The original plan for graduation day at the Twins' Dominican Republic baseball academy involved the graduates wearing their baseball uniforms, but they requested to wear dress clothes. Nelson Roberto, one of the graduates, had even acquired a suit.
It was a deeply important day for the seven graduates, their families and for the whole Twins organization, and the players didn't want to understate its significance.
On Wednesday, Roberto, Alex Banks, Jim Caceres, Wilfri Castro, Jesus Feliz, Jose Guevara and Nomar Urdaneta earned their high school equivalency diplomas after a two-year course of study to become the first graduating class of the Twins' baseball academy in the Dominican Republic.