DURBAN North resident, Cole Pretorius’ star is rising fast on the international and local baseball scene. The 19-year-old has been chosen to represent the World Select Team on a tour in the USA. Pretorius, who is the only South African on the team said he hopes to impress at this year’s tournament.
He recently represented the European All-Star team in the Major League Baseball (MLB) Academies Tournament in Barcelona, where he impressed with his performances.
“Playing in Barcelona was a huge learning curve. It showed me that we are not too far from international standards at an open level, but at youth level we have a long way to go,” he explained.
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Pretorius’ team played against Italian, French, Czech and Dutch academies at the tournament. Out of 150 players at the tournament, a select 10 were chosen, which included the former Northwood School learner.
The pitcher will be travelling with the team to Tennessee and Arizona where they will take on some of the biggest names in college baseball.
“It’s an exciting time for me, I’ve never been to the states which is the home of baseball. One of the tournaments we will be playing in is the Arizona Fall Classic which is the biggest showcase of youth talent. I’m really looking forward to that.
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“It’s very rare for a player from South Africa to get an opportunity like this. I’m privileged and honoured to have the opportunity to play. My dad has always been there for me throughout my baseball career and I’m really thankful to him. For any player in any sport, having a strong support base is vital and I’m blessed to have my dad and my family in my corner,” said the former Northwood School learner.
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