Adelaide Bite young guns Jordan McArdle and Curtis Mead set for Major League Spring training

SA’s brightest young baseball talents have vowed to back each other every step of their Major League adventures — even if they are based more than 3500km apart on opposite sides of the US.

Adelaide Bite young guns Jordan McArdle and Curtis Mead are off to the US to begin Spring training with their Major League clubs. Picture: Sarah Reed

South Australia’s brightest young baseball talents have vowed to back each other every step of their Major League adventures — even if they are based more than 3500km apart.

Jordan McArdle and Curtis Mead travel to the US next week to begin spring training in the world’s toughest competition.

Teenage infielder Mead was set for his first full season Stateside, as he joined Philadelphia Phillies after two impressive summers in the Australian Baseball League.

McArdle aimed to advance from Rookie ball in his third year with Arizona Diamondbacks, while keeping an eye on his Adelaide Bite teammate on the other side of the country.

“We’ll be using FaceTime as much as possible,” McArdle, 20, said. “But it’s always good to have someone to talk to.

“I understand what Curtis is going through because I struggled at first. He’s definitely got the talent ... but the biggest thing I’ve learnt is that it’s another day tomorrow.

“If you have a few good days and a few good weeks over there, everything can change.”

The pair would join dozens of other contracted players on the pre-season camps vying for places with their clubs’ Minor League affiliates. Australian under-23 first baseman McArdle had a .278 batting average in the Arizona League last year, clubbing in six runs to push his case for promotion.

Mead, 18, featured in all but two of the Bite’s matches this past ABL campaign, smashing two homers as the SA side narrowly missed a playoff berth.

“Spring training will be a bit of a shock with lots of new faces,” said West Torrens product

Mead, who had a two-game taste with the Phillies’ rookies last year. “Baseball is similar everywhere around the world, but obviously it’s another step up in America.

Curtis Mead batting for Adelaide Bite in the Australian Baseball League last season. Picture: Ryan Schembri — SMP Images/ABL Media

“Living away from home will be different for me. But I’ve got no excuse to not give it my all in America.”

The duo had been working out daily in the batting cages and gym with Bite manager Chris Adamson to prepare for the grind of up to 140 matches this US summer. McArdle said it was an opportunity to build towards his big league dream.

“I had a tiny upper hand against other people last year, because they hadn’t (faced) any live pitching in their off-season,” the Sturt player said.

“This is a year for me to really prove myself and show them what I’m made of. There’s big things to come.”