South Sudanese International Joseph Deng has become the first South Sudanese baseball player in history to sign a professional baseball contract, having signed a contract with Major League Baseball (MLB) side, The Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 17-year-old right-handed pitcher’s impressive 95 mph fastball/splitter combination was more than enough to help him secure a professional contract with the Dodgers after the scouting process.
Standing at 6 feet 7 inches and weighing 83 kilograms, the youngster still has time to bulk up his lanky frame.
His scouting report indicated his standout potential and room for further development; “an extremely lanky, long-limbed frame with tons of space to fill out and continue to add velocity once he gets stronger.”
Joseph Deng joins Ugandan infielder Armstrong Muhoozi, who signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as the only African to earn a professional baseball contract this year.
The youngster’s potential is enormous, and he has room for major development in the years to come. His impressive fastball could soar to higher heights, and triple digits could be very well within reach for him in a couple of years.
