Redcliffe's Patrick Crotty Signs Pro Baseball Contract

0:00It's April 2nd. Welcome in. This is Sydney News Today, where local news meets AI. Seventeen-year-old Patrick Crottie from Riccliffe just made history as the first Australian to sign a pro baseball contract for the 2026 season with the Philadelphia Phillies. He started tossing the ball in the backyard at age 5 with his three older brothers, and now he's heading pro as a pitcher, clocking nearly 1, 150 km per hour. His mom has been his rock, covering costs for all four boys in competitive baseball, and sticking by him through tough times like a six-month shoulder injury last year. Crottie honors his late dad, a pitcher who passed at age 43 when Patrick was just one by wearing that number on his jersey every game. The whole family is buzzing with pride, especially brother Eddie, who says everyone's been hit up with congrats since it's such a huge milestone. Patrick represented Australia and Queensland internationally, and he's one of only 43 Aussies playing pro overseas right now.

1:02Next week he heads to the Dominican Republic for training, while his U.S. visa processes, then off to Florida for his six-year rookie league deal with the Phillies. Family plans to fly over and cheer from the sidelines as he chases that world-stage dream, proving if you grind, it's always possible.