The Tribune

Another pair of Bahamian players earned playoff berths with their team in the minor league farm system.

Keithron Moss, Courtney Smith and the DSL Rangers1 (46-24) clinched the Dominican Summer League North division title. Both Rangers teams in the Dominican Republic will advance to the playoffs as DSL Rangers2 (49-21) took the San Pedro division title.

The Dominican Summer League regular season ends on August 25.

Both Moss and Smith competed in their first seasons with the Rangers organisation since they signed during the last International Signing Period.

Moss, the 17-year-old shortstop appeared in 49 games and hit .199 with 11 doubles, 22 RBI, 29 runs scored and eight stolen bases.

Catcher

Smith, a 21-year-old catcher appeared in 15 games and recorded two hits and two RBI on the season. He went 1-4 and got his first stolen base of the season in a 9-3 loss to the DSL Rays2. Moss was 0-2 and scored one run.

The Dominican Summer League is a branch of affiliated minor league baseball which is played in the Dominican Republic. The league was founded in 1985. The 2015 72-game season starts May 30 and ending August 22 with the playoffs starting on August 24.

The league consists of 38 teams in five divisions. Each team is affiliated with a different major league franchise with eight organisations fielding two teams: the Astros, Mariners, Mets, Orioles, Rangers, Reds, Red Sox and Yankees.

Champions

Six teams make the playoffs, the winners of each division plus the best runner-up. The two division champions with the best winning percentages receive byes to the semi-finals.

Other Bahamian players also advanced to the playoffs in their respective minor league systems.

Kristian Robinson, Dominique Collie and the AZL Diamondbacks clinched their first-ever playoff berth in the Arizona Rookie League earlier this month.

The duo helped the Diamondbacks to secure the playoff spot when they swept Sunday’s doubleheader with 6-4 and 8-7 wins over the AZL Rangers at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona.

They rallied from a three-run deficit in the seventh inning and improved to 31-19 overall, second in the AZL East.

In the Single A-Advanced Midwest League, Chavez Young