The Auckland Tuatara professional baseball team will hand out two contracts to New Zealand’s best domestic ballplayers at next month’s nationwide trials.
The Tuatara will stage trials in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch over the weekend of September 15/16.
The best amateur baseball players in the country - along with softballers, cricketers and even javelin throwers or water polo players - will be encouraged to trial, as the Tuatara assemble a roster for their debut season in the Australian Baseball League this summer.
Inaugural manager Steve Mintz, who is currently coaching at the Texas Rangers organisation, and Tuatara officials will run the rule over the talent on show, with the pick of the crop in Wellington and Christchurch earning a trip to Auckland for a final try-out.
“I can’t wait to get to New Zealand and see the talent that is there,” said Mintz, a former Major League pitcher. “It's going to be fun going around the country and trying to find us some players to help the Tuatara in their first season.”
Baseball New Zealand chief executive Ryan Flynn has worked hard to help the sport grow all around the country and knows how much sporting prowess our youngsters’ possess.
“I believe we'll see some up-and-coming talent, and our big announcement could be life-changing for a couple of our Kiwi baseball players," says Flynn. "I'm going to sign the top two players who make it through a couple of rounds of cuts at our mid-September trials.
"We'll present Auckland Tuatara ABL contracts to the final two players standing and we'll work them into our roster during the season.
“They will have a chance to control their own destiny, and perhaps even get signed by a Major League Baseball team in the US or a pro team in Japan if they play well."
The Tuatara will assemble as a full team in early November, before embarking on their first campaign, including a three weekends of home series played at West Auckland's McLeod Park.
Newshub.
