by Trish Quayle, Australian Baseball Federation
Eighteen-year-old New South Wales native, Josh Guyer, has signed with the MLB franchise Minnesota Twins.
The Blacktown Workers right-handed pitcher has been impressive in his second Major League Baseball Australian Academy (MLBAAP). Guyer has thrown 20 innings to the tune of a 3-0 record, a 2.70 ERA, and two saves in nine appearances.
For a young man who learnt his trade at his local Winston Hills Baseball Club, the signing means a lot to him and his dream of playing professional baseball.
“I want to get to the big leagues one day, and a signing now just helps get a foot in the door. It’s one step closer to the end goal of what I want to achieve,” said Guyer.
With a strong support base from his family, and a newly enforced strict training program, Guyer looks forward to turning a passion into a career.
“My parents have always said, ‘find something you love and figure out how to get paid for it’. I love baseball, and now I’ve figured out a way to get paid for it, so I’m living the dream, really,” Guyer said.
Josh first represented Australia as a 13 year old at the Cal Ripken World Series Championships in 2007, and again most recently he toured Guam with the National AAA Team who went on to win the Oceania Championships.
Off the back of his stella MLBAAP performance, Josh has been named again in the National AAA Team that will compete in the IBAF AAA World Championships in Seoul, South Korea later in August.
He says he is really looking forward to facing players from outside the country again.
“It’s just great to get to see people around the world sharing something that I love to play,” Guyer said.
Academically inclined as well, Josh completed his HSC in 2011 and was accepted into a Bachelor of Forensic Science at University of Technology, Sydney. He has made the decision to defer his studies to concentrate on his desire to become a professional baseball player; which looks to be paying-off.
The hard-throwing pitcher is set to join the Minnesota Twins next April for Spring Training.
