 Doncaster vs Melbourne
Friday, 6 July 2012 The Doncaster Baseball Club's Lewis Thorpe has been very busy since signing a professional contract with the Minnesota Twins.
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Doncaster teen Lewis Thorpe signs with Minnesota Twins which includes $500,000 bonus
LEWIS Thorpe is a step closer to realising a childhood dream, but the 16-year-old pitching sensation is not about to get too far ahead of himself.
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The Doncaster Baseball Club would like to congratulate Lewis Thorpe on signing a professional contract with the Minnesota Twins.
Currently attending the MLB Academy on the Gold Coast, the 6-foot-1, hard-throwing left-handed pitcher today signed with the Major League team.
It is the second professional signing for a Doncaster member in 2012, with Daniel McGrath announcing his contract with the Boston Red Sox in March.
Lewis, 16, began playing at Doncaster in 2002, commencing in the club's Friday night Under 12 tee-ball competition, after following some football friends into the sport.
A natural athlete, making the choice between baseball and football was very hard. But his heart was with baseball, and it was obvious he was just that good.
At a club level, Lewis has been part of a strong group of juniors at the Dragons which have progressed through the age groups as a team, winning a total of five Grand Finals from under 12s to under 18s. The team attributes not just the calibre of the players to their success, but the friendship of the team as a whole of which Lewis has been an integral part.
Lewis also made his debut for the Doncaster Division 1 team shortly after becoming age eligible (14), becoming a staple part of the pitching rotation in the season of 2011/12.
On the representative side, Lewis has represented both Victoria and Australia on several occasions.
He traveled to Japan in 2007 to represent Victoria and has made a Victorian State team (white or blue) for the past five years, with one year remaining in the under 18 age group.
He has represented Australia on 4 occasions to date:
- 2008 Cal Ripken World Series Aberdeen, USA
- 2011 AA Oceania Championships New Zealand
- 2011 AA World Championships Mexico
- 2012 AAA Oceania Championships Guam
He will also be aiming to once again wear the green and gold for Australia at the 2012 AAA World Championships in Korea this August.
Doncaster President John Hollingsworth was quick to congratulate Lewis on this momentous occasion.
“Congratulations to Lewis and his family on the wonderful opportunity for Lewis to realise his dream of playing Major League Baseball," Hollingsworth said.
"Following in the footsteps of Daniel McGrath, Lewis is the second Doncaster Dragons player in 6 months to sign a Major League contract. This shows the depth and quality of the junior program at Doncaster with both players first playing baseball in our club Under 12 Friday night competition.
"It is a credit to both Lewis and his family and it typifies the value of hard work and commitment. Well done Lewis," Hollingsworth added.
The Doncaster Baseball Club would like to congratulate Lewis and his family, Ross, Lyn, Bec, and Kirsty.
We look forward to following him as he looks to achieve his dream.
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