By RENALDO DORSETT
Sports Reporter
rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
HIS path to Major League Baseball took him to junior college for a season to improve his stock, and Todd Isaacs Jr did just that as he was drafted midway through day three of the 2015 MLB Draft.
Isaacs was chosen by the Cleveland Indians in the 19th round as the 574th selection yesterday, following a critically acclaimed year with the Palm Beach State Community College Panthers.
In 2014, Isaacs was drafted by the Toronto Bluejays in round 22 at No.654 but opted to attend Palm Beach State rather than pursue the club’s farm system directly out of high school.
Prior to the draft, Isaacs confirmed that he will forego the remainder of his collegiate career and, this time around, take his shot at the major leagues once he was selected.
“I’m definitely taking the chance this year. It doesn’t matter which round I go in, as long as someone wants to present me with an opportunity I’m going to take it this year,” he said.
In 57 games with the Panthers, Isaacs hit .330 with 40 runs scored, 30 RBI and 31 stolen bases.
“There were a few plays that made me realise I’m ready,” he said.
“On the defensive side there were a few plays where I ran down balls in the left and right field gaps and when I caught them I looked back and realised how much ground I covered.”
His 60-yard dash has been timed in 6.1 seconds, ranking him among the fastest runners on any level of collegiate baseball.
The 2015 Draft was the third consecutive year a Bahamian was selected by an MLB franchise.
In 2013, Champ Stuart was selected out of Brevard College by the New York Mets in the sixth round with the 176th pick.
In 2014, Isaacs was one of three players selected along with graduating high school seniors Anfernee Seymour and Byron Murray.
Seymour was selected with the 197th pick in round seven by the Miami Marlins while Murray was taken in round No.25 with the 748th pick by the San Francisco Giants.
Both Seymour and Murray chose to make the jump to the farm system of their respective franchises.
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