Inside the Rise of Baseball Jobs Overseas, the Platform Changing Lives One Contract at a Time

David Burns never set out to change the international baseball landscape. He just wanted to play one more summer.

Back in 1999, Burns – a Canadian pitcher from British Columbia – took a chance to play abroad for a little-known Austrian team called the Attnang Athletics. It was supposed to last 30 days. But as many good baseball stories go, life had other plans.

He came to play baseball for the summer and never really left. He met someone, got a teaching job, and ultimately made a life in Salzburg. Eventually, he started playing again and helped his team bring in import players. That’s when the idea hit him.

The idea evolved into Baseball Jobs Overseas, a grassroots digital platform that has helped over 2,500 players and coaches find opportunities worldwide in more than 36 countries, spanning from Germany to Australia, Japan, and Italy. It started with a simple question: Why isn’t there one place to connect international baseball talent with international baseball opportunity?

Planting the Seed

In those early days, the process was wildly unorganized. Teams posted on obscure forums or relied on word of mouth. As the Athletics began competing in international tournaments, Burns noticed that other European clubs were also importing talent – mostly Americans and Canadians – but lacked a streamlined process. 

“Teams often really didn’t know how to go about it, or how to find them, so it kind of popped in my head at the time,” Burns said. “You know that there’s no kind of central location to find these players.

For two years, he offered the service for free. Players signed up, created profiles, and clubs reached out. Then things grew.

“It got to a point where I was spending four or five hours a day on it after work,” Burns says. “And that’s when I thought it was time to monetize the product.”

Global Growth, One Contract at a Time

Today, Baseball Jobs Overseas is still a bootstrapped business – no investors, no funding rounds, just a small team and a growing global network.

Burns, 50, reinvests all revenue back into the business while working full-time as an athletic director and marketing lead at an international school in Austria.

That growth includes attending the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Convention, launching a dedicated softball platform (Softball Jobs Overseas), and organizing an international tournament team – the BBJO Globetrotters – that tours and competes around the world.

One of the most high-profile moments came when the platform hosted an event in London with Trevor Bauer, drawing massive attention to what is typically a niche segment of the baseball world.

“It was huge for us,” Burns said. “We had Trevor Bauer pitching in London suddenly, and organized and marketed it within one week.”

Alper Bozkurt: A Bridge Between Europe and the U.S.

One of the platform’s closest allies is Alper Bozkurt, a longtime figure in European baseball and one of Germany’s top youth development coaches.

Bozkurt, who played professionally in Austria in the early 2000s, now serves as the Elite Youth Sports Coordinator for the Paderborn Untouchables and assistant coach for Germany’s U18 National Team.

“Back then, it was about knowing a guy who knew a guy,” Bozkurt recalls. “David started playing around with it when he stopped playing ball, and now we use it a lot to connect with players. Players reach out from around the world to see if we have spots for them.”

Since 2013, Bozkurt has worked closely with Burns and BBJO. And in 2023, he officially joined the team to help connect high school-aged European prospects with U.S. colleges.

“They created huge transparency for players and teams,” he says. “Even if I don’t have a spot for a player, BBJO helps them find one. This is the only resource we use.”

Bozkurt has seen firsthand how far the platform will go to make things happen.

“There was a Turkish player on the site who wouldn’t even make a Sunday league men’s team,” he said, “but Dave found him a chance in Japan. I don’t think it worked out, but the effort was relentless.”

BBJO has also helped revive careers, like Chris Byers, a South African who had given up on baseball until finding the site. He went on to play in Germany and Dubai.

“Byers had hit his ceiling,” Bozkurt said. “Then Baseball Jobs Overseas gave him new life.”

From Boone to the Bigs: Kaleb Bowman’s Journey

Few stories better illustrate the BBJO experience than Kaleb Bowman’s.

Bowman, a standout pitcher at Appalachian State, was coming off a strong senior season in 2019 but didn’t hear his name in the MLB Draft. With few pro options, he searched “baseball jobs” on Google – and stumbled upon the site that would change his life.

“I had no plan,” Bowman recalled. “I just knew I was in shape and wanted to keep playing. The indie ball pay was bad, so I figured, if I’m going to make peanuts, I might as well travel the world.”

He created a BBJO profile and, within 15 hours, had multiple offers – from the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and eventually, Canada. He joined a men’s league in New Brunswick, then signed with Surfers Paradise Baseball Club in Australia, a picturesque beach town that became a pivotal stop in his journey.

“That place changed my life,” he said.

From Australia, Bowman’s BBJO profile landed in the hands of the Regensburg Legionäre, one of Germany’s premier baseball clubs. Two seasons in Germany led to more development, and eventually, a short stint in independent ball with the Gastonia Honey Hunters in the Atlantic League.

“I made four appearances and was throwing 94–95 mph out of the pen,” he said. “That’s when I got a tap on the shoulder – Milwaukee was calling.”

