In the Dugout
Youth baseball org building its first permanent facility in East Austin
RBI Austin has been using rented spaces since it started in 2009.
A youth baseball program has broken ground on its first permanent home in East Austin. RBI Austin, a Major League Baseball program affiliate, is building its Youth Development Complex at 7401 Loyola Ln. The organization expects to complete the project in late 2027.
The campus will span 33 acres and dedicate the space to mentoring, education, and more year-round. There will be an outdoor multiuse ball field, a weight room, and a covered turf field training center. Plus, a headquarters building will house classrooms where participants can participate in mentoring, receive academic support, and even benefit from job training.
RBI Austin started in 2009 and is supported by the Nolan Ryan Foundation, named after the pitcher who played with the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers, among other professional teams. Ryan was at the groundbreaking.
In 2025, though the organization still only had rented seasonal locations to gather in, a press release says it served 1,706 kids. The new complex should enable RBI to double its impact within three years, serving 3,400 kids annually.
"We are tremendously grateful for the community rallying together to make this Youth Development Complex a reality for our 1,706 RBI Austin kids and families, as well as future generations," said RBI executive director Matt Price in the release. “This campus will provide a much-needed home in the heart of our RBI Austin community where youth can grow athletically, academically and spiritually, 365 days per year.”
RBI is still fundraising for the project. Having raised $7.2 million so far, it is almost halfway to its $15.1 million goal.
“The Nolan Ryan Foundation and the Round Rock Express baseball club are proud to be supporters of RBI Austin,” said Reid Ryan, Nolan Ryan's son and a former Texas Rangers player. “Today's groundbreaking is a milestone that has been years in the making. This facility will change the lives of countless youth through the lessons, coaching and mentorship that arise from the game of baseball. Congratulations to all the board members, coaches, donors and volunteers that have labored to make this dream a reality. Play ball!”
