Men's Softball: Jack Besgrove nominated for The World Games Athlete of the Year 2023 award

Australian softball star Jack Besgrove has been nominated for The World Games Athlete of the Year 2023 award. The left-hander pitched his nation to back-to-back titles at the WBSC Men's Softball World Cup and the WBSC Men's Softball U-23 World Cup. 

Starting at 12.00 GMT on Wednesday 10th January, votes can be cast every day right through to the end of January on The World Games website. 

From Monday 22nd January at 12.00 GMT, only the 10 highest-ranked candidates at that time will continue in the contest, and these candidates will then re-start with no votes. Voting ends at 12.00 GMT on Wednesday 31st January.

Besgrove took the softball world by storm in December, 2022, with an astonishing performance that led Australia to their second WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup title. The left-hander pitched the complete game in the Men's Softball World Cup Final against Canada, giving up two runs on four hits, while striking out 10. 

Four months later, the left-handed dominated the WBSC U-23 Men’s Softball World Cup, claiming the title in the first edition of the event.

Besgrove’s meteoric rise sent him from high school to the top of the softball world in just a few months. “It’s kind of a big step... you go from hitting the books hard and then suddenly, a year ago you've got to start training and next you’re pitching in a World Cup and winning it... so it’s pretty exciting,” he said. 

Besgrove, who relies on his nasty riseball and curveball to dominate opponents, pitched a gem in the U-23 World Championship Final against Japan, in Australia’s 1-0 win. He led his team with a masterpiece, pitching a complete-game shutout with 11 strikeouts, and was named the MVP of the tournament. “It was pretty intense. We had a lot of opportunities and we just couldn’t come through,” he recalled. “So as a pitcher you go out there, get ready and give us another opportunity... yeah, it was very stressful."

Established now as one of the top players in the sport, the 20-year-old New South Wales native will be one of the players to watch at The World Games Chengdu 2025.