The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Another Bahamian baseball talent received an opportunity to further his career at the professional level through the Major League Baseball Draft.

Shameko Smith was selected by the Colorado Rockies organisation yesterday, in the 13th round with the 386th overall pick.

A right-handed pitcher at 6’1” and 190 pounds, he has been reported to have a 95mph fastball.

Smith, an Abaco native, recently completed his freshman season with the Polk Community College Eagles in the NJCAA.

In 14 appearances with 12 starts, he posted a 4-1 win-loss record with 67 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.48 in 61.2 innings.

He earned a second team All-Conference honour in the Suncoast Conference of the FCSAA and was one of nine Polk State players to have received 2017 Suncoast Conference recognition.

Smith made his debut on January 28 and delivered six strikeouts to lead the Eagles to a 5-2 win over Eastern Florida State College.

In five innings he allowed just two runs on four hits. He posted a season-high eight strikeouts on three occasions. The first was on February 11 in a 12-6 win over the University of Tampa JV, in a 3-2 win over South Florida State College on March 18, and again in a 7-1 win over Florida Southwestern on April 7.

His longest appearance of the season was April 13 against South Florida State College when he recorded six strikeouts and pitched seven scoreless innings.

Polk State Baseball ranked first in NJCAA D1 this season with a 2.54 team earned run average.

The Eagles finished 41-13 and won their fourth straight Suncoast Conference championship.

They were eliminated in the FCSAA State/NJCAA Region Tournament after losses to Palm Beach State College and State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota.

At the high school level, Smith attended Baseball Academy of Hope (formerly Faith Baptist Christian School), alongside several other Bahamian players including Chavez Young – currently in the Toronto Bluejays Organisation and Arthur Rolle – recently committed to Georgia State after two years at the JuCo level with Allen Community College.