Australia

Australia is a country (and a continent) located in the Southern Hemisphere. Through the beginning of the 2014 season, 28 Australians have made it to the majors, with over half of those debuting in 2000 or later. The Australian national team has been competitive in major events. Australia has had several leagues. The Australian Baseball League ran the longest and produced a few MLB stars, but the Claxton Shield has been the longest-running competition on the continent.

The major league season opened in Australia in 2014 with a two-game series played in Sydney, New South Wales; Scott Van Slyke got the first hit (and homer) in a MLB game in Australia, while Clayton Kershaw got the win for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Wade Miley took the loss for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Olympic Medals

• 2004 Silver

People born here

• Chris Adamson, minor league manager
• Corey Adamson, minor league outfielder
• Tony Adamson, Australian national team outfielder
• Alan Albury, Australian national team pitcher
• Craig Anderson, minor league pitcher
• Tyler Anderson, minor league coach
• Tim Atherton, minor league pitcher
• Tim Auty, minor league outfielder
• Barrie Bahnert, Australian national team outfielder
• Tom Bailey, Australian national team pitcher
• Trent Baker, minor league outfielder
• Grant Balfour, pitcher
• Clint Balgera, minor league outfielder
• Jacinda Barclay, Australian women's national team pitcher
• Ryan Battaglia, minor league catcher
• Gen Beacom, Australian women's national team pitcher-infielder
• Hayden Beard, minor league pitcher
• Matt Beattie, minor league pitcher
• Tom Becker, minor league pitcher
• Matt Bennett, minor league pitcher
• Shayne Bennett, pitcher
• James Beresford, infielder
• Daniel Berg, minor league utility man
• P.J. Bevis, minor league pitcher
• Emma Binks, Australian women's national team player
• Adam Blackley, minor league pitcher
• Travis Blackley, pitcher
• Matthew Blackmore, Division Elite pitcher
• Jake Bowey, minor league catcher
• Wayde Bremner, New Zealand national team pitcher
• Tom Brice, minor league outfielder
• Philip Brideoake, Claxton Shield player
• Adam Bright, minor league pitcher
• Mat Buckley, minor league infielder
• David Buckthorpe, Australian national team infielder
• Chris Burke, minor league outfielder
• Jake Burns, minor league catcher
• Adrian Burnside, minor league pitcher
• Adam Burton, minor league infielder
• Clayton Byrne, minor league outfielder
• Jon Byrne, umpire
• Nicole Cain, Australian women's national team outfielder
• Cam Cairncross, pitcher
• Brian Cakebread, scout
• Scott Cameron, Australian national team pitcher-outfielder
• Andrew Campbell, minor league outfielder
• Graham Cassel, Australian national team infielder
• Angela Catford, Australian women's national team outfielder
• Brett Cederblad, minor league pitcher
• John Challinor, minor league pitcher
• Steven Chambers, Extraliga pitcher
• Calvin Chipperfield, minor league pitcher
• Dylan Clarke, Australian national team pitcher
• David Clarkson, Australian national team catcher
• Norrie Claxton, Australian baseball pioneer
• Michael Collins, minor league catcher and manager
• Scott Cone, New Zealand national team pitcher
• Bjay Cooke, minor league infielder
• Brodie Cooper-Vassalakis, Australian national team pitcher
• Tim Cox, minor league pitcher
• Nathan Crawford, minor league pitcher
• Rebecca Crosby, Australian women's national team pitcher
• Craig Cusbert, Australian national team pitcher
• Trent D'Antonio, minor league catcher
• Jarryd Dale, minor league infielder
• Phil Dale, minor league pitcher
• Ailsa Davidson, Australian women's national team pitcher
• Josh Davies, minor league infielder
• Scott Dawes, Australian national team catcher
• Tim Day, Australian national team infielder
• Allan de San Miguel, minor league catcher
• Jon Deeble, scout
• Mitch Dening, NPB outfielder
• Liam Doolan, signed pitcher
• Mark Doubleday, drafted infielder
• Michael Dunn, Australian national team outfielder
• Oliver Dunn, Thai national team infielder
• Trent Durrington, infielder
• Brad Dutton, minor league infielder
• Wade Dutton, Australian national team infielder
• Mitchell Edwards, minor league catcher
• Mark Ettles, pitcher
• Mitch Evans, minor league catcher
• Julia Fellows, Australian women's national team pitcher
• Darren Fidge, minor league pitcher
• Mitch Fienemann, minor league pitcher
• Dan Floyd, minor league outfielder
• Chelsea Forkin, Australian women's national team infielder
• Ben Foster, minor league infielder
• Donald Furrow, minor league pitcher
• Jason Furrow, minor league pitcher
• Matty Gahan, minor league pitcher
• Peter Gahan, scout
• Luisa Gauci, minor league coach
• John Gaynor, Australian women's national team manager
• Katie Gaynor, Australian women's national team outfielder
• Darryl George, minor league infielder
• Sam Gibbons, minor league pitcher
