News

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.

Ten young Australian teenage baseball players have an opportunity of a lifetime this month when they get to showcase their talents vs professional players at a prestigious and exclusive Major League Baseball (MLB) event at the end of September.

All ten of these athletes, with wide representation across Australia, have been named to the ‘MLB World Select’ team for the upcoming Arizona Fall Classic in Phoenix, Arizona from September 26 – October 6, 2023.

The players on the MLB World Select Team, made up of the best players from outside the USA, will play in games against minor leaguers and college players in the United States, including a game vs KC Royals professional.

In 2022, the World Selects played on Major League Spring Training Fields vs college clubs, recruits and MLB Academy players.

They receive instruction from international coaches and try to get noticed by college recruiters and MLB scouts.  Players also visit schools.

“This trip is the pinnacle event of the year for junior baseball players outside of the U18 World Cup,” says Baseball Australia Player Development Manager Andrew Riddell. “The players are selected by national coaches with input from scouts from MLB clubs that get an opportunity to live life as a pro or a college athlete for two weeks.”

Riddell says the opportunity for these players to showcase their abilities in front of a different audience is invaluable.

The exposure to universities and professional teams is second to none and really shows our players what the next level of baseball looks like in the U.S.

The players selected for the event are:

• INF Josh Nati (NSW)
• INF Jayden Kim (VIC)
• INF Max Durrington (QLD)
• INF Zach Altamura (SA)
• OF/INF Nic Paparella (SA)
• RHP Alistair Tanner (SA)
• RHP Jai Hewitt (WA)
• RHP Ben Karakasis (NSW)
• LHP Lachlan Rosser (CNSW)
• LHP Jacob Palmer (NSW)
• Coaches: Shayne Watson (QLD) and Andrew Riddell (NSW)

This event has a track record of success.

Australian senior men’s national team members Jarryd Dale, Rixon Wingrove and Kyle Glogoski as well as U18 national team alumni and current professionals Solomon Maguire, Clayton Campbell and Kai-Nao Wynyard are among notable players who used this event to sign an MLB affiliated contract.

Other Australian players, like potential Top 10 MLB Draft pick Travis Bazzana and 2022 commits like Nick Bertucci or Max Stagg, used this opportunity to commit to prestigious US colleges.

“For these players to come over to the USA and experience and play against the best players in the world is something they can’t replicate anywhere else,” says Baseball Australia CEO Glenn Williams, a former instructor at this event, told ESPN in 2017. “Hopefully, they will leave with the context of what they actually have to do to reach the next level.”

The World Select team is made up of eleven countries including Australia, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Czech Republic, France and Brazil.

The team will be playing multiple games in Arizona in the leadup to the Arizona Fall Classic.

They begin on September 26 with a practice in Surprise, Arizona. They play games vs IMG Academy, MLB Urban Academy and GBG Vegas from September 27-29.

On October 2 they have a “pro day” in front of MLB and college scouts.

On October 4 they play a game vs the KC Royals minor leaguers and October 6 they play a strong college outfit in Grand Canyon University.

Make sure you keep up with the progress of the Australians in the MLB World Select Team via the Team Australia Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.