Random guy throws 96MPH fastball, gets drafted by the A's.

Have you ever been to a baseball game and seen the pitch challenge area in the concourse? There's one at Tropicana Field. Basically, any random fan can try his or her hand (arm?) at pitching, and a radar will clock your pitch speed. Most people are lucky to break 40 or 50 MPH, which is definitely not major league material.

This dude at a Nashville Sounds game stepped into the pitch challenge and clocked a fastball at 96 miles per hour! His name is Nathan Patterson, and--long story short--he's now a major league baseball player!

Nathan admits that he played baseball in high school but "didn't have a very good arm." He didn't pursue the sport in college, and never thought he'd be a pro athlete. He played in a rec league at his community center, but that was the extent of his athletic career...until now!

Nathan's fastball was recorded and put on social media, where a scout saw it, and he was subsequently offered a contract with the Oakland A's!

"Words cannot describe this feeling and I cannot thank everyone enough who has been part of this journey so far," Patterson wrote on Instagram. "My family has given me nothing but constant love and support throughout the last 9 months as I pursue a dream of mine that I’ve had since I was a little kid. It’s been a roller coaster to get here with many challenges and overcoming adversity. For those who tell you that you can’t achieve your dreams, use that as fuel to work even harder. Because those people are the ones that settle."

That's incredible! Congratulations, Nathan!

[USA Today]


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