• Robbie Glendinning, minor league infielder
• David Gooda, minor league pitcher
• Paul Gorman, minor league infielder
• Andrew Graham, minor league catcher and manager
• Mitch Graham, minor league infielder
• Kaye Greenham, Australian national team physician
• Malcolm Gregg, Australian national team pitcher
• Mel Gregory, Australian women's national team outfielder
• Kellie Gunn, Australian women's national team player
• Josh Guyer, minor league pitcher
• Alex Hall, minor league catcher
• Kieren Hall, Australian national team pitcher
• Samantha Hamilton, Australian women's national team infielder
• Ky Hampton, Australian national team pitcher
• Brad Harman, infielder
• Lionel Harris, Australian national team outfielder
• Tony Harris, minor league manager
• Vaughan Harris, Hoofdklasse pitcher
• Peter Hartas, Australian national team infielder
• Todd Hatcher, New Zealand national team pitcher
• Matt Haynes, minor league pitcher
• Josh Hendricks, minor league infielder
• Liam Hendriks, minor league pitcher
• Jason Hewitt, Australian national team infielder
• Josh Hill, minor league pitcher
• Steve Hinton, national team infielder
• Raef Hobbs-Brown, Great Britain national team infielder
• Jarrod Hodges, minor league outfielder
• Shane Hogan, signed infielder
• Kable Hogben, minor league pitcher
• Ella Holien, women's national team player
• Sam Holland, minor league pitcher
• Kevin Hooker, scout
• Jade Hough, Australian women's national team infielder
• Stuart Howell, Australian national team pitcher
• Shaun Hrabar, minor league outfielder
• Justin Huber, infielder
• Luke Hughes, infielder
• Warren Hughes, scout
• Mitchell Hughson, New Zealand national team pitcher
• John Hussey, minor league pitcher
• Mark Hutton, pitcher
• David Hynes, Australian national team outfielder
• Brent Iddon, minor league pitcher
• Kim Jessop, Australian national team pitcher
• Sam Jew, Bundesliga pitcher
• Rikki Johnston, minor league pitcher
• Ross Jones, Australian national team pitcher
• David Kandilas, minor league outfielder
• Mark Kelly, minor league pitcher
• Jon Kennedy, minor league pitcher
• Sam Kennelly, minor league infielder
• Matt Kennelly, minor league catcher
• Tim Kennelly, minor league utility man
• Matthew Kent, minor league catcher
• Steven Kent, minor league pitcher
• Jason Kilby, signed pitcher
• Nick Kimpton, minor league outfielder
• Brendan Kingman, minor league infielder
• Darren Kirwin, Australian national team pitcher
• Briley Knight, Australian national team outfielder
• Christina Kreppold, Australian women's national team catcher
• Conor Laverty, Australian national team pitcher
• Matthew Lawman, minor league infielder
• Deanne Lee, Australian women's national team outfielder
• Wilson Lee, minor league pitcher
• Michael Lennox, minor league pitcher
• Craig Lewis, minor league pitcher
• Shae Lillywhite, Australian women's national team infielder
• Fred Lindberg, minor league pitcher
• Shane Lindsay, minor league pitcher
• James Linger, minor league infielder
• Mark Linger, Australian national team infielder
• Graeme Lloyd, pitcher
• Kane Longstaff, Australian women's national team manager
• Tahnee Lovering, Australian women's national team catcher
• Wayne Lundgren, minor league pitcher
• Patrick Maat, minor league catcher
• Ken MacDonald, Australian national team designated hitter
• Aaron MacKenzie, minor league pitcher
• Brooke Maclean, Australian women's national team pitcher and outfielder
• Kelly Manzie, Australian women's national team pitcher and catcher
• Geoffrey Martin, Australian national team outfielder
• Jordan McArdle, minor league infielder
• Amy McCann, Australian women's national team outfielder
• Grant McDonald, minor league outfielder
• Daniel McGrath, minor league pitcher
• Andrew McNally, minor league pitcher
• Curtis Mead, infielder
• Adrian Meagher, minor league pitcher
• Rob Meates, Australian national team player
• Scott Metcalf, minor league infielder
• Ray Michell, national team pitcher
• Paul Mildren, minor league pitcher
• Parris Mitchell, national team pitcher
• Scott Mitchinson, minor league pitcher
• Boss Moanaroa, minor league infielder
• Moko Moanaroa, minor league outfielder
• John Moore, Australian national team catcher-outfielder
• Adam Morrissey, minor league infielder
• Damian Moss, pitcher
• Chris Mowday, minor league pitcher
• Peter Moylan, pitcher
• David Mundy, Australian national team infielder
• Lauren Murphy, women's national team pitcher
• Paul Mutch, minor league pitcher
• Joel Naughton, minor league catcher
• Drew Naylor, minor league and NPB pitcher
• Laura Neads, Australian women's national team pitcher
• Leigh Neuage, minor league pitcher
• Bob Nilsson, Australian national team pitcher
• Dave Nilsson, catcher
• Gary Nilsson, minor league pitcher
• Jay Nilsson, minor league infielder
• Mitch Nilsson, minor league catcher
• Michael Nind, Australian national team infielder
• Montague Alfred Noble, executive
