India has produce two players that achieved Major League status in United States; Rinku Singh Rajput and Dinesh Kumar Patel were both been contracted by Pittsburgh Pirates, an American Baseball Team in 2009.
Rinku Singh Rajput Baseball Career
Rinku Singh Rajput is a professional baseball player , was signed by Pittsburgh Pirates organization after he won a pitching contest on 2008 show , The Million Dollar Arm. He was the first Indian to play a professional baseball and have spent a several seasons in minor leagues.
Singh tried out in the front of scouts from 20 Major League Baseball teams in 2008, he’s pitches reached 92 miles per hour , and after training , he returned to visit in India before entering Pirates Training camp in Florida and began the 2009 baseball season with the Pirates’ Gulf Coast League Affiliate
Year 2009, Rinku Singh Rajput became the first Indian to appear in a professional baseball game in US and pitch the seventh innings . July 2009 , he won his first professional baseball game , striking out the only batter he faced in America.
At the end of August 2010 , Singh was promoted to the Pirates Class A Short Season Affiliate. He played Canberra Cavalry of the Australian Baseball League for season 2010-11.
Rinku Singh Rajput open the 2011 season of Dominican Summer League and pitch well in eight games. Then he also joined the West Virginia Power of South Atlantic League. He returned to Australian Baseball League for 2011-12 season and made the World All-Star team for 2011 Australian Baseball League All- Star Game.
Year 2012, he got his 39th career high pitch for the power, throwing 72 innings, earning a 3-1 win loss record and striking out 65 batters.
During 2013 Season, Rinku Singh Rajput struggled with injuries and missed the entire season but he was invited to 2014 Spring Training by the Pirates.
2014 season , he missed the entire season because of Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction also known as Tommy John surgery and during 2015 season, due to broken elbow he also missed the season.
Dinesh Kumar Patel Baseball Career
Along with Rinku Singh , Dinesh Kumar Patel was the first Indian player sign a contract with a Major American Baseball Team. He is a right-handed pitcher.
Patel and Singh tried out together in front of scouts on November 2008. They played for the Pirates’ Gulf Coast League. Patel had a successful 2009 season , picking up a victory and finish with a 1-0 record . Patel’s 2010 season was less successful and was released in December 2010. Dinesh Patel played error less defense during the two season.
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