22 August 2023
UPDATE: Here's how all Australian professional baseball players are doing overseas
It turns out we’re not so bad at that baseball thing after all.
Australia made international baseball waves when we made a run to the quarterfinals of the World Baseball Classic. Curtis Mead and Travis Bazzana have helped keep Australia on the baseball map lately, too.
Mead got an MLB call-up with the Rays. Bazzana has talks that he could be the first Australian ever selected in the first round of the MLB Draft, maybe even going number 1 overall.
So, it’s time to take stock! There are about 30 Australians playing professional baseball in the United States. Most of them are affiliated with a Major League Baseball club and are grinding away in the minor leagues, trying to work their way up to the best league in the world.
Some are in independent leagues.
There will be more joining this list after the Under-18 World Cup is done and dusted. Scouts have their eyes peeled to the Aussies at this upcoming event.
There are also several Australians coaching in the minor leagues.
If you’re looking for an explanation of how the minor league system works, the Adelaide Giants broke it down very easily here.
But let’s not waste any of your time. Happy scrolling.
Did I miss anyone? Many apologies if so – please reach out if a player is not on the list and should be there!
NEW SOUTH WALES
Clayton Campbell, C-IF (Detroit Tigers) | Player profile | Latest news
The 19-year-old is hitting .286 while playing in the Complex League. He has 3 HR and 23 RBI in 32 games. Campbell played for the Tuatara last year in the ABL, and will likely play for an alternate club this year.
Liam Doolan, P (LA Dodgers) | Player Profile | Latest News
The World Baseball Classic pitcher has put together a nice debut season in Low-A with Rancho. In 30.2 innings, Doolan has a 4.40 ERA, with 29 strikeouts. He’s often been used in save situations. Doolan plays for the Sydney Blue Sox in the ABL.
Josh Gessner, RHP (Texas Rangers) | Player profile | Latest news
Gessner started the season in Low-A before getting hurt. He made a return to the Complex League in late July and just made his return back in the system, playing in High-A.
Gessner has a 2.93 ERA across all three levels this season in 27.2 innings pitched. He’s struck out 29 batters.
Solomon Maguire, OF (Pittsburgh Pirates) | Player profile | Latest news
Solo only played three games in the Complex League in June before hitting the 60-day-injured list. His season has come to a short close. Maguire played for the Sydney Blue Sox last season.
Todd Van Steensel, RHP (Gastonia Honey Hunters, Atlantic League) | Player profile | Latest news
The New South Welshman, who plays for the Adelaide Giants, announced his retirement from USA-professional baseball last week. You can read about it here. Van Steensel had a 6.84 ERA in 28 games this year for the Honey Hunters.
Rixon Wingrove, IF (Philadelphia Phillies) | Player profile | Latest news
Rixon, who plays with the Adelaide Giants in the ABL, has pieced together his most powerful minor league season yet. He is hitting .249 with 15 homers and 63 runs batted in. His productive RBIs rank him among the High-A leaders. Rixon has 20 doubles in 100 games so far.
He was just called up to Double-A and will make his debut at that level this week.
QUEENSLAND
Brandan Bidois, RHP (Pittsburgh Pirates) | Player profile | Latest news
Remember this name. The Brisbane Bandits arm has been fooling minor league batters all-season. He is throwing a fastball clocking around the 98mph mark. He has 31 strikeouts in 17 innings to go along with a 2.65 ERA. Bidois is in early chatter to be sent to the prestigious Arizona Fall League – a competition for the world’s best prospects.
Jackson Grounds, RHP (Pittsburgh Pirates) | Player profile |
The 19-year-old has a 3.52 ERA in 15.1 Complex League innings. The Brisbane product is in his first year of minor league baseball, and has 16 strikeouts so far.
Callum Wallace, RHP (Los Angeles Dodgers) | Player profile | Latest news
In his first full minor league season, Wallace has allowed 16 runs in just over 12 innings of work. In a positive sign, he’s struck out 19 batters on the year.
Ben Walmsley, LHP (Cincinnati Reds) | Player profile | Latest news
He started the year as a 17-year-old, and the teenager has had some positive signs this year. Walmsley has a 6.10 ERA in 20.2 Complex League innings. He has struck out 24 batters.
Aaron Whitefield, OF (Kansas City Monarchs, American Assosciation) | Player profile | Latest news
The Melbourne Aces star and 2x ABL MVP was unfortunately released from his Major League contract earlier this year, after playing in Double-A with the LA Angels. Whitefield has received two MLB call-ups in the past.
Since his move to the American Association, he’s hit .234 with 11 stolen bases in 29 games. He was placed on the injured list on August 10.
Kai-Noa Wynyard, RHP (Texas Rangers) | Player profile | Latest news
Keep your eye on Kai. The 21-year-old is having a really good season at the A-Ball level. He has a 2.29 ERA in 35.1 innings. He’s only walked 14 batters and is being used in a premier relief pitching role.
Tom West (Umpire)
Tom is umpiring in Triple-A this year – a big accomplishment for the longtime ABL ump.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Curtis Mead, IF (Tampa Bay Rays) | Player profile | Latest news
Last week, Mead became the first Australian in 12 years to record 3+ hits in a Major League game. Mead is hitting .241 with a .353 OBP at the Major League level. He’s on a four-game hit streak and has been on base 2+ times his last three games. Curtis is also playing some slick defense at third.
Jack O’Loughlin, LHP (Detroit Tigers) | Player profile | Latest news
The starting pitcher in the Giants’ Claxton Shield winning game and Team Australia’s upset win over Korea has played in High-A and Triple-A this year. He’s getting a good look from the Tigers’ organisation.