• Trent Oeltjen, outfielder
• Jack O'Loughlin, pitcher
• Wayne Ough, minor league pitcher
• Chris Oxspring, pitcher
• Riki Paewai, minor league pitcher
• Billy Parsons, Australian national team pitcher
• Robbie Perkins, minor league catcher
• Mark Peters, Australian national team infielder
• Darren Phillips, minor league catcher
• Simon Pole, Great Britain national team pitcher-infielder
• Jason Pospishil, minor league outfielder
• Luke Prokopec, pitcher
• Max Puckett, Australian national team player
• Brad Purcell, minor league pitcher
• Joe Quinn, infielder; manager
• James Ramshaw, Australian national team pitcher
• Jason Rees, Hoofdklasse outfielder
• Glenn Reeves, minor league outfielder
• Glen Richards, minor league pitcher
• Ben Risinger, minor league utility man
• Adam Roberts, Bundesliga infielder
• Joshua Roberts, minor league utility man
• Duane Rochford, minor league pitcher
• Brett Roneberg, minor league outfielder
• Catherine Row, Australian women's national team player
• Robert Rowan, Australian national team player
• Ryan Rowland-Smith, pitcher
• Matt Roxburgh, Great Britain national team outfielder
• Alisa Ruggiero, Australian women's national team pitcher
• Dominic Ruggiero, Australian women's national team coach
• Andrew Russell, minor league pitcher
• Paul Rutgers, minor league outfielder
• Dushan Ruzic, minor league pitcher
• Matt Ryan, minor league infielder
• Warwick Saupold, pitcher
• Alex Schmidt, Bundesliga infielder
• Daniel Schmidt, minor league pitcher
• Alan Schoenberger, minor league infielder
• Kimberley Schulte, Australian women's national team pitcher and infielder
• Andrew Scott, Australian national team infielder
• James Searle, Australian baseball pioneer
• Ryan Searle, minor league pitcher
• Matthew Sheldon-Collins, Australian national team infielder
• Simon Sheldon-Collins, Australian national team pitcher
• Will Sherriff, Australian national team pitcher
• Craig Shipley, infielder
• Alex Skepton, Australian national team outfielder
• Luke Smith, Australian national team infielder
• Mathew Smith, Division Elite player
• Shaun Smith, Australian women's national team coach
• Josh Spence, minor league pitcher
• Liam Spence, minor league infielder
• Barry Stace, minor league pitcher
• Tim Stanford, minor league pitcher
• John Stephens, pitcher
• Terina Stokes, Australian women's national team pitcher
• Renee Straumietis, Australian women's national team infielder
• Sam Street, minor league pitcher
• David Sutherland, minor league infielder
• John Swanson, Australian national team player
• Alisa Tamburrino, Australian women's national team player
• Brett Tamburrino, minor league utility man
• Jordan Thliveris, Greek national team infielder
• Brad Thomas, pitcher
• Brendon Thomas, minor league pitcher
• Rich Thompson, pitcher
• Stuart Thompson, Australian national team outfielder
• Tony Thomson, Australian national team catcher
• Aaron Thorne, minor league pitcher
• Lewis Thorpe, pitcher
• Sam Tibbits, Australian national team catcher
• Matt Timms, minor league pitcher
• Brad Tippett, minor league pitcher
• Josh Tols, minor league pitcher
• Shane Tonkin, CPBL pitcher
• Blake Townsend, minor league pitcher
• Scott Tunkin, Australian national team infielder
• Andrew Utting, minor league catcher
• Richard Vagg, Australian national team infielder
• Rodney van Buizen, minor league infielder
• Todd Van Steensel, minor league pitcher
• Loren Vella, Australian women's national team pitcher
• Megan Vidler, Australian women's national team player
• Peter Vogler, Australian national outfielder
• Logan Wade, minor league infielder
• Tom Ward, Extraliga catcher
• Shayne Watson, Australian national team coach
• Craig Watts, minor league infielder
• Scott Wearne, minor league infielder
• Simone Wearne, Australian women's national team pitcher
• Paul Weichard, minor league outfielder
• David Welch, minor league pitcher
• Darren Welch, Australian national team pitcher
• Stefan Welch, minor league infielder
• Grant Weir, scout
• Alexander Wells, pitcher
• Lachlan Wells, minor league pitcher
• Keith Wenban, Australian national team pitcher
• Melissa Whitaker, Australian women's national team outfielder
• Dean White, minor league infielder
• Gary White, minor league catcher
• Aaron Whitefield, outfielder
• Clare Whittam, Australian women's national team catcher
• Ben Wigmore, Australian national team catcher
• Luke Wilkins, minor league pitcher
• Glenn Williams, infielder
• Jeff Williams, pitcher
• Jess Williams, minor league infielder
• Kyal Williams, college coach
• Matthew Williams, minor league pitcher
• Greg Wiltshire, minor league pitcher
• Rixon Wingrove, minor league infielder
• Brendan Wise, minor league pitcher
• Christian Wise, New Zealand national team pitcher
• Peter Wood, Australian national team infielder
• Coen Wynne, Australian national team pitcher
• Kai-Noa Wynyard, minor league pitcher
• Ian Young, Great Britain national team infielder

