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Jayden Kim’s life has been one big international adventure.

You could even call him an “international man of mystery.” Or, you could just call him a professional baseball player because as of last week that’s exactly what he is.

The 17-year-old Korean-born, Victorian-based, Australian baseball prospect just signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“From the very beginning of my baseball journey, my goal was always to become a professional baseball player,” says Kim. “I worked towards that dream from a young age, and as I gained attention from scouts and teams, it became evident that I could turn this dream into a reality.”

Kim’s story itself is unquestionably unique. It becomes even better as he joins rare company as one of just 26 Australians who now possess an MLB-affiliated contract.

Kim’s father David became the first Australian to break into the Korean Baseball Organisation – South Korea’s top league. He had a playing career that lasted seven seasons.

Although David has Korean heritage, he was born and raised in Australia. When he moved overseas, he couldn’t speak the local language. It’s something he had to learn in his esteemed, lengthy career.

It’s a different tale for Jayden. He was born in Korea and moved back to Australia with his family in 2021, holding dual passports.

Jayden had a successful junior career in Korea, winning multiple championships with his junior club and being a regular fixture among the MVP counts.

When he moved to Australia, he joined Sandringham Baseball Club – the same community his father played for.

Everything was new again for Jayden, but baseball remained the same.

“Transitioning to baseball in Australia from playing only in Korea provided me with a completely new environment, people, and language,” says Jayden Kim. “Adapting to these changes while learning a different style of baseball expanded my knowledge of the game.”

His career took off in Australia. He was an instant stand-out. He played for Victoria at the U16 National Championships in 2022 and for the U18s in 2023.

He was one of the youngest players named to Australia’s Under-18 World Cup team in 2022, and was selected again for the same tournament in 2023.

Kim will suit up for Victoria once again at the upcoming Australian Youth Championships in January.

“These experiences in Australia have been pivotal in shaping my journey, and I believe they have contributed significantly to my development as a player, bringing me closer to the possibility of turning professional,” says Kim.

Andrew Riddell, Baseball Australia’s Player Development Manager, says Kim caught the eye of national selectors from the second he landed in the country.

“His defensive skills and ability to make routine plays consistently on the world stage is well beyond his years and his progression offensively since he came to Australia has seen him make huge strides as an all-round baseball player,” says Riddell. “He is loved by all his teammates and coaches and has really fit into the Australian culture well which is a credit to him as I know that was one of his worries when he moved from Korea.”

Kim says there was interest from other teams and colleges. He landed on the Pirates because they had been agressively scouting him.

“As I learned more about them, they have one of the best farm systems in MLB, and their staff are really professional and good people. Especially, Tony Harris and Max Kwan.  They made me feel like family and that really left a memorable impression on me,” he says.

Jayden is the second Australian in the past seven days who has inked an MLB-affiliate contract. South Australia’s Drew Davies signed with the Reds last week.

Kim thanked his family in a heartfelt Instagram post on Tuesday evening.

It read:

“Above all, I want to share this honor and say thank you to my family, who have always been the most supportive individuals in my life. Additionally, I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Pacific Rim scouts, Max Kwan, and Tony Harris, who believed in me and facilitated this contract. I also want to extend my thanks to Andrew Riddell from Baseball Australia, who has been immensely helpful since my arrival in Australia. Gratitude to Baseball Victoria and Sandringham Baseball Club for their support. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this journey.”

Kim is currently playing with Sandringham in Victoria’s state league and is a development player with the Melbourne Aces.

He will play for Victoria at the U18 National Championships in January.

He is expected to head to the USA for Spring Training in late February.

photos by Hugh Whittle

In 2022, Drew Davies came dangerously close to becoming one of the youngest players on Australia’s Under 18 World Cup team.

The then-16-year-old was in the last round of cuts at Australia’s Florida-based training camp, where the international event was being held.

While it may not be common for 16-year-olds to make an U18 national team, Davies says that moment was a turning point for him in his baseball career. He says that’s when he realised baseball could be a serious profession for him.

“That [experience] showed me where I needed to be, where I wanted to go, and how I had to work harder to get there,” says Davies.

Hard work just paid off for Davies. He’s turning pro.

Drew Davies is the latest Australian to sign an MLB-affiliate contract, after putting pen to paper with the Cincinatti Reds on Tuesday afternoon surrounded by family in West Beach, South Australia.