At the Triple-A level, O’Loughlin has been up-and-down. He has a 5.52 ERA in 58.0 innings, mainly as a starter. He had a 2.17 ERA in High-A before his June 2 call-up.
Riley Yeatman, RHP (San Diego Padres) | Player profile | Latest news
Unfortunately, it’s the year that never got going for the 19-year-old. Yeatman has been plagued by injuries all year and underwent Tommy John Surgery last week. He’ll likely be out for a year.
VICTORIA
Chris Burke, C (Kansas City Royals) | Player profile | Latest news
The 22-year-old star of the Under-23 national team, and Melbourne Aces slugger, recovered from injury had has played five games in the Complex League this year. He is 1-for-11.
George Callil, IF (Evansville Otters, Frontier League) | Player profile | Latest news
The Melbourne Aces break-out player is hitting .246 with a .322 OBP in 61 games this year in the Independent Frontier League. He has four homers, 21RBI and a pair of stolen bases.
Jarryd Dale, IF (San Diego Padres) | Player profile | Latest news
After missing most of the year because of injury, Dale returned to the High-A Fort Wayne Tincaps line-up in late June. The Melbourne Aces Claxton Shield winner and Team Australia infielder has a .269 average with 1 homer and 6 RBI so far.
Mitch Ellis, RHP (Kansas City Royals) | Player profile | Latest news
Mitch is on the 60-day IL and has not pitched this season.
Darcy Longstaff, P (Cincinatti Reds) | Player profile |
Darcy has spent the year in the Complex League with the Reds. While his season ERA sits at 6.84, he is starting to heat up. In August he has a 2.70 ERA in 10.0 innings of quality work.
Nikau Pouaka-Grego, IF (Philadelphia Phillies) | Player profile | Latest news
Pouaka-Grego hurt his knee in Round 1 ABL action this year while playing for the Adelaide Giants. He underwent surgery in January and has been working towards a comeback. He’s been working out at the Complex League in Clearwater.
Liam Spence, IF (Chicago Cubs) | Player profile | Latest news
Spence is hitting .205 in 30 games in High-A this season. The Adelaide Giants player has a homer and 9 RBI this season.
Blake Townsend, LHP (Seattle Mariners) | Player profile | Latest news
Talk about hot. Since May 23 in A-Ball, Townsend has a 1.99ERA with 30 strikeouts in 22.2 innings. He has held opponents scoreless in 12 of his last 13 appearances.
He has a 4.10 ERA on the season – a number that is steadily declining with each outing.
Jarrod Belbin, IF (Seattle Mariners) | Player profile | Latest news
He signed out of college a couple months ago and has since been playing in the Complex League. Belbin is hitting .214 with a homer and 8RBI in 14 games.
Declan Speirs | C (Philadelphia Phillies) | Player Profile
He was only signed last month. The 17-year-old is training in the Dominican right now. He’ll join Australia’s U18 team in Taiwan later in the month.
Billy Parsons, P (Sussex County Miners, Frontier League) | Player profile | Latest news
In his first American season, Parsons made the Frontier League All-Star team. With good reason – he has a 1.19 ERA in 0.82 WHIP in 30.2 innings this season. Phenomenal.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Bailey Jay Cooke, IF (Oakland A’s) | Player profile |
The 20-year-old rising star and Perth Heat player got a call up to Single-A Stockton this season. He’s made some highlight reel defensive plays that have found their way on social media while slashing .188/.275/.488. He has a homer and 19 RBI.
Robbie Glendinning, IF (Philadelphia Phillies) | Player profile | Latest news
Robbie started the year with the Royals in Double-A. He got traded to the Orioles and played Triple-A. After he was released in July he got picked up by the Phillies where he’s been playing Double-A.
Glendinning is hitting .250 with a .359 OPB with 8HR and 36RBI across all levels this season. With Philadelphia, he’s started 5-for-16. He was placed on the 7-day IL over the weekend.
Alex Hall, C (Milwaukee Brewers) | Player profile | Latest news
The reigning Helms Award winner and Perth Heat catcher is hitting .239 at the High-A level this year. Look out, though. He’s getting hot. Hall had a four hit day last week.
Josh Hendrickson, P (Philadelphia Phillies) | Player profile | Latest news
The 25-year-old has a 4.88 ERA this season in 21 games in Double-A. He’s pitched 94.0 innings and started 18 games. He’s now with two other Aussies – Robbie Glendinning and Rixon Wingrove – on this team.
Liam Hendriks, RHP (Chicago White Sox) | Player profile | Latest news
A heartbreaking and heartwarming years in so many ways. In January, Hendriks was diagnosed with cancer. He overcame it and made an MLB return in May. However, he got hurt again and had to undergo major elbow surgery that will keep him out another 12 months. We wish our number 1 pitcher the best.
Mitch Neunborn, RHP (Philadelphia Phillies) | Player profile
In his first minor league season, the Adelaide Giant has been putting up unreal numbers at High-A. In his last 9.0 innings, Neunborn has allowed 0 runs, two hits, struck out 15 and threw an immaculate inning that went viral.
ACT
Billy Parsons, P (Sussex County Miners, Frontier League) | Player profile | Latest news
We will give Billy a shoutout in the ACT section too, because of his affiliation with the Canberra Cavalry – as well as his Victorian home state. In his first American season, Parsons made the Frontier League All-Star team. With good reason – he has a 1.19 ERA in 0.82 WHIP in 30.2 innings this season. Phenomenal.
