First Billionaire minor league player

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First Billionaire minor league player

Minor League Pitcher Could Be Baseball’s First Billionaire Player

Los Angeles Dodgers minor league pitcher Matt White could become baseball’s first billionaire player, but it probably won’t have anything to do with his fastball.

Matt White, a minor league pitcher who has only appeared in seven major league games and has a record of 0-2 while allowing 18 earned runs in 9 2-3 innings paid $50,000 three years ago to buy 50 acres of land from an elderly aunt who needed the money to pay for a nursing home.

While clearing out a couple acres to build a home, he discovered stone ledges in the ground, prompting him to have the property surveyed.

A geologist estimated there were 24 million tons of the stone on his land. The stone is being sold for upward of $100 per ton, meaning there’s well over $2 billion worth of material used for sidewalks, patios and the like.

The news has prompted some of White’s teammates to refer to him as “The Billionaire,†but the 29-year-old left-hander isn’t counting his money just yet.

“There are a lot of questions,†he said. “It takes time, it takes money, it takes machines. There are professionals who handle that stuff.â€

White’s father has been involved in selling the stone, but it’s presently a small-time operation.

“I guess you could say the property is for sale,†White said with a chuckle. “We’ll have to see how things turn out. I don’t even know where to start. I’m in the process now of getting in touch with business-savvy guys, finding out how much to ask.â€

White said he doesn’t feel like he’s wealthy, which he isn’t quite yet.

“Not at all. I don’t live like a rich man,†he said. “I’m a minor league guy who’s played winter ball to make ends meet.â€

White may be on the verge of becoming a millionaire or even billionaire, but that hasn’t stopped him from still striving to achieve his dream of pitching full-time in the major leagues.

White, who is 29 says, “They say lefties bloom later than righties. I keep telling myself that,†he said. “I’m here to make the big-league team. I feel confident about that, absolutely. I’ve had some pretty good years in Triple-A.

“I plan to play baseball until I can’t play anymore. My goal is to play in the big leagues, regardless of what happens with the rock quarry.â€

White will be competing against 29 other pitchers in Dodgers Spring Training for roughly 12 spots.

Although it may difficult for him to make the Dodgers, White can rest easily knowing he’ll be taken care of financially for the rest of his life regardless if he makes the big leagues or not.

So, the question for all you sports fans out there is this… if you had to choose between playing your favorite sport at the highest professional level or say winning the powerball… which one would you choose?

I personally would have to go with playing the sport. I would probably already be overpaid and have millions if that was the case and would rather have earned it in someway, but then again, having billions wouldn’t be a bad thing either. Just ask my buddy Mark Cuban.

Note: Parts of this story (Matt White Quotes) were taken from the AP