From speed-pitch challenge to pros
OAKLAND, CALIF. — Nathan Patterson never even made the varsity baseball team as a middle infielder during high school back home in Kansas.
In fact, he’d strayed far from the game — running his own landscaping business and working various other jobs that included sales and software — before baseball came back into his life when he least expected it.
If that was the whole story, Patterson’s journey to the Oakland Athletics’ rookie ball team would have been remarkable, yet the way the pitcher got discovered made it even crazier yet: He became an instant social media sensation.
In Colorado for a family reunion to celebrate his grandmother’s 80th birthday last month, Patterson wound up at a Rockies game with time on his hands because of a rain delay. He and his brother tried out the speed-pitch challenge cage at Coors Field just for fun. His brother, Christian, hit 83 m.p.h. and the booth operator congratulated him on the top speed of the day.
Then Patterson took his turn, spending about $5 total for all the tosses.
The radar gun read: 90-94-9496-95-96.
He might have even had a couple of beers in his system.
His brother’s video of the throws quickly took off on social media.
“Guys, we were just chillin at a @rockies baseball game, and my brother decided to step into a speed pitch challenge ... he hit 96 m.p.h. ?? @MLB Let’s get him signed!” Christian posted on Twitter with the video.
Then, Christian sent a social media update that read, “And 2 weeks later ... he’s now a professional athlete” featuring photos of Patterson signing his contract in full green and gold A’s gear.
“It’s become more and more real now,” the 23-year-old Patterson said. “There’s kind of a misconception that I threw a ball ... almost a month ago and got signed, a misconception that there was no work or sacrifice that went into it when in reality there was a ton of work and a lot of sacrifices over the last year that got me to being where I am today.”
The A’s signed Patterson, who struck out the side in order during his first pro appearance Aug. 15. His second outing wasn’t as smooth with Patterson giving up three runs on two hits in two innings. Then Sunday night, in his final start before the rookie ball season concludes Monday, Patterson struck out two and retired the first eight hitters he faced before being pulled after a two-out single in the third.
Now, Patterson gets stopped for photos or to sign a baseball — “You’re that guy,” people will say.
“What guy?” Patterson responds.
Talking with my family, my dad, he’s like, ‘Nathan, this isn’t surreal any more, this is real, you are living this, you are an athlete, you are good, you are talented, you are athletic, just live this, enjoy it.”