including Barry
Larkin, Adrián Beltré, Robinson Chirinos, Mariano Rivera, Felix Hernandez,
Robinson Cano, Ryan Howard, and Ronald Acuña Jr. In addition to our
professional league, the Baseball United ecosystem spans youth development,
federation partnerships, media and content production, merchandise, and
non-profit outreach. With over 30 nationalities represented on our team rosters
and a strong focus on creating an engaging and immersive fan experience,
Baseball United is working to create a new future for baseball in one of the
fastest growing and most culturally diverse regions in the world.
Media Contact:
Herbie Pallotta, Executive Vice President,
Corporate Operations, Baseball United
herbie@baseballunited.com
