Australian Baseball League

Well, he's actually moved two steps forward after being called up to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs from Daytona in the Class-A Florida State League. He got his first chance to show what he could do straight away, being thrown into his first game as soon as he joined the team in Tucson on Thursday.

In his first Triple-A appearance, the right-hander went 2 2/3 innings allowing three hits, one walk while striking out two. His team had to be impressed with the 23-year-old who had just travelled all day and over three flights to meet them.

More nervous than excited, Searle is hoping that Iowa will be his home for the remainder of the summer. The Brisbane native has a great opportunity with the club right now and will be looking to make the most of it.

With rosters expanding in just days, many Iowa players will move up to play in Chicago come September. This might give Searle an extended chance to remain on the roster, or, in the best-case scenario, head to the Windy City himself.

For the Bandits, Searle made five starts in the most recent Australian Baseball League season after being shut down early by the Cubs to recover from a long year of throwing. Chicago's farmhand made a strong impression in his hometown, going 3-1 with a 3.66 ERA in 32 innings pitched. The right-hander allowed only 21 hits, walking just nine batters and striking out 34.

He began this minor league season in Double-A Tennessee where he went 1-2 with a 4.07 ERA in eight games and 24 1/3 innings, striking out 17. He then moved to Daytona where he was 5-3 with a 5.01 ERA in 28 games and 46 2/3 innings. For the Daytona Cubs, he also notched 39 strikeouts.