The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

AS various minor leagues in the MLB system continue their opening weeks, more Bahamian players had the opportunity to make their career and season debuts.

The latest pair to compete on their own version of opening day was Todd Isaacs Jr and Jasrado Chisholm.

Isaacs, in the Cleveland Indians farm system, has advanced to the Class A Short Season with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers of the New York-Penn League.

After he opened the season Friday with an 0-3 outing in his season debut against the West Virginia Black Bears, Isaacs went 1-3 with one stolen base in game two of the series.

The Scrappers got their first win of the season yesterday (14-5) over the Auburn Doubledays.

Isaacs hit leadoff and went 2-6 with two runs scored.

The New York–Penn league operates in the Northeast beginning in June, after major league teams have signed their amateur draft picks to professional contracts, and ends in early September.

Prior to this season, Isaacs spent last year in the Arizona Rookie League with the AZL Indians.

Through 34 games he hit .214, with six RBI, scored 12 runs with five stolen bases. He had an on base percentage of .225 and OPS of .507.

Isaacs, 20, was chosen by the Cleveland Indians in the 19th round as the 574th selection of the 2015 MLB Draft, 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. In 57 games with the Panthers, Isaacs hit .330 with 40 runs scored, 30 RBI and 31 stolen bases.

His 60-yard dash was 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.

Chisholm made his minor league debut in the Arizona Diamondbacks farm system with hits in his first two games.

Playing with the Missoula Osprey of the Pioneer League, Chisholm played short stop and debuted 1-2 against the Billings Mustangs. He followed with a 1-4 outing in game two.

The Pioneer League operates in the Rocky Mountain region and in the past, it also operated in adjoining portions of Canada. It is classified as a rookie league, and is staffed with mostly first and second year players. The Pioneer League is a short-season league operating from June to early September.

Chisholm, a versatile infielder, was signed by the Diamondbacks organisation last July with a $200,000 signing bonus.

The 18-year-old came to Max D Academy following the conclusion of his career at Life Prep in Wichita, Kansas.

The confident Chisholm talked about his humble beginnings in the game and said he hoped to serve as an inspiration for younger baseball players.

“I’d like to thank the Arizona Diamondbacks for believing in me and for letting me pursue my dreams,” he said on signing day. “I just want to be the stepping stone for younger players coming up, because through strength and determination, we can do anything.”

Byron Murray will also return to the Northwest League with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the San Francisco Giants system.

He has yet to make his debut this season, but spent a brief six- game stint with the club last season.

Murray, 20, was selected by the Giants in the 25th round with the 748th pick out of Trinity Christian in Lake Worth, Florida.

In 2014 with the AZL Giants, the outfielder appeared in 19 games and in 68 at bats, hit .279 with a respectable .412 slugging percentage and 12 RBI.    

In 2015 again with the AZL Giants before he was called up to the Volcanoes, he appeared in 47 games and in 180 at bats, hit .251 with three home runs, 28 RBI and eight stolen bases. He posted an on base percentage of .315, slugging percentage of .461 and OPS of .776.