People who died here

• Montague Alfred Noble, executive
• Trent Baker, minor league outfielder
• Jacinda Barclay, Australian women's national team pitcher
• Philip Brideoake, Claxton Shield player
• Norrie Claxton, Australian baseball pioneer
• Greg Jelks, outfielder
• Leigh Neuage, minor league pitcher
• John Ostermeyer, executive
• Vickie Panos, AAGPBL outfielder
• Charlie Puckett, Claxton Shield player
• Max Puckett, Australian national team player
• James Searle, Australian baseball pioneer
• Ron Sharpe, Claxton Shield pitcher
• Hugh Ward, owner

People who attained citizenship who were not born here

• Simon Eissens, Australian national team pitcher
• Gavin Fingleson, minor league infielder
• Paul Gonzalez, minor league infielder
• Donavon Hendricks, minor league pitcher
• Greg Jelks, outfielder
• Paul Mutch, minor league pitcher
• Mike Nakamura, pitcher
• Chris Snelling, outfielder
• Phil Stockman, pitcher

Further Reading

• Adrian Garro: "‘Something in the water’: What makes Australian baseball so special?", mlb.com, January 19, 2024. [1]
• Tyler Maas: "Australian Invasion: Aussies have been slowly invading major league baseball", sportsonearth.com, March 16, 2014. [2]