Portland, OR – October 17, 2018 – Former Toronto Blue Jay and current MLB free agent Darwin Barney has signed on as an advisor to the Portland Diamond Project (PDP), and as an investor, according to PDP founder and CEO Craig Cheek.

“We’re very excited to have Darwin join PDP as an advisor alongside Dale Murphy,” Cheek said. “He adds to our team not only the experience of having a diverse career in MLB, but also two championship seasons at Oregon State and local community roots.”

Barney joins seven-time MLB All Star Murphy as a professional advisor to PDP, but he has also signed on as an investor.

“I was born and raised in the Portland area and being part of this campaign to bring an MLB team to my hometown is especially meaningful to me,” Barney said. “I want to provide any expertise and support I can to the success of this initiative.”

Barney, who graduated from Southridge High School in Beaverton, played for the Oregon State Beavers baseball team during its back-to-back NCAA Division I Baseball Championship seasons in 2006 and 2007 and was named to the all-tournament team in 2007. He debuted as a starting second baseman for the Chicago Cubs’ 2011 season and won a Fielding Bible Award in 2012 as the best fielding second baseman in MLB. Barney was also awarded the 2012 Gold Glove award. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2014 and to the Blue Jays in 2015. He is currently a free agent.

“Darwin is a 10—he’s one of the most dynamic and charismatic guys I’ve coached, not to mention he’s one hell of a player and competitor,” said famed former Oregon State head baseball coach Pat Casey, who coached Barney during Oregon State’s 2006 and 2007 NCAA National Championship wins. “He’ll be a fantastic addition to the Portland Diamond Project team. I met with Craig Cheek and Mike Barrett recently and was impressed with the progress they’ve made and will be watching with great interest and enthusiasm as they continue their mission to bring Major League Baseball to the state of Oregon.”

Barney will be in Corvallis this weekend (October 20-21) for the Oregon State Baseball Alumni Weekend, where the Portland Diamond Project is a presenting partner. The event includes a golf tournament on Friday and a banquet that evening wherein the 2006 and 2007 NCAA National Championship Oregon State teams will be inducted into the Oregon State Hall of Fame.

Media contact: John McIsaac 503-481-9621 [email protected]