PJ Ybarra, 520 Elite Hitters Club

Q: What brought you to Casa Grande/Pinal County; how long have you been here?

A: I was born and raised in Casa Grande. I am a veteran and small business owner. I’ve contributed to the community for over 20 years from volunteering to coaching high school wrestling, high school baseball, CG Little League, and CG Youth Baseball league Cal Ripken.

Q: What is the brief history of 520 Elite Hitters Club?

A: Over the years, as I coached and watched my own kids play baseball; I witnessed the youth baseball community grow and the need for a baseball facility to be a little closer to home. That demand is what initially drove me to re-open the CG Hitzone indoor batting cage and training facility in 2015.

Unfortunately, I had to close the doors with a promise to reopen when the time was right. In November 2021, an opportunity presented itself to open a batting cage facility at a new location, so I got to work.

By July 2022, my business partner Jay Gonzales and I were ready to open the 520 Elite Hitters Club doors to the public.

Q: Who can use the facility? Age ranges, etc.

A: The facility is the only indoor batting cage facility in Casa Grande. It is open to the public. We accommodate baseball and softball athletes individually or with their teams. Everyone from T-ball age to senior softball ages are welcome. We offer personal training, camps and weekly training classes. www.520Elite.com coming soon.

We also rent the facility out by the hour for special events such as birthday parties and fundraisers.

Q: What is the cost; when is the facility open?

A: We are located at 958 E. Rodeo Road, Suite 7, in between Latte Vino and Throwbacks. We are open Monday through Thursday 4 to 9 p.m.; Friday, noon to 9 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cage rentals range from $20 to $40 per hour.

Q: How can people get involved?

A: We are currently working on teaming up with local businesses and offering them our sponsorship program. Their sponsorship will ensure multiple local youth athletes have a chance to practice and train at our facility. Please contact me at 520.705.0550 or Jay at 520.509.5458 for more information.

Follow us on Instagram @520elitehc and on Facebook at 520 Elite Hitters Club. For more information call 520.635.5471.