Incoming Sydney Blue Sox manager Kevin Boles believes Australia’s current influx of players in Major League Baseball is just the tip of the iceberg.
Dozens of Australians are currently plying their trade and pocketing big cheques in the US or in the professional leagues in Korea and Japan.
Among the nine active Aussies in the MLB are Oakland pitcher Grant Balfour, Minnesota slugger Luke Hughes, Arizona’s Trent Oeltjen and LA Angel Rich Thompson.
But having observed the success enjoyed by the Australian Baseball League in its first season, and seen first hand the local talent on show, Boles is convinced that Australia is ready to take the next step towards becoming a true baseball nation.
“I can’t wait to see what this is like in ten to 15 years,” Boles, who is affiliated with the world famous Boston Red Sox, told AAP.
“You have to think long-term and big picture in this situation because, from going around and seeing the youth ages, there is no reason why Australia shouldn’t have many players playing up in the big leagues down the road.
“Obviously the history so far has been terrific, but I think it’s a country that can just flourish and thrive.
“I think it’s going to be an exciting time to see how it progresses.”
Coupled with the rise in players entering the major leagues across the world, Australia also equalled their best ever World Cup result this year – finishing fifth at the recent tournament in Panama.
In the past 12 months alone three players – San Diego’s Josh Spence, Chicago White Sox pitcher Shane Lindsay and Minnesota’s Liam Hendricks – have made their MLB debuts, prompting Boles to say the sky is the limit for the Aussie invasion.
“I just think there is a lot of talent in this country that I just think it needs to take off, and it is doing that now,” Boles said.
“It’s an exciting time to be a part of it to be here while this is happening and to build on the history that’s already been established.
“You just have to look at the guys who are already out there promoting Australia, Luke Hughes, Mitch Dening, Trent Oeltjen … it just seems like every year, every season there are more and more guys that are producing and that are getting to the highest levels.
“At Sydney I’ve already seen that we’ve got guys that are willing to learn and have lots of potential.
“It’s going to be a good relationship with Major League Baseball and the ABL. I think it’s going to be something we can definitely build upon.”
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