“This has always been a goal for me,” says Davies, an 18-year-old from Woodcroft. “Baseball and turning pro has always been in the back of my mind, but things really became serious when it comes to baseball with that 2022 World Cup.”

Davies says he upped his game when he returned from national camp.

“When I came back [ from Florida], I started to train like I was already a professional. I tried to train as much as I can, work around school, and get in as many reps as I possibly could.”

That mindset led Davies to a big 15-months of baseball and a lot of individual success.

Since September last year, the 6’4 left-handed bat starred for South Australia at the U18 National Championships, trained with the ABL’s Adelaide Giants, patrolled the outfield for South Australia’s Southern Districts Hawks, and caught the eye of scouts and colleges alike.

He was also named to Australia’s 2023 U18 World Cup squad but was unable to travel due to a broken finger.

Whatever Davies was doing, people noticed.

The Under 18 National Championships in January 2023 was where Davies caught the eye of Reds’ scout and former MLB player Donald Lutz.

“I really liked his swing,” says a smiling Lutz. “It looked really good. I liked his aggression. He’s got a good body. He has the tools to be a really good baseball player. When it comes down to it, the Reds think he’s got what it takes.”

Davies lit those U18 championships ablaze. In nine games, he went 17-for-27 with 2HR and 16RBI, leading South Australia to a 6-3 record.

“I think he’s a good player, good guy, and he’ll fit into any clubhouse,” Lutz adds. “Keep your eye on him.”

Baseball South Australia’s high performance manager Austin Gallagher agrees. He says he can see why Donald Lutz, Adam Crabb and the rest of the Cincinatti Reds scouts had a keen interest in signing him.

“He proved he’s one of the top talents in Australia at the [Under 18s],” says Gallagher. “He works really hard and is consistent with it. The positive about Drew is you can’t really tell if he’s going good or going bad – he always stays consistent with his approach and how he goes about things.”

His contract doesn’t surprise his former coaches, either. Just ask the person who helped get him into baseball. Davies’ neighbour, former Pittsburgh Pirates prospect and Adelaide Giants pitcher Nick Hutchings, was the one who introduced him to the game.

Davies started playing tee-ball at local club Southern Districts, Hutchings’ club, and the love grew from there. He still plays for Southern Districts and helped them snap a two-decade long finals drought in 2022.

Hutchings says it’s hard not to notice what everyone else does.

“The sweet left-handed swing has everyone in awe,” Hutchings says. “He stays through the zone and has power to the opposite field. Then you add in the size and people definitely took a big interest.”

Davies credits Southern Districts and the South Australian baseball community for helping him develop.

“They’ve been huge, I wouldn’t be here without them,” he says. “Nick Hutchings has been a big influence, all my charter coaches, all the club coaches like Brendan, Jeremy and Mark. I have to thank them a lot.”

But now, it’s on to a professional life.

Gallagher is a former minor league player with the LA Dodgers. He’s been around professional baseballers his whole life. Gallagher says Davies has a lot of the physical tools required to play professional baseball, it’s his approach to the game that sets him apart.

“Baseball is a game of failure and how you handle it is how you define yourself as an athlete. He doesn’t get too high on success or too low on failures. That’s the mentality it takes to play professional baseball,” he says.

Davies reports to camp with the Reds in March 2023. He joins Curtis Mead (Tampa Bay), Jack O’Loughlin (Oakland) and Riley Yeatman (San Diego) as the only four South Australians playing professional MLB-affiliated baseball.

He joins a growing list of nearly 30 Australians who play baseball full time.

via Ryan Taylor, NBC Sports Chicago

MLB announced White Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks as its selection for the American League’s Comeback Player of the Year award.

Hendriks received the same award from The Players Choices Awards, which is presented by MLB and voted on by players each year. This award, however, was decided by all 30 beat writers from MLB.com.

Hendriks, 34, was diagnosed with Stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in December. He underwent four rounds of treatment between December and April, his last falling on the day the White Sox opened their home slate against the San Francisco Giants on April 3.

He went into remission in late April, ramping up his rehab stint in the minor leagues shortly after in May. He went from Arizona to pitching with the Triple-A Charlotte Knights before making his major league return.

On May 29, Hendriks made his return to the mound. He gave up two runs in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels. He struggled in his first outing, but bounced back over the rest of his appearances. Hendriks allowed just one run over his next four appearances.

Unfortunately, Hendriks was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery in August. The White Sox declined his club option to return him for the 2024 season, forcing him into free agency.