East Torrens pitcher Riley Yeatman signs with US Major League baseball club San Diego Padres

Meet the teenage rising baseball star who has just etched his name in history, signing to a US Major League Baseball club.

Riley Yeatman, 17, has signed a contract with US Major League organisation the San Diego Padres. Picture: Sarah Reed

Riley Yeatman has dreamt of pitching to big-name hitters during a US Major League Baseball match.

Now the East Torrens rising star is one step closer to that becoming a reality.

Yeatman, 17, was this month signed with the San Diego Padres.

The pitcher will begin as a rookie next year with the Padres in the Arizona League, after completing Year 12 at SEDA College, Richmond.

He will aim to follow in the footsteps of the three South Aussies affiliated to MLB organisations — Jack O’Loughlin, Josh Tols and Curtis Mead.

Yeatman was proud to have inked in a deal with the strong MLB club, which has claimed two National League pennants (1984 and 1998).

“Growing up, dad (Steve) was playing baseball, so since I was born I’ve had a ball and bat in my hand and it’s been baseball every weekend,” Yeatman said.

“It feels really good to finally live my dream and start my journey as a professional baseball player.

Riley Yeatman has signed a contract with US Major League organisation the San Diego Padres. Picture: Sarah Reed

“San Diego (selectors) saw me play in 2018 as an under-15 at the world cup in Panama and they’ve been speaking to me over the past couple of months to make this dream come true.”

Yeatman, of Salisbury Heights, has been working toward playing baseball in the US since he was a youngster and always shown potential.

He has been part of Australian junior teams, which went to world cups in under-12 and under-15.

He is now preparing take part in a national junior baseball camp at the Australian Institute of Sport across the Easter weekend — a key part of selection for the under-18 world cup, scheduled for later this year, pending COVID-19 restrictions.

It comes after Yeatman’s involvement with the Adelaide Giants’ Australian Baseball League training squad but was ineligible to play until he turned 17.

He was added to the Giants’ playoff roster as he turned 17 on the second day but Adelaide was eliminated and he did not make his debut.

Yeatman said the Padres would be giving him training schedules to follow in the next few months and he was keen to get stuck into it.

“I think they are going to fly over here in a couple of months and give me a physical and a gym program,” Yeatman said.

“They’ll stay in contact with me until next year.

“Hopefully I can then make my way up into the Minor League team and then the big league.

“It’s a privileged to be one of the Australians getting a chance over in America and I am really excited to get over there and hopefully play baseball for the rest of my life.”

A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Yeatman attended Cedar College, Northgate. He actually attends SEDA College, Richmond. We apologise for the error.