NZ baseball pitcher Kyle Glogoski is closing in on his Major League Baseball dream, with promotion from Philadelphia Phillies' double-A affiliate to their triple-A team.
The 22-year-old is quickly escalating through the ranks, after only being promoted to double-A earlier this week.
He is now just a one or two injuries away from competing at the top tier, with the triple-A competition a level beneath the MLB.
Glogoski - a Diamond Blacks international and Auckland Tuatara star - was thrown straight into the Lehigh Valley IronPigs starting line-up and made a shaky start pitching against Washington Nationals' affiliate - Rochester Red Wings - on Saturday (NZ time).
On his debut in the second tier, his second pitch was hit for a home run, before he struck Red Wings relief pitcher Joan Baez with his 40th and final pitch.
The Aucklander walked three batters, threw only 16 strikes and was charged with six runs.
Glogoski struck out on a full count with the bases loaded to end the first innings in his professional debut at-bat, as his side's perfect start to the season ended with a 10-3 defeat.
Glogoski may next be in action for Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Sunday, when they take on Rochester in the fifth match of the six-game series.
