Congratulations to Adam Bates who has been signed by the Boston Red Sox MLB organisation!
Bates joins the growing list of NSW players that are playing professionally overseas. At just 18 years old, Adam continues to impress across the board.
At the Under 18’s World Cup just passed, Adam posted a 3.00 ERA in three appearances and opened the tournament for Team Australia going toe-to-toe with one of the highest-regarded pitchers in the competition, Yi-Lei Sun. Bates has also been an impressive player in our local NSW State League competition, playing First Grade for the Macarthur Orioles who finished runners-up in the 2022/23 Season. He was also a Sydney Blue Sox development player in the ABL.
Adam boasts an impressive resume for such a young player, and when asked how he feels taking those next steps towards his dream of playing professionally, his response was “I feel much more at ease and happy with my decision. It feels like a dream come true, and to be able to call myself a professional is the best feeling I’ve ever had.”
Baseball Australia reported that the “Red Sox have kept a close eye on the development of Bates and other Australian prospects. They visited Adam at the Under-18 National Camp on the Gold Coast in August, [and] that’s when negotiations really started to heat up.” Bates has been on the Red Sox radar for multiple years and the conversations sparked early on about the option of professional baseball or going to college.
With many eyes on Adam, we asked what goes through the mind when faced with being scouted on such a big stage, such as the Under 18’s World Cup, just passed. “Performing in front of scouts is always a tiny bit stressful, seeing radars and video cameras on you, but knowing I had already signed (or agreed to sign) I just wanted to show them why I did and honestly why they should’ve signed me earlier.”
As a young athlete who has taken every opportunity given to him, Bates has been through multiple NSW development pathways and sought advice from the baseball community that continues to support him. His advice that he now passes along is to “never say never to your dreams. If you want it, then go out and get it. Even if it means making sacrifices… this is what puts you ahead.”
Finally, “Don’t let anybody tell you what you can and can’t do it’s your life, not theirs”
All the best in your future Adam!
You can read more about Adam’s signing via Baseball.com.au news.
