Deng is the first player ever to be signed from South Sudan
The Los Angeles Dodgers are on a signing spree this offseason. After winning their first full-season World Series championship in 36 years, the Dodgers continued to boast their roster strength with few star additions including two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell.
This week, the Dodgers made their first international signing after landing Japanese phenom pitcher Roki Sasaki.
However, they World Series champs were not yet done signing as they made another significant international move on Saturday, signing 17-year-old pitcher Joseph Deng, the first player from South Sudan to sign a professional baseball contract.
Joseph Deng is 17-year-old baseball player from South Sudan. He is 6-foot-7 tall and weighs 185 pounds. Despite his lean figure, he is an impressive figure on the mound and throws a fastball that reaches 95 mph.
Deng is not only the first South Sudanese player to sign a professional contract but also the second player from Africa to sign with a major league team this year. He joins infielder Armstrong Muhoozi from Uganda, who signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier in 2024.
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There is little known about Deng’s early journey to baseball, but he started gaining attention in February 2024. Charlie Meyer, an X user who promotes young African baseball talent, was one of the first to share news of Deng. Meyer posted a video of Deng pitching.
“Joseph Deng RHP from South Sudan 🇸🇸 Huge physical projection as he stands 6’6 feet tall!” Meyer wrote in his post. “This video is from a while ago, but sound mechanics are present. I’m in the process of getting some recent video with a radar gun. Definitely one to watch.”
It seems that Meyer’s post caught the attention of Dodgers scouts, who were quick to act and secured Deng. With the Dodgers’ resources and scouting network behind him, he could soon be one to watch on the big stage.
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