The globalization of sports is ongoing, as interest in the No. 1 sport in the world continues to grow in the United States. That’s football, of course -- or soccer, as it’s known in this hemisphere.

Meanwhile, sports fans in the developing world are accumulating more disposable income. They look for more indepth coverage of their favorite sports, such as cricket or rugby, as well as the professional sports leagues in North America.

There’s a new twist to this globalization. On Monday, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed two young pitching prospects from India. The two 20-year-olds, Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel, are believed to be the first Indian natives to sign professional contracts to play baseball outside of South Asia.

Both participated in a reality TV show called “Million Dollar Arm” in their homeland, which sought to find athletes who could throw at least 85 mph and throw strikes. The contest was sponsored by a California sports management company that believed it could locate major league-worthy arms in a country of more than 1 billion people.

The finalists traveled to the United States and worked extensively with University of Southern California pitching coach Tom House over the last six months. They staged a tryout in Tempe, Ariz., on Nov. 6, which was attended by 30 major league scouts.

The Pirates have little history of scouting beyond Central America, but GM Neil Huntington, who took over baseball operations a little more than a year ago, said that will change.

“The Pirates are committed to creatively adding talent to our organization,” Huntington said Monday. “By adding these two young men, the Pirates are pleased to not only add two prospects to our system but also hope to open a pathway to an untapped market. We are intrigued by Patel’s arm strength and Singh’s frame and potential.”

Obviously both kids are raw, as their exposure to baseball began less than a year ago. Huntington noted, however, that both have improved markedly since picking up a baseball for the first time.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Patel hit 90 mph on the radar gun during his tryout, and the 6-2, 195-pound Singh topped out at 84 mph. Each has thrown harder during workout sessions that weren’t attended by scouts. Neither has taken the mound in a game situation.

Both Patel and Singh call the northern state of Uttar Pradesh home, which is located just to the south of Nepal. Neither Patel, a right-hander, nor the left-handed Singh, had left his small village before coming to the United States.

Today they are pioneers in a faraway place, adjusting to a strange culture halfway around the world from home. With their lack of baseball experience, both are likely to spend at least four years in the minor leagues, but a successful climb to the majors would make them well known on both sides of the planet.