In the coming months two teenage Canberra players will head to the US to chase their baseball dreams.
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Ryan Lyddiard is one such ACT product that will take the next step in his baseball career in the American college system, after committing to Rose State in Oklahoma earlier this year.
Fellow Canberran and former Cavalry pitcher Kobe Chesterton is also set to play at Vernon College in Texas.
The pair both played club baseball for the Ainslie Bears and will join the 150 Australians playing at college level in the sport in America.
"I'm very excited and looking forward to it. This is what I've dreamed of and it's all picture perfect," Lyddiard told The Canberra Times, as he prepares to head stateside in July.
"I'm definitely able to compete with the players there.
"I'll head over early, put the work in and work towards a starting position."
![Ryan Lyddiard has announced his commitment to US college Rose State. Picture by Gary Ramage Ryan Lyddiard has announced his commitment to US college Rose State. Picture by Gary Ramage](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/168198572/75542c88-6d6e-43b1-bf46-5c3a11bcdd69.jpg/r0_118_5914_3456_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Lyddiard is an infielder and though he'll be far from his Bush Capital home, he's lucky to have extended family just 20 minutes from his college in Oklahoma.
"My mum's two sisters and my grandparents are all in Oklahoma," he said.
"You have to stay on campus for the first year but then I might move in with them in the second year. It's great to have some family support while I'm over there."
Like many Australian up-and-comers, Lyddiard is hoping his first college stop can be a stepping stone to a bigger division one school where more Major League Baseball scouts closely watch potential draftees.
"I've got my eyes set on one of the big schools, Oklahoma State University, which is a big contender in division one," he said.
![Ryan Lyddiard wants to one day play professionally. Picture by Gary Ramage Ryan Lyddiard wants to one day play professionally. Picture by Gary Ramage](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/168198572/b919bbea-c38f-4ad4-a9cd-80bb0055e325.jpg/r0_416_4929_3198_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"My goal is to end up at a D1 school, then play in the minors and take it a step further from there.
"A big goal would also be to come back and play in the Australian Baseball League one day - maybe with the Canberra Cavalry."
It's been an exciting time for Aussie boys in baseball in the US, with Sydney's Travis Bazzana using his experience in college to become a projected top-two pick in the MLB draft.
Bazzana set a season record at Oregon State University, smacking 26 home runs in what has been a historic college stint.
Bazzana also notched all-time OSU records for most hits (241), runs (213), doubles (49), home runs (43), walks (172), stolen bases (64) and total bases (439).
![Ryan Lyddiard is headed to Oklahoma in July. Picture by Gary Ramage Ryan Lyddiard is headed to Oklahoma in July. Picture by Gary Ramage](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/168198572/13dd6c4c-fe4c-40ba-93fc-2b8cef13c64d.jpg/r0_493_6000_3880_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
For other college rookies like Lyddiard, Bazzana is a major source of inspiration to follow a similar path.
"Seeing what he's doing is awesome and it shows what Australians can achieve in baseball in the States," Lyddiard said.
"Australians have an underdog mindset. Most are overlooked when it comes to American sports, and because of that a lot of the guys I know and train with, they outdo themselves, put in the hard yards, stay out late and want to achieve greatness.
"I feel like I can do that, too, and I want to see how far I can take it."