Toronto Blue Jays’ New AstroTurf® Spring Training Field Becomes Part of the First Step for the Club’s Newest Draft Class

DUNEDIN, Fla., July 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This spring, the Toronto Blue Jays added a new AstroTurf® field at their spring training and player development facility, strengthening the organization’s year-round training infrastructure in Dunedin. Now, as the club’s newest draft class begins its professional baseball journey, that investment takes on added significance. For many of these players, their first steps into the Blue Jays’ development system will come on a surface built for consistency, durability, and high-volume daily work.

The transition from amateur baseball to professional baseball is immediate. Newly drafted players enter an environment built around repetition: early work, defensive development, batting practice, base running, position-specific drills, and game action through summer development schedules. A dependable field matters in that setting because every rep counts. By installing AstroTurf at its spring training facility, Toronto is giving incoming players and staff a surface that helps keep training moving while reducing weather disruption and maintenance demands common to Florida facilities.

That transition is also becoming more familiar for many athletes before they ever sign a professional contract. More than 60 Division I baseball programs and countless elite high school programs across the country utilize AstroTurf somewhere within their facilities, meaning many players are already training and competing on AstroTurf systems before entering professional baseball. For the Blue Jays’ newest draft class, that familiarity can help ease the move into the professional environment, creating continuity in footing, ball response, and surface feel as they begin daily work inside the organization.

The new field utilizes one of AstroTurf’s advanced RootZone® baseball systems, built with technology trusted across elite baseball environments. The RootZone® 3DK system brings together key Diamond Series performance characteristics to support true ball response, reliable footing, and more consistent play across the infield and basepaths. Designed to reduce infill migration and splash, the system helps keep the playing surface stable during slides, hard cuts, and repeated defensive work.

For young players beginning their professional careers, that consistency is especially valuable. Infielders need ground balls to play true. Base runners need dependable footing when accelerating, planting, and sliding. Pitchers and position players need a field that can withstand daily workload without developing excessive wear or uneven areas in high-traffic zones. The goal is simple: create a training environment where players can focus on development rather than field conditions.

The installation also reflects Toronto’s broader commitment to surface continuity throughout its baseball ecosystem. The Blue Jays already compete on AstroTurf in their primary playing environment, and the addition of AstroTurf at the spring training facility extends that standard into daily preparation and player development. From newly drafted athletes starting their professional path to established players preparing for championship-level competition, the organization is investing in a consistent surface experience across the full baseball lifecycle.

Toronto is part of a growing number of professional organizations relying on AstroTurf in Florida to support player development and year-round training. The Atlanta Braves utilize AstroTurf at CoolToday Park, while the Baltimore Orioles have expanded their investment into a broader training footprint that includes a field installation, indoor turf areas, pitching spaces, batting cages, and performance-focused development zones. Across these environments, AstroTurf is helping clubs modernize how players train, recover, and prepare.

As the Blue Jays welcome their newest draft class, the new AstroTurf field in Dunedin becomes more than a facility upgrade. It becomes part of the first chapter of professional baseball for the organization’s next generation. From summer development to future postseason ambitions, AstroTurf is proud to support the surfaces where preparation begins and careers start to take shape.

AstroTurf® is proud to serve as the Official Synthetic Turf Partner of Major League Baseball, supporting clubs and facilities with baseball-specific surfaces engineered for consistency, durability, and year-round use. From professional stadium environments to high-volume spring training and player development spaces, AstroTurf systems help teams maintain reliable footing and predictable play while reducing maintenance and weather-related disruption. This partnership reflects MLB’s demand for performance at scaleand AstroTurf’s continued commitment to advancing the modern baseball field experience.

About AstroTurf® Corporation

AstroTurf® Corporation is the original inventor and innovator of synthetic sports surfacing, leading the industry for 60 years. Known for pioneering surfacing solutions, AstroTurf® Corporation delivers innovative products focused on performance, safety, and sustainability.

The company’s portfolio includes AstroTurf® fields, the trusted name in synthetic turf & Proud Partner of Major League Baseball; Rekortan® tracks, the benchmark for elite running surfaces; Laykold® courts, the premier choice for tennis and multi-sport court play; and SYNLawn®, the industry leader in residential and commercial landscaping solutions. These products are the original brands in their respective categories and set the standard for quality and innovation in sports and recreational surfacing.

AstroTurf® is dedicated to creating world-class sports and recreational environments that inspire athletes and elevate communities. For more information, visit astroturf.com.

Liam Kissinger
4437587009
Liam.Kissinger@astroturf.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4b433291-6f69-4358-bf94-a8966deb2101

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