A Lethbridge local baseball player will be hitting the major leagues. Ty Penner, who grew up in Lethbridge and spent time playing for the Lethbridge Bulls, signed a free agent contract to play for the Philadelphia Phillies. He said it means the world to him to be able to represent Lethbridge and be an inspiration to young players.
“I had a little taste of it in my years with the Bulls, of kids coming to the ballpark and looking up to you and everything, but I have always been so proud to be from Lethbridge. Growing up I obviously played, I played my whole little league career here, I played for the American Legion programs, I was in the Prairie baseball academy camps as a young kid and I really did everything in Lethbridge baseball wise,” he said.
“To be able to come back to Lethbridge and say now that I have signed a professional contract is unbelievable and to be able to come back here for the rest of my life and to have that under my belt, it means the world to me.” Penner added he has many coaches and mentors in the city to be thankful for.
“Growing up as a kid in Lethbridge obviously this has always been the dream, so it’s really amazing for sure,” he said. “I don’t think it’s fully sunk in yet by any means and I don’t know if it will for a little while, at least probably until I get down to Florida but I am just stoked.”
The player will travel to Clearwater Florida and begin playing on Philly minor league team for the rest of the season, he said.
Kevin Kvame, president and general manager of the Lethbridge Bulls, said it has been 18 years since a local has signed a major league contract.
“[I am] super excited for Ty and Lethbridge baseball. It gives the kids that are coming up in little league and American Legion and the other programs that are around inspiration to keep at it and keep trying and to see that there is opportunity at the end of their dream,” he said.
Penner was a special guest on the Bulls game on Wednesday.