When Elliot Johnstone pitched for the Auckland Tuatara in the clubs first season, getting picked up by a Major League Baseball team couldnt have been further from anyones mind.
But the 22-year-old Johnstone signed a contract with the New York Mets on Wednesday, taking a big step towards his dream of going all the way in the game he loves.
No Kiwi has ever played in the MLB, but along with Kyle Glogoski, whos with the Philadelphia Phillies organisation and the Atlanta Braves Ben Thompson, he hopes that eventually someone from New Zealand will make it to the show.
But back in the Tuataras inaugural season 2018-19, the 19-year-old Johnstone looked anything but a player with potential as he conceded 25 earned runs over 16 innings pitched, giving up six home runs, with an ERA of 14.06.
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Tuatara coach Steve Mintz understandably needed some convincing to take Johnstone back for a second season, but it turned out to be a great move as the relief pitcher learned from what went wrong in year one and had a Jacob deGrom like ERA for the second season of 1.09.
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Elliot Johnstone signing his contract on Wednesday to be a part of the New York Mets’ organisation.
After that campaign, where he ended up winning the Australian Baseball Leagues rookie of the year award, he came onto the radar of MLB scouts.
Obviously I didnt have the best [first] season, Johnstone told Stuff, shortly after putting pen to paper on Wednesday.
But the way I look at it is that I had a learning curve season and understood what I needed to do, to face those sorts of hitters and be a part of that league.
I did that in the off season and my second season with the Tuatara was a lot better and thats when I started catching some interest from MLB teams.
Johnstone seemed set to sign with an MLB club early last year and was given the nod that when he was going to head to Arizona to play for New Zealand World Baseball Classic, plan as if he wouldnt be coming back home for a while.
However, just before the WBC, the coronavirus pandemic popped up and that tournament, along with the entire minor league baseball season, was cancelled.
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Elliot Johnstones talents while playing for the Auckland Tuatara helped him pick up a deal with the New York Mets.
I was ready to head up in March with the New Zealand Diamondblacks team, play a part of the World Baseball Classic and there were talks that I could be signing a contract out of that, Johnstone said.
But Covid got a lot worse and then there were travel bans and whatnot.
Then the past season I had a problem with my arm, which kept me out of the season (with the Adelaide Giants in the ABL).
But thats got me to where I am today, signing a contract with the New York Mets.
All of Johnstones life hes dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player and he admits over the past year it hasnt always been easy to keep his focus on that goal, because of those setbacks.
At times its been tough, he said.
Getting so close to pursuing your dream with something and then things out of your control happen.
But youve got to stay on track and do everything you can control and I think I did that.
Although Johnstone has signed with the Mets, hes still a world away from where his new team-mate, deGrom is.
Making it to the majors can take years and Johnstone can expect to spend the next few seasons on long bus rides, hoping to keep impressing the Mets organisation and work his way through their minor league system.
“The journey is only really starting, Johnstone said.
Im going to be at the bottom of the rankings, but Ill keep working and doing my thing and hopefully Ill have the success over there which I think I can have.
The idea is that Ill get over there, throw some bullpens against live hitters and then the word from the Mets scout Conor Brooks is that they see me fitting into low A by the end of the season.
So that would be the goal and I hope everything goes well and I end up there.