D-BAT Sports: The Largest Baseball Training Franchise in the US

D-BAT Sports is the largest specialist baseball and softball training academy chain in the United States, with 145 plus locations across more than 30 states.

Quick Facts

Field	Detail
Founded	1998, Addison, TX
Founder	Cade Griffis (former Kansas City Royals pitcher)
Tier	Tier 4 Elite Training Facility
Scale	145 plus franchise locations nationally
Website	dbat.com

History

D-BAT was founded in 1998 by Cade Griffis, an All American at Dallas Baptist University who was signed by the Kansas City Royals and played 2.5 seasons of professional baseball before a knee injury ended his playing career. He returned to Addison, Texas and built what has become the largest specialist chain in the category.

Notable Alumni

Clayton Kershaw, three time Cy Young Award winner with the Los Angeles Dodgers, trained at D-BAT. Per D Magazine's verified 2015 profile, more than 30 MLB players have trained at D-BAT facilities across the network.

The Franchise Model

Each D-BAT location is independently owned and operated. This means quality, facility age, and coaching staff vary by location. Basecademy lists individual D-BAT locations separately where verified, so families can evaluate their specific local franchise rather than the brand as a whole.

Finding Your Local D-BAT

Search the Basecademy directory by state or use the parent brand filter to find verified D-BAT locations near you.

Sourced from dbat.com and D Magazine's 2015 profile of founder Cade Griffis, confirmed as of July 2026.