While most teenagers doing their HSC are thinking about their ATAR, Solomon Maguire is thinking about baseball.

The 17-year-old from the Hills District has been signed to a Major League Baseball club on the biggest money deal for an Aussie in 25 years. He’s also one of the youngest to ever do it, at 16 when he signed.

In sporting fields across suburban Sydney, talent scouts from some of the biggest MLB clubs on the planet came to privately observe the left-handed hitter from the New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals .

There were 18 MLB clubs following him with eventually eight left sitting at the table.

They observed everything about him: they were watching from the moment he got out of the car, how he treated his mother, how he reacted when things didn’t go his way.

He’d already been exposed to big name talent scouts – they’ve been keeping a close eye on him for years.

When Solomon played for Australia in the Under 14s in 2017, a number of international clubs were eyeing him. A year later, at the U16 National Youth Championships, the Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians and Yankees reached out again.

He was eventually flown to America at the start of the year to sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates, securing a sign-on bonus of $US594,000 plus $US175,000 education money.

The head scout for the Pirates says he has not only the skills but the traits of the character they look for; the work ethic, the ability to take on instruction, the aptitude, the mindset, the drive – everything you want to bottle in a player.

Solomon Maguire joins John Stanley with the exciting details on his recent signing.

Image: Provided

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