The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

CHAMP Stuart continues to deliver impressive performances for the New York Mets organisation in the Offseason Arizona Fall League.

Competing for the  Scottsdale Scorpions, Stuart currently leads the team and is third in the AFL with a .375 batting average. He is also tied for second in the league in stolen bases with five.

In 32 at-bats in nine games, Stuart also has an on-base percentage of .412 and a slugging percentage of .531 with two doubles and one home run.

Heading into last night’s matchup against the Peoria Javelinas, Stuart was also in the midst of a six-game hitting streak.

“Although it’s a small sample size, Stuart is facing some of the best pitching prospects in baseball. So these results are encouraging. So he’d immediately be the fastest runner on the Mets and one of the fastest in baseball if he winds up in the big club,” said Danny Abriano of Mets grassroots news outlet, risingapple,com. “If Stuart can right the ship in Binghamton next season, he could find himself in Triple-A Las Vegas by the middle of the season and could potentially be an option for the Mets should they need a fill-in outfielder at some point.”

Stuart continued his rise in the New York Mets organisation as a centre fielder, when he was named to the Scorpions roster for the AFL.

The Scorpions have MLB affiliations with the Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels.

“Obviously it’s a privilege and honour to be here with the Mets. I’m just happy to be here, to put on a uniform again and be playing ball again. To play among the best in the minor leagues, it’s really fun right now,” Stuart told Adam Rubin of ESPN.

The Arizona Fall League attracts many of the top prospects in the minor leagues.

In 2016 he had a season of several milestones, including  an appearance as a pinch runner in the final Grapefruit League game for the Mets in spring training and a stellar season with the Port St Lucie Mets in Single-A Advanced which led to a Double A call up with the Binghamton Mets.

Through 114 games in both leagues, Stuart hit .240 with 34 RBI and eight home runs. He has also totalled an on-base percentage of .319, slugging percentage of .349 an OPS of .663 and 40 stolen bases.

This summer, Stuart was one of 10 Bahamian players to compete for Team Great Britain at the World Baseball Classic Qualifier in Brooklyn, New York. During the tournament, he hit .467 with an PS of 1.233, OBP of .500, with three RBI and 11 total bases.