Professional Journey Begins: India's Top Six Baseball Talents Turn Pro for the First Time
In an exciting turn of events, the world of baseball is set to witness history as the first-ever professional baseball league in the Middle East and South Asia, Baseball United, prepares for its inaugural season. The league, which will open with the Subcontinent Series, promises to be a game-changer, particularly for Indian athletes who have traditionally been associated with cricket.
Leading the charge for India is the Houston, Texas-based pitcher, Karan Patel, who made history in 2019 as the first player of Indian descent to be drafted by a Major League Baseball team. Patel, who pitched at the All-American level with the Birmingham Barons, spent last year with the Lincoln Saltdogs of the American Association of Professional Baseball.
Joining Patel in the Mumbai Cobras, the Indian franchise in the league, are three standout pitchers - Saurabh Gaikwad, Akshay More, and Tushar Lalwani. Gaikwad, a local farmer's son from Maharashtra, has played baseball for 11 years and has participated in several international tournaments. More, a resident of Pune district, Maharashtra, began playing baseball in 2019 after focusing on martial arts in his early childhood. Lalwani, a pitcher from Andheri West, Mumbai, has played baseball for six years.
Both Gaikwad and More have been coached by Vishnu Kalel and Carlos Mirabal, key figures in Baseball United's operations. Lalwani, who was coached by these mentors since 2021, has been named "Best Pitcher" in the All India Inter University Baseball Championship in 2023 and 2025. More, on the other hand, has been honoured with the same title in 2023.
The Mumbai Cobras will compete against the Karachi Monarchs in the inaugural season. The full roster of the Mumbai Cobras will be revealed today. The other two players contracted with the Mumbai Cobras in the Baseball United League are Lord Aragorn De Vera and Efril Ian Mercado, both Filipino players signed in 2025.
The league will feature four teams, including the Mumbai Cobras, Arabia Wolves, and Mid East Falcons, competing in a month-long season. The Mumbai Cobras will take the field for the first time on Nov. 14 at Baseball United Ballpark in Dubai.
Meanwhile, Raul Shah, a second baseman from Chatham, UK, was a member of Great Britain's national team for the 2022 World Baseball Classic qualifiers. Aaron Singh, a shortstop from Artesia, California, was all-conference, all-region, and AA while earning the ABCA Rawlings Gold Glove.
The inclusion of six Indians in the league gives Indian athletes a global platform usually reserved for cricket. This move is expected to boost the popularity of baseball in India and inspire a new generation of athletes to take up the sport. The league's inaugural season promises to be an exciting time for baseball fans around the world.
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