Baseball Player Joseph Deng Makes History as First South Sudanese to be Signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers

At just 17 years old, Joseph Deng, a pitcher from South Sudan, has signed a professional contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, making history as the first South Sudanese national to join a Major League Baseball organisation.

The 6-foot-7 Deng boasts a fastball that reaches 95 miles per hour and also throws a splitter. His signing follows closely behind Ugandan infielder, Armstrong Muhoozi, joining the Pittsburgh Pirates, making them the only two African players to be signed by MLB teams this year.

Joseph’s talent was first spotted in February 2024 when Charlie Meyer, a social media user who promotes young African baseball talent, shared a video of him pitching online.

Joseph Deng RHP from South Sudan Huge physical projection as he stand 6’6 feet tall! This video is from a while ago but sound mechanics are present. I am in the process of getting some recent video with a radar gun. Definitely one to watch. pic.twitter.com/KxwAWYhKnt

— Charlie Meyer (@wrldbaseballdev) February 17, 2024

Joseph Deng is 6-foot-7 and throws a 95 mph fastball — he’s also the first player from South Sudan to ink a pro contract!

The #Dodgers added to an eventful weekend, signing the second player from Africa in the 2025 int’l class: https://t.co/GV9TGbwBkX pic.twitter.com/vyiEFxn6Ut

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) January 19, 2025