The 18-year-old, who just last month celebrated his birthday, has committed to a professional contract after years of dedication to the sport he says has been part of his life “forever”.
“It means everything to me,” Ashton said.
“It’s something I’ve dreamed about for as long as I can remember, so to have the opportunity to sign and start my professional career is really exciting.
“I’m still pinching myself because it all feels pretty surreal. This is my ‘why’, the reason I’ve worked so hard for so long.”
Ashton’s baseball journey began almost before he could walk.
“I actually went to my first game when I was just two days old,” he said.
“I had a bat and ball in my hands before I could even walk, so it’s always felt really natural to me.”
His mother, Tamara Kennedy, said Ashton’s passion for baseball was obvious from a very young age.
“He would spend hours pretending he was in a packed stadium, throwing the ball to himself, imagining a home run, rounding the bases, sliding into home and celebrating as if the crowd was cheering just for him,” she said.
“Even then, his dream of playing in the big leagues had already taken shape.”
Growing up in Western Sydney, the Kennedy family initially travelled weekly to Balmain so Ashton and his sisters could play baseball before he progressed through the Ryde Association and later joined Blacktown Workers in State League competition.
Tamara said the family quickly realised baseball was more than just a hobby for Ashton.
“Playing professional baseball has always been his ultimate goal,” she said.
“He’s worked incredibly hard for this opportunity.”
Impressive junior resume
Ashton has built an impressive junior resume. He has represented NSW for several consecutive years, winning three gold medals and a bronze, before competing at the Under-18 World Cup where he finished with the highest batting average in the tournament, earning recognition as the leading batter in the world.
He also collected MVP honours at both Under-17 and Under-18 level and was named Baseballer of the Year during his senior years at The Hills Sports High School. In his final year, he received the school’s highest sporting honour, Male Athlete of the Year.
Despite the accolades, Ashton said the journey was not always smooth.
“There were times I missed out on training squads, but I used those moments as motivation to work harder and earn my spot at the next trials,” he said.
“I wasn’t going to let a ‘no’ define me. I just kept putting in the work until I got a ‘yes’.”
Last year, Ashton had accepted a scholarship offer from a college in Oklahoma and planned to move to the United States in August before receiving the life-changing call from
Pittsburgh Pirates Pacific Rim scout Tony - who had closely followed his development. Tamara said the opportunity showed Ashton’s perseverance had paid off.
“Knowing that someone who has watched his development believes in him at that level is incredibly special,” she said.
Ashton will now begin the next chapter of his baseball career with one of America’s iconic MLB clubs - and says he is ready for the challenge ahead.
“I know this is just the beginning,” he said.
“I’m ready to get to work and keep improving every day.”
