Sporty teen with rare condition turns disability into an advantage when playing

18-year-old Dylan Rosnick is just like any other boy who loves sports, particularly baseball.

There's just one thing that sets him apart from his team. Rosnick from Virginia (US) was born with a rare condition that causes his skin, tissue and bones to overgrow, according to the Daily Mail. The genetic defect known as Proteus syndrome is a result from a mutation in the AKT1 gene, that normally regulates cell growth. Three of Rosnick's fingers on each hand are abnormally long and his left fingers extend six inches.

Dylan's condition was noticeable from an early large when his hands started getting bigger as a baby. He was just 13 when he had surgery to remove the growth plates in his hands so they wouldn't grow further. The condition in Dylan's case is considered mild.

However, the baseball player uses his circumstance to his advantage while playing the game. Because of his extended fingers, he is able to hold the ball in a certain way that leads to an unhittable pitch, the report reveals. The teenager will be soon be attending Christopher Newport University and plans to join the college's baseball team.

Proteus syndrome affects men more than women. Some people born with this syndrome can have neurological abnormalities, loss of sight and seizures. There are 120 documented cases of Proteus syndrome globally.