A's sign man who threw 96 mph ball in pitch speed challenge

Some tosses at a baseball radar booth have become a "Field of Dreams" moment for a 23-year-old. Nathan Patterson proved that if you pitch it hard enough, the scouts will come.

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Patterson, from Mesa, Arizona, hit 96 mph on the radar gun during a Colorado Rockies game just over two weeks ago. He is now a professional baseball player after signing a minor league contract Thursday with the Oakland Athletics, MLB.com reported.

Patterson and his brother competed in the speed pitch challenge at Coors Field in Denver on July 15.

"Guys, we were just chillin' at a Rockies baseball game, and my brother decided to step into a speed pitch challenge," Christian Patterson tweeted. "He hit 96 mph. MLB let's get him signed."

Guys, we were just chillin at a @rockies baseball game, and my brother decided to step into a speed pitch challenge...he hit 96 mph 😳 @MLB Let’s get him signed! pic.twitter.com/g0fKrvUxzt
— Christian Patterson (@cpatterson_7) July 15, 2019

Patterson was hitting the mid-90s on the radar gun several months ago, posting his feat on social media -- while his left arm was in a cast, MLB.com reported.

"This story is not over," Nathan Patterson wrote on Instagram. "It is not the beginning. I am writing the next chapters and excited for the journey."

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“How can you not be romantic about baseball” -Billy Beane Words cannot describe this feeling and I cannot thank everyone enough who has been part of this journey so far! My family has given me nothing but constant love and support throughout the last 9 months as I pursue a dream of mine that I’ve had since I was a little kid. It’s been a roller coaster to get here with many challenges and overcoming adversity. I’m grateful for all the trainers, coaches, friends, @rsrbaseball and everyone else who has supported me thus far! And for those who tell you that you can’t achieve your dreams, use that as fuel to work even harder. Because those people are the ones that settle. I’m grateful for the @athletics organization for giving me this opportunity! This story is not over. It is not the beginning. I am writing the next chapters and excited for this journey! Time to focus even more, work even harder, and it all starts with your mindset. Go after your dreams and make them a reality!

A post shared by Nathan Patterson (@njpatterson12) on Aug 1, 2019 at 2:10pm PDT