Dubai, UAE (August 14, 2023) - Baseball United, the first-ever professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent, announced today that league co-owner and Seattle Mariners Hall of Famer, Felix Hernandez, will serve as the Honorary General Manager (GM) for its Dubai franchise, the Dubai Wolves. The Dubai franchise, which was introduced at a press conference at Dubai International Stadium earlier this month, is the first professional baseball franchise in the history of the Arabian Peninsula.

Hernandez will partner with longtime Major League Baseball coaching veteran, John McLaren. The two worked together in 2007 and 2008 when McLaren was the manager of the Seattle Mariners. Hernandez was a 21-year-old phenom at the time and began a stretch of six All-Star appearances in seven seasons the following year.

“I am so excited to see Felix and John together again,” said Kash Shaikh, CEO, Chairman, and Majority Owner of Baseball United. “Both these gentlemen are exceptional baseball minds, each with a lifetime of experience on the field. Off the field, they are great leaders with high character, and a shared passion for growing the game. It’s an honor to have them guiding our flagship Dubai franchise.”

McLaren has spent nearly four decades as a coach at the Major League level, as well as several stints internationally, including in Belarus, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Colombia, and Mexico. He also served as a coach for the United States national baseball team during the 2006 World Baseball Classic.

“I am very excited to be named Honorary GM of the Dubai Wolves,” said Hernandez. “I love this city, and I love the opportunity to bring professional baseball to the Middle East. We have the chance to do something really special. The buzz around the Wolves’ launch has been incredible. I can’t wait for all our Dubai fans to come out to Dubai International Stadium in November for our Showcase. It will be a great experience for the whole family.”

The Dubai franchise will play two games during Baseball United’s Dubai Showcase, which runs from November 10th - 12th. The other franchises included in the Showcase are the Mumbai Cobras, Karachi Monarchs, and Abu Dhabi Falcons. Rosters for each team will be announced after the league’s inaugural Draft on September 19th, which will be livestreamed on baseballunited.com.

“I’ve been around some great, well-run organizations, and this one is at the top. There has been nothing that’s slipped under the rug. Kash and John Miedreich (Executive VP of Baseball Operations) have really thought of everything. I had no idea the magnitude of this project until I was able to meet with the guys and the other leaders at the Owner’s Meeting earlier this year. The resumes on the ownership group are incredible. The gameplan is in place, and now we have to execute. I can’t wait to step onto that field in November with our Dubai Wolves team. I’m ecstatic about it. And working alongside Felix is the icing on the cake.”

To learn more about the Dubai Wolves, visit dxbwolves.com.

About Baseball United
Baseball United is the first-ever professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent, beginning play November 2023 in Dubai, UAE. Our mission is to inspire one billion new fans to fall in love with baseball. The ownership group includes award-winning business leaders and inspiring baseball legends, including Mariano Rivera, Barry Larkin, Adrián Beltré, and Felix Hernandez. 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 new suite of entertainment-based game changes, Baseball United is working to create a new future for baseball in one of the fastest growing and most culturally rich regions in the world.

Media Contacts:
Allison Baker, VP BSB Group International – allison@bsbgroupintl.com, 513.607.0911