The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IN another historic selection process for the Bahamas, graduating room-mates Anfernee Seymour and Todd Isaacs were joined by near by high school resident Byron Murray as members of the Major League Class of 2014 Draft that took place over the weekend in Secaucus, New York.

While Seymour was the leader of the pack, getting selected with the 197th pick in round seven by the Miami Marlins, Isaacs Jr got called by the Toronto Bluejays in round 22 at No.654. He was followed three rounds later by Murray with the 748th pick by the San Francisco Giants.

The trio, who all went to Xavier’s Lower School and St. Augustine’s College before they left the Bahamas, were all selected based on their performances right out of high school in Florida. While Seymour and Isaacs Jr are products out of Freedom Farm in Yamacraw, Murray came up through the ranks of the Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN) at the St Andrew’s Field of Dreams.

The Bahamas could now have seven players in the professional ranks as Antoan Richardson, Albert Cartwright, Champ Stuart and Dario Saunders are all playing in the minor leagues across the United States. They will also add to the list of 46 players who played in the minors with six of them advancing to the major league.

Richardson, the last Bahamian to play in the majors with the Atlanta Braves, joined an elite field that included Andre Rodgers, Anthony Curry, Wenty Ford, Ed Armbrister and Wilfred Culmer.

Except for Armbrister, who is currently making a contribution to the development of some of our junior players, Rodgers, Curry, Ford and Culmer all passed away.

The list in the minor league included Vincent Ferguson, Edmondo Moxey, Lionel Rodgers, David ‘Billy’ McKlewhite, Randy Rolle, Adrian Rodgers, Vincent Albury, Henry ‘Hank’ Williams, Hugh ‘Meat Man’ Bethel, Fred ‘Papa’ Smith, Jayson ‘Pegs’ Moxey, Eddie Ford, Randy Rodgers, Roy Bethel, Roosevelt ‘Dog’ Turner, Frankie Sands, Fred ‘Sea Egg’ Taylor, Sidney McKenzie, Simeno Humes, Shad Rolle, Keith Gomez, Pat Ingraham, Kendal Munroe, Sidney ‘Butts’ Outten, Louis McQuay, Creswell ‘the Bomber’ Pratt, Andre ‘Star’ Wood, Jackie Wright, Johnathan Armbrister, Ken Adderley, Jervis Stuart, Randolph Thompson, Winston ‘Strawberry’ Seymour, Angelo ‘Gello’ Burrows, Jamal ‘Sarge’ Johnson, Geron Sands, Gregory Burrows Jr, Neil Forsyth, Sean Albury and Ricardo Cartwright.

For the newest members, who are waiting to make their professional debut in the fraternity, it was a weekend that neither any of them or their family will forget.

Anfernee Seymour, 6-feet, 165-pounds, 18 years old, was selected by the Marlins as a shortstop.

Seymour is a shortstop out of the American Heritage School, who was a member of the 2014 Florida - All Region 2nd Team. He will be returning to the position he played in high school at St. Augustine’s College and in Freedom Farm, although he was converted to the outfield when he left the Bahamas.

“I just couldn’t believe it. I thought it was unreal,” said Seymour, who was at a friend’s house in I was in Boynton Beach, Florida at a friend’s house. “The feeling still hasn’t sunk in as yet. I wasn’t expecting it, but I knew it was coming. I guess hard work pays off.

Even though he’s not officially made any commitment to the Marlins, Seymour said he was advised that they will be looking for him to hit the ball, steal bases and play some solid defense.

Seymour’s mother, Jeannie Scavalla, who has worked tirelessly with the Bahamas Baseball Federation that was formed while her son played in Freedom Farm, said she was overwhelmed when she got the news.

“It’s a good feeling because I know where he came from and how hard he worked to get where he is,” she stressed. “From a little boy, all he talked about is playing professional baseball, playing in the major league. For the moment to actually be here, that was a wow moment.

“My nephew said to me: ‘auntie, if everybody who said oh my God would have given me 25 cents, I could have brought a car.’ That’s how it was. It was one of those ‘On my God moment.’ When the phone rang, I don’t think I remembered much of the conversation after that.”

