Redcliffe teenager Patrick Crotty was just five years old when he pitched his first baseball in the backyard with his three older brothers.
Now the 17-year-old has become the first Australian to secure a professional baseball contract for the 2026 season after signing on with the Philadelphia Phillies last week.
For Crotty, the signing is a “dream come true”.
Patrick is the first Australian baseballer to sign a professional baseball contract this year.(Supplied)
“It was awesome. Me and Mum were sitting down and they gave us a call and it was just a moment we got to experience together.”
Crotty said his mother had been instrumental in his success.
“She’s had to pay for a lot of things, especially with all four boys playing competitive baseball,” he said.
“A lot of money has gone to the game, so hopefully it’s worth it for her.”
Patrick Crotty with his mother Jo Crotty.(Supplied)
Of course, she has provided more than just financial support.
“She’s been by my side through everything, through the ups and downs she’s just been able to provide and she’s really special to me,” he said.
The downs included a shoulder injury in 2024 which forced him off the pitching mound for six months while he recovered.
The youngest of four boys, Patrick Crotty was born into a family of baseball lovers.(Supplied)A family sport
The sport is in his blood — it is a passion the teenager’s late father shared alongside his mother.
Crotty now wears the number 43 on his jersey to honour his father, who passed away when he was just a year old.
“It’s to remember my dad’s age, when he died. It’s something I take with me to every game and it’s something I can wear with pride,” he said.
Patrick Crotty’s father, Rohan, was also a baseball pitcher before he passed away at the age of 43.(Supplied)
“Having his number with me is just really good.”
A pitcher just like his dad, Crotty said he had clocked nearly 150 kilometres per hour out on the field.
He said while “it’s pretty fast”, he would have to work to get faster to break into the top leagues in the US.
Older brother Eddie Crotty said the entire family was proud of him.
“We all love the game. The whole family has had heaps of people reaching out congratulating him because it’s a big achievement for himself.”
Patrick said one of his favourite memories was going undefeated for an entire season when he was in Little League.(Supplied)
Patrick Crotty said one of his favourite memories was going undefeated for an entire season when he was in Little League. (Supplied)
Patrick Crotty (third from right) when he represented Australia for the first time in 2024.(Supplied)
Patrick Crotty (third from right) when he represented Australia for the first time in 2024. (Supplied)
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A keen baseball player on and off the field. (Supplied)
Patrick and his brothers played for their local Redcliffe baseball teams throughout their childhood.(Supplied)
Patrick Crotty and his brothers played for their local Redcliffe baseball teams throughout their childhood. (Supplied)
He said their next goal was to travel to the US to watch him play.
“It’d be good to be on the sidelines and watch your brother perform on the world stage. It’d be unreal.”
Crotty has already represented both Queensland and Australia on the international stage.
He is now one of just 43 Australians who are playing baseball professionally overseas.
Patrick’s fastball clocks in at almost 150 km/h.(Supplied)
Crotty will travel to the Dominican Republic next week where he will continue training while his US work visa is processed.
From there, he will relocate to Florida to begin his six-year contract with the Phillies at the rookie league level.
Crotty encouraged other keen baseballers to pursue their passion.
“It’s always possible, just keep chasing the dream.”