ALMOST a decade on from his first professional deal, Newcastle pitcher Lachlan Wells feels "more mature" for a second crack at the Major Baseball League (MLB) dream.
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A "rejuvenated" Wells has signed with US franchise the Philadelphia Phillies, fresh from a year off and now enjoying career-best form at the Adelaide Giants.
Left-handed Wells, 26 and the twin brother of former Baltimore Orioles representative Alex, previously played minor leagues with the Minnesota Twins between 2015 and 2019 before returning home.
He's poised to depart next month and join his new club after the upcoming Australian Baseball League finals series, with Adelaide chasing back-to-back titles.
"I'm going over there more mature, older now," Wells told Baseball Australia media following confirmation of the contract over the weekend.
"I have had a taste of what it's all about. I'm not going into the deep end, I have an idea of what to expect, what can happen. Just having that bit of experience in life will help."
Wells says his decision to have a break last summer "rejuvenated me with the passion and the drive I have for baseball. It reminded me how much I love it. I just wanted to come back and have more fun".
Overseas at the Phillies he will line up alongside many of his Adelaide teammates, including Novocastrian batter Rixon Wingrove.
Domestically, reigning champions the Giants sit on top of the ladder and have already booked a spot in the play-offs. Belmont product Wells has helped Adelaide, who host the Sydney Blue Sox from Thursday, win all seven games he's started on the mound this season. He has 46 strikeouts.
And he hasn't given up on returning to the Aussie national squad, having been to the World Baseball Classic in 2017, declaring: "I'd love the opportunity again".