MOUNT VERNON, NY — Across the street nearby Mount St. Michael Academy is a local New York Catholic high school that borders the Bronx and Mount Vernon-Westchester border, reputed and always a part of the CHSAA playoff mix.
Drive or walk to 455 S 11th Avenue located at the border and magic begins for youngsters and experienced players who are looking to improve their swing. It’s baseball training when they walk up the driveway and take the steps upstairs to a small second floor warehouse loft.
Open the door and a consistent process to improve begins with aspirations to advance their game and swings at Dominican Magic Baseball Academy.
Ulysses Luciano, a proud Dominican-American and former D1 college baseball player, is providing a service to the next generation of baseball player with training sessions and more at Dominican Magic Baseball Academy in Mount Vernon, New York – Image Credit: Dominican Magic Baseball Academy
Youngsters with their parents, high schoolers and occasional college players working on their swings and gearing towards their next step.
It begins with meeting Ulysses Luciano, a 24-year-old with Dominican heritage, born and residing in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. He once had aspirations after high school of being the next David Ortiz and so many other proud Dominican ballplayers to step on a Major League diamond.
Five years of college baseball between Maryland Eastern Shore and Saint Michael’s College up in Vermont earned him a degree.
He was a respectable college ballplayer, a catcher and infielder with a potent bat in the lineup. But his playing career fell short for any number of reasons, a competitive environment will at times say time to move on.
An analysis back in March determined 93 MLB players from the Dominican Republic were on MLB’s Opening Day team rosters, far surpassing Venezuela (60), Puerto Rico (14) and Mexico (7) representation.
That number for Dominican-born ballplayers in the Majors has since grown to 137 for the 2026 season.
Elly De La Cruz and Juan Soto, two of 137 Dominican-born players to step on a MLB diamond in 2026 – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Luciano had a plan to stay in the game, continue to play in a Metro League (Zorilla) in Brooklyn, NY and other leagues across the area when opportunity arrived.
But his passion now is for the youngsters. For them to improve their game at Dominican Magic Baseball Academy and it is going well as Luciano seeks to expand. His father owns the building and he assists him with a hair salon business.
“I started playing at four years old,” Luciano said. “Just love, love grinding. I felt like after a certain age, it’s too late. Like an MLB team is not going to want to take a shot. I was mainly playing and then just being around the game for so long, I used to go to the Dominican Republic every winter. So, you get something from here and there to start implementing what works for you and then I was like, ‘oh. I know. I feel like I can help other people.’”
And this coming February, it will be two years of Dominican Magic Baseball Academy. The name originates from the business his father Gregorio established. Currently there are 40 youngsters enrolled. Space is limited with a few outdoor cages though there is a plan for expansion because his magic is working.
“I just want you to get better, I want you guys to be the best baseball players that you can be,” he says when the group of 40 walks in the door to begin their routine and swing in a self-built batting cage with protective netting. The youngest is eight-years-old as college players enroll to work on their swings.
“I would say, I guess I get satisfaction seeing them progress and advance,” he says. “The better they get makes me happy because I feel like what we’re working on is working. And then also, I didn’t make it. So I want to try to help the next generation, the next kids to go and make it to those highlands”
No matter what day of the week it is, you can find Ulysses Luciano at Dominican Magic Baseball Academy working with ballplayers of all ages and backgrounds – Image Credit: Alan Bautista/Latino Sports
They gather as a group and await their turns to take their hacks. One elite opposite field hitter, another good at hitting a fastball. Luciano throws a swift array of pitches behind a protective net.
On the last pitch thrown, he says “‘Okay, 3-2 count, runners on base, go for it.’”
It’s a swing and not a miss.
Youngsters and Luciano smile, they quickly scramble and assemble baseballs back into a bucket and it’s on for Round Two as parents watch from the sideline. He tells them all about the process, keep with the schooling and get on a team. That leads to progress and like him, good work ethics will lead more to progress.
There are choices for parents for their kids to take the next step in progression. Baseball instructional facilities are necessary for development, choosing the correct one that provides attention, economical to their budgets and location are key factors in making that choice.
Some are too large and youngsters will lose their attention span because there are too many waiting their turn to swing and meet with an instructor.
Not the situation at Dominican Magic Baseball Academy, the reality check is assuring that Luciano provides them proper instruction with attention to detail.
He is the one working alone.
“They’re very happy,” he says about the parents and youngsters.
“The most satisfying thing is seeing the progression. Just like hitting. They go to a game, might be struggling and they’ll come here. They’ll leave, get a bunch of hits, and lead their team. I feel like when you play better, you have more fun.”
Indeed a smaller and intimate setting is Dominican Magic Baseball Academy and one-on-one attention is the key here. The improvement shows when they leave Luciano and take the field.
Contact Dominican Magic Baseball Academy
For inquiries about reasonable rates, hours of operation, the current Fall baseball program, and process, you can contact Dominican Magic Baseball Academy at (914)-357-7671.
You can visit their website at DMBaseballAcademy.com and follow them on Instagram @DMBaseballAcademy.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and columnist at LatinoSports.com with coverage of MLB, boxing, and MLS – X:@Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
Follow us on Social Media for updates and exclusive content
Instagram: @latinosportsoficial
Twitter: @latinosports
TikTok: @latino.sports
Facebook: Latino Sports
