Olympic baseball: Meet the NSW baseball stars aiming for the LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Games
After missing three of the last four Games, baseball will return to the Olympics in 2028 and 2032. Meet the NSW young guns who could line up in green and gold.
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After missing out on Olympic status for next year’s Games in Paris, baseball will return to the fold in Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane 2032 in what is a huge coup for the sport.
A staple at the Games from 1984 to 2008, baseball has fallen out of favour in recent times, being omitted from three of the last four events.
And while it was expected that the sport would be included in baseball-mad Japan and the US for the Games in Tokyo and LA, the news that it will also feature in Brisbane was a “pleasant surprise” for Mark Marino, the CEO of Baseball NSW, who expects it to lead to a series of benefits for the game locally.
“It’s a motivator. All Australian kids know what the Olympics are. You could be a young kid today and not quite know what sport you’re good at but I think somewhere in the psyche there’s a desire: ‘I’d love to go to the Olympics.’ It’s an event that they can aspire to,” he said.
Not just an inspiration for up and comers, inclusion in the Olympics also brings about a string of other benefits, from increased funding opportunities to elite training support.
“You’re now part of the Olympic program, which benefits the athletes as well,” said Marino. “You get opportunities: you get employment opportunities, you get support, you get a whole lot of introductions into professional sponsors and organisations but literally at a coalface level.
“You’re now eligible for AIS funding, you’re now eligible for NSWIS. We came out of NSWIS, the Institute of Sport, because we were no longer an Olympic sport. So it brings you back into these agency organisations.”
In order to try and capitalise on the twin Olympic campaigns, Baseball Australia has gone all in on its elite pathways, standardising the training and development of the nation’s top young talent across the states to try and give the country the best chance at knocking off the big guns.
“They focus on the cream of the crop and want to give them every chance to succeed,” said Marino.
“We will start targeting those younger kids, the ones who are going to be in their prime come ‘28 and ‘32.”
And while Australia, currently ranked 10th in the world in men’s baseball, is guaranteed a spot in the baseball program in Brisbane, the big goal over the next cycle will be to simply qualify for the Games in LA, which could feature anywhere from six to 12 teams.
“It’s a huge ongoing battle, not only for Australia but all the other countries like Canada, Mexico and all of the fringe countries,” said Grahame Cassel, Baseball NSW’s development manager. “But we do a pretty good job to stay in the top 12.”
And just as many of Australia’s best footballers have made their way to Europe over the decades to follow their dreams, the country’s brightest young baseball talents look towards the US to try and make the big time.
“As a sport, we do punch well above our weight internationally,” said Marino.
“It reminds me of the days when the Harry Kewells of the world were going over to the UK. If they were any good here, they had to go abroad to get better and be seen and make a career of it.
“That’s sort of where baseball’s always been. There’s a national league here that we run but it’s nowhere near enough to sustain a career, so all our good kids go over there.”
With an eye on 2028 and 2032, we’ve taken a look at some of NSW’s top young players who may well line up in the green and gold in LA and Brisbane.
ADAM BATES
It’s been a big 2023 for the 18-year-old right-handed pitcher, who was impressive at this year’s under-18 World Cup, before signing a professional contract with MLB organisation the Boston Red Sox in September.
The Macarthur local will look to work his way through the system, with the hope of one day reaching the top.
“You would imagine in four years’ time if he’s still there with Boston he’d be pretty close to being a Major Leaguer,” said Cassel.
“He’s gone through all of our pathways from when he was 13 or 14. He’s now 18 and has just left our high-performance program and gone into the professional ranks.”
SOLOMON MAGUIRE
Another one in the professional ranks, the 20-year-old from Sydney’s Hills District has been with the Pittsburgh Pirates for a couple of years after being signed as a highly-rated 17-year-old.
A good hitter and outfielder, Maguire has also been back home playing for the Sydney Blue Sox in the Australian Baseball League during the MLB off-season.
BRENT IREDALE
One of the 30 or so NSW baseballers in the US college system, the Australian under-23 representative has just come off a huge year with New Mexico Junior College, being named MVP for the Western Junior College Athletic Conference on the back of some excellent hitting.
He’s off to the University of Arkansas next year, where he’ll be hoping to take his game to another level.
TRAVIS BAZZANA
One of the real up-and-coming superstars of Australian baseball, the 21-year-old Ku-Ring-Gai Stealers junior has generated plenty of excitement in the US on the back of his performances for the University of Oregon.
An incredibly clean hitter of the ball, he’s attracted interest from major MLB franchises and could well become the first Australian to be picked up in the first round draft in June.
“He’s one of the hottest prospects in the whole of America,” said Cassel.
“He’s broken records in the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) and he’ll be expected to go in a high round in the draft, maybe even a first rounder, which is huge money.”
While he is currently a second baseman, Cassel says it is what he does with the bat that really gets heads turning.
“His main thing is his batting, he just keeps hitting the ball. Whatever level he plays at, whoever he plays against, he just keeps hitting the crap out of the ball.”
JAMES NATI
Currently in his third year at one of the most prestigious universities in the world, California’s Stanford, the 21-year-old short stop from Ryde is another one of the top Australian prospects currently in the US college system.
“He’s going to come out of that with a good degree and a chance of signing pro ball as well,” said Cassel.
BLAKE CAVILL
A left-handed hitter and first baseman, the Cronulla local has been in good form for Western Kentucky University in the college league and will look to continue his development over the next couple of seasons.
“He’s another who’s going really well,” said Cassel.
Next kids have signed with unis, haven’t joined yet. Finishing HSC. Under 18.
JOSH NATI
From a famous family in junior baseball circles, Josh Nati, the younger brother of James, is another huge prospect for the future.
Despite being just 16, he recently represented Australia at the under-18 World Cup and has attracted plenty of interest for his ability with the bat.
“He hits the ball very hard for a kid,” said Cassel.
Although he still has a couple of years left of school, Nati has already agreed to join Oregon State University. However Cassel says that if he continues his trajectory then he may bypass college ball altogether and go straight into the professional ranks.
“Three or four professional clubs have already made the trip out just to see him, so if he gets the right offer he could very well sign a pro deal and won’t do the university thing,” he said.
LIAM GRANT
The catcher from the Canterbury Bankstown Vikings comes from good stock, with his father having represented both NSW and Australia in the sport.
Part of the National Junior Squad, Grant was unlucky to miss out on a spot at the recent under-18 World Cup. However the 17-year-old, who is in year 11, certainly has a bright future after signing on to Oregon State University in 2025.
LUKE HAYHOW
The right-handed pitcher from the Castle Hill Knights junior club is another on the move to the US after announcing that he’ll join the University of Hawaii in August.
It caps off a big year for the 18-year-old, who represented NSW Metro at the under-18 Australian Youth Championships and was also selected in the CIS open boys baseball team.
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