Blake Whitney is a long way from home — or at least the several homes baseball has sent him to as he pursues a professional career.

The 27-year-old has gone from his home town in Newnan, Georgia in the southern United States to South Carolina, Iowa, Tennessee and Chicago.

Much of this cross-country movement occurred after being drafted by Major League Baseball club the Chicago Cubs, which he is still contracted to. 

The club is one of the most famous sporting franchises in the world, valued at more than $6.3 billion.

But on a warm summer's evening in Alice Springs he's training with his local team, the Venom, for its next match against Panthers in the Alice Springs Baseball League. 

Players have to pay to play, no-one is a pro and gear is often shared between players.

Occasionally a flock of galahs scatter as balls are smashed towards the home they've made in the outfield.

But Whitney, a relieving pitcher who is being monitored this upcoming season for a chance to crack the major leagues, couldn't be happier.

What brought pro to the bush

So how did a rookie baseballer hoping to achieve a lifelong dream of playing in baseball's top league end up in Alice Springs?

Love. 

Whitney's wife Jessie Bowers made the move last year to Alice Springs for work.

"Nine months without being able to see each other and on two opposite ends of the world, which is tough," Whitney said. 

But being the off-season for baseball in the US, he wanted to repay the favour and move for her, as she had often done for him.

The happy marriage has since meant Alice Springs, albeit briefly, can host a professional in a competition that boasts five teams.

Close to the big time, but far from glamorous

The salaries in baseball are almost unfathomable.

One player on the Chicago Cubs roster was reported to be earning more than $40 million annually.

Another player, Shohei Ohtani, has signed what is believed to be the largest contract for any athlete anywhere in the world. 

Whitney though isn't paid anything like that in the minor leagues for teams that are feeders for the Cubs.

In minor league sides minimum salaries recently were increased to a historic  $30,000-$50,000 depending on which minor league tier the player is competing in.

Though the salary gaps are vast, the margins between playing in the majors and minors feels slim to Whitney.

"It really doesn't feel all that much different. Like, you would think there's a big skill gap, but realistically it's not really," he said.

Whitney's off-season in the past has involved coaching young players to earn some money while he's not playing.

But at a spring training camp with the Cubs last year, as he was preparing to pitch he couldn't help but notice those around him where some of the most accomplished players in the world.

"It was just super crazy, just like looking around and being like, 'Wow'. One day, you know, I'm this close to being there."

Giving back to the grassroots

The pitcher has also made time to train young players, providing a rare chance to impart knowledge to youngsters, including 14-year-old local Jayden Young.

Jayden said the American had taught him things he never knew about the sport.

"[He taught me] new grips to hold the ball. I'd never heard of them before until he taught me.

"He's helping me learn new pitches and get my throwing action right."

Baseball NT general manager Robert Gower said the sport, often peripheral to the sporting smorgasbord in Australia, had enjoyed its best season ever for participation.

"We're currently sitting at 335 registered players. We're growing quite quickly across there," he said.

"What I'm really pleased to announce is that we've had quite a large increase in the amount of female players that have come on board in the last 12 months."

This week Blake Whitney returns home to America, where the intensity and grind of professional sport will be in full swing.

He'll take it more seriously, but his wife's insights reveal he might not have as much fun as he did in the diamonds of Alice Springs.

"She's like, 'I haven't seen you have this much fun playing baseball in a while,'" Whitney said.

"Out here I feel like a little kid again. It's a great time."

Reflecting on the chance to play a game rather than working a job, Whitney offered this: