A 54-year-old Utah man – with an 80 mph fastball and 60 mph knuckleball – says there’s “no reason” why he can’t pitch in the major leagues.
Tom Wright, who has worked out with teams in spring training, is a former outfielder who played for the single-A Miami Miracle of the Florida State League in 1989, according to Baseball-Reference.com. This is his second shot at the MLB.
Wright got the attention of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins, he told Fox 13 News, after he posted a YouTube video of him doing batting practice and honing his knuckleball skills.
“There’s no reason why I can’t throw the knuckleball,” Wright said. “It’s a technical pitch. I’m 50 to 60 miles per hour. My fast ball is still in the 80s. You know, I have a good slider, you know there’s no reason why I can’t pitch.”
Wright tried out with the Dodgers in Arizona and didn’t make the team, but he’s still trying to make the big leagues, saying his age won’t hurt him.
“I’ve dead-lifted over 600 pounds, and, you know, why not?” he told Fox 13 News.
If Wright lands a role on an MLB team, he would become the oldest rookie in major league history. The current record is 42 years old, Fox 13 News reports.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.