From backyard catches to international stadiums, Damien Wilson’s baseball journey is a story of hard work meeting opportunity. At just 17, the De La Salle Caringbah Year 12 student and Baulkham Hills Baseball Club left-handed pitcher is heading to the United States on a scholarship with New Mexico Junior College, a program renowned for helping Australian players chase their dreams in American college baseball.

For Damien, this moment has  been years in the making. What began as a casual game with friends quickly became a lifelong passion. 

“I started baseball just for fun,” Damien says. “It was another sport we could all try together, I didn’t realise it would take me this far.”

His talent and determination soon began to shine.  Damien represented Cronulla in his early years, went global at the 2019 Little League World Series, and was named Best Pitcher at the 2023 Australian U16 Championships. Most recently, he climbed to the U18 Australian World Cup Team, where he took the mound against baseball powerhouses Panama and Cuba.

“Playing in Japan was incredible,” he says. “The fans, the energy, the atmosphere – it’s like baseball paradise.”

Damien’s skill also earned him a place on the prestigious MLB World Select Team, a 30-man squad of under-20 players from around the globe. From 23 September to 2 October, the team travelled to Arizona for a special MLB development initiative designed to grow the game internationally. The players visited the spring training camps  of major league teams, competed against junior colleges and travel teams at the Arizona Fall Classic, and showcased their talents in front of college recruiters and MLB scouts.

They also toured U.S. campuses, including a training session at Grand Canyon University, offering a glimpse into student life at the next level. 

Now, with a scholarship secured and international experience under his belt, Damien’s next chapter is just beginning. “I’m chasing the MLB dream, and I want to make my country proud,” he says.

His advice to other student-athletes? Keep swinging.

“Put your head down and work. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”