Baseball: Kiwi Philadelphia Phillies prospect Kyle Glogoski signs on with Auckland Tuatara

Kyle Glogoski has signed on to play for the Auckland Tuatara. Photo / Photosport

Kyle Glogoski is coming home.

After a stellar debut year in the minor leagues with the Philadelphia Phillies, the 19-year-old pitching ace has agreed to join the Auckland Tuatara for their Australian Baseball League debut.

Pitching for the GCL Phillies West in the rookie Gulf Coast League, Glogoski impressed this year. The Aucklander made 10 appearances, including eight starts, and was a handful for hitters. His earned run average (ERA) was 2.31 and he held a healthy average of strikeouts per innings pitched.

In the five matches he's pitched five innings or more, making him the pitcher of record, he's won four, with one no decision. His 4-0 record was tied for the fourth-most wins in the league.

A homegrown talent and Diamondblacks representative, Baseball New Zealand chief executive Ryan Flynn said Glogoski was a "poster boy" for the sport.

"To have Kyle come back and play for his home town club is huge for our organisation," Flynn said.

"The Tuatara franchise has been created to give Kiwi baseball players a chance to play professional baseball and Kyle will be a role model in that regard.

"He's clearly a poster boy for the sport with the goal to highlight how his determination and hard work have led to some early successes in the professional game, and to show young people in our country that anything is possible in baseball if hard work is at the forefront."

Glogoski will be available for the first few weeks of the season and is allowed to throw up to 25 innings during his time with the Tuatara.

The Auckland Tuatara begins its maiden Australian Baseball League campaign mid-November against the Perth Heat before a three-week home stand that features series against the Brisbane Bandits, Canberra Cavalry and Sydney Blue Sox.

Confirmed Auckland Tuatara Roster

Pitchers: Kyle Glogoski, John Holdzkom, Josh Collmenter, Scott Cone, D.J. Carrasco, Jimmy Boyce
Infielders: Daniel Lamb-Hunt, Joe Perez
Outfielders: Eric Jenkins, Blaine Prescott, Max Brown