Seymour, whose father is William Seymour, said it was extra special for him and Isaacs Jr., whom he spent a great deal of time as room-mates at Heritage after he was also selected.

Todd Isaacs Jr., 6-0, 180 lbs, 18 years old, who bat and throw with his right hand, will be looking forward to suiting up for Toronto in their farm system as an outfielder.

From Thursday leading up to draft day, the two Isaacs were together in Miami at the home of the sister of the older Isaacs.

“It’s really a honor being selected among all of the players in the United States,” said Isaacs Jr., who is currently home enjoying some good Bahamian food and playing with some of his friends at Freedom Farm. “I know a lot of Americans and other players wished they were selected, so just to hear my name called was a blessing.”

After he didn’t get the call on the first two days of the draft, Isaacs Jr said he got a little complacent and his parents, Isaacs Sr and Mia Dean were more concerned, but his advisor encouraged him to be patient.

“He told me getting drafted on the final day on Saturday was where I wanted to be because I will have more bargaining room,” he said. “He told me it will all work out so that kept me positive. My parents were really concerned. On Saturday, we got a few calls, but we didn’t know where we were going. We got caught off guard because we were just getting ready to go to a restaurant to get some food, so at first I didn’t even hear the name of the team.”

Isaacs Jr, who also came through the ranks of Freedom Farm, said he’s now looking forward to getting back to the United States to begin his long haul as one of the three players selected from the Bahamas.

“I want to congratulate the other two players,” he said. “Me and Anfernee lived in the same 2x 4 room. His bed was right on the side of mine, so we shared everything together. And Byron went to school not too far down the road from our school, so we were all pretty close.”

His father, Todd Isaacs Sr., said it was quite an exhausting process because they thought one of the teams that was making the inquiries would end up selecting him.

“Last year he played with the Toronto scout team, so they’ve been following him and watching in, but leading up to the draft, they communicated, but not as much as other teams, so it was a surprise and a blessing,” the older Isaacs noted. “There are a lot more players out there who didn’t get the call, so this is definitely a blessing.

“Obviously this was a pitcher heavy draft. Position players didn’t go until late and they also took a lot of college seniors big time, so they will save a lot of money, so this was a historic draft,” Isaacs Sr said. “We are still negotiating. It’s a work in progress. But for now, he’s drafted by the Bluejays and Toronto is not a bad city to be in, if he makes it there.”

Byron Murray, 5-10, 200 lbs, 18 year old, will be gearing up for a sting with the Giants as a versatile right hand power hitter, who can play both in and outfield.

For Murray, who was also a 2014 Florida All Region and was an Underclass High Honorable Mention in both 2013 and 2012, said he’s looking forward to making the best of his opportunity.

“I was just glad to hear my name,” he said, “I was like it’s me or not. I just feel happy to be recognized among all of the great players out there.”

And even though its still early in the game, Murray said he’s elated to be in the position that he find himself.

“I haven’t had a chance to speak to them yet,” he said. “So I’m just going to stay in shape and wait for them to give me a call.”

The JBLN standout noted that it was even exciting to hear both Seymour and Isaacs get drafted because they were all playing very well this year and he’s looking forward to each of them continuing to perform at their best wherever they end up playing in the future.

His father, Bertie Murray Jr, a talented player himself but never got a chance to go to the pro ranks, said it’s a great feeling to see the first of his two sons accomplish the feat.

“We have an opportunity to take advantage of a major league,” he said. “Just hearing his name call adds great opportunities for us.”

Although there was a Brandon Murray drafted with the 892nd pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 30th round as a right hand pitcher, it’s not Murray’s other son. The Bahamian Brandon Murray was completing his collegiate sting at the College of Charleston where they they played in the Super Regional over the weekend in Lubbock, Texas. They got eliminated 1-0 by Texas Tech.

“We will be exploring the opportunities that are available for him,” said Murray, who, along with his wife, Michelle, could make history by having two sons playing professionally at the same time.