Bowman signed with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023. He advanced from High-A to Double-A and is now one step closer to the big leagues.

“Without David and Jimmy Jensen [COO], I wouldn’t be here,” he said, “I owe everything to them.”

The Ultimate Baseball Nomad: Tim Brown’s Global Journey

If there’s a single player who embodies the spirit of Baseball Jobs Overseas, it’s Tim Brown.

A veteran of nine years of pro and independent baseball in the U.S. – including a stint with the Philadelphia Phillies – Brown has now played in 13 countries and counting. From Australia to Argentina, South Africa to Spain, his passport has more stamps than most travel influencers.

“It’s been a baseball life for me,” Brown said. “I still don’t fully believe it’s real sometimes, to do what you love and play ball around the world.”

Brown first connected with David Burns in 2012 before a playing stint in Australia. Their paths crossed again in Austria, and since then, Brown has been one of BBJO’s most devoted supporters and ambassadors. Now, he plays a formal role on the team.

“When Dave and Tim talked to me about joining the platform, it felt natural,” he said. “I’ve been living this for over a decade. The questions new players ask, I’ve lived them. Now I get to help guide them.”

In his role, Brown advises players, builds member profiles, and serves as a living example of what’s possible through the platform. His real-world experience gives him credibility when working with former pros and high-level college players, considering the international route.

“It’s a fluid role,” he said. “Sometimes I’m helping guys figure out logistics. Other times, I’m just encouraging them to take the leap. I want every player’s overseas experience to be a positive one.”

And Brown is still living the life. He recently spent a month in Egypt, volunteering at schools and orphanages to help grow the game. Now based in Africa, he’s watching firsthand as baseball gains ground in unexpected corners of the globe.

“Two guys were just signed out of Uganda, including one by the Dodgers,” he said. “That’s insane. It shows how far this game is going – and BBJO is part of that growth.”

To Brown, this isn’t just about innings or contracts. It’s about connection.

“It’s a beautiful game and it changes lives for the better,” he said. “It’s hard to put into words the love for the game. You can make connections based on the pure love of the game.”

From Player to Pro Coach: Sarah Edwards’ Global Softball Journey

At just 28 years old, Sarah Edwards has already played or coached in 11 countries and traveled to 21 – a staggering accomplishment for anyone, let alone a female coach breaking into professional men’s baseball.

This season, Edwards is coaching with the CTBC Brothers, the reigning champions of Taiwan’s top baseball league. It’s one of the most respected and competitive programs in Asia, and it’s her latest stop in a journey made possible by Baseball Jobs Overseas.

“I’ve always been a ‘fly by the seat of your pants’ person,” Edwards said. “See which doors open, and walk through the ones that feel right. Coaching the Brothers was one I couldn’t pass up.”

Her introduction to BBJO came through Lisa Maldonado, a coach at Seattle University, who reached out to Edwards’ college coach at Hofstra with news about a new recruiting service for softball players interested in international opportunities.

“That first step changed everything. It’s crazy – the life I’ve had is all because of that moment,” she said.

Edwards has not only played professionally across Europe and New Zealand, but has carved out a respected path as a coach in men’s baseball, a rarity for women globally. After being signed to play in the Mexican Softball League earlier this year, she had to make the difficult choice to pause her playing career to coach full-time in Taiwan.

“There’s no time to play right now – but coaching at this level is a huge opportunity,” she said. “Trying to coach on a national team one day would be another big step for me and for female representation.”

Edwards, who also leads BBJO’s softball division, has emerged as a vital part of the platform’s growth beyond baseball.

“Dave built this without any network,” she said. “He just believed in it. He’s a huge humanitarian in a way – someone with a big heart who loves the game and wants others to succeed.”

While BBJO has opened the door for countless athletic careers, Edwards sees its impact as even broader.

“It has opened so many doors for pro opportunities,” she said, “and a lot of people have ended up finding partners, settling overseas, and having kids. It’s crazy the life that I’ve had, and it’s all because of that first step I took.”

The Bigger Picture

While the site initially focused on Europe, its reach now includes:

• Germany – Over 30 teams across two divisions frequently recruit imports. 
• Australia – A winter hotbed for baseball and home to six semi-pro state leagues. 
• Japan – An emerging BBJO partner market through the Japan Winter League. 
• Italy & Netherlands – Europe’s top pro leagues with growing BBJO placement numbers.

What’s Next?

Looking ahead, BBJO aims to expand youth development, international showcases, and educational pipelines to the U.S. through its dormant but promising Baseball Prospects Overseas project. A physical training facility could also be on the horizon.

“We haven’t scratched the surface yet,” says Burns. “I can feel the energy. Just based on the number of inquiries alone in the last six months. We’re trying to keep that momentum.”

And it all started with a summer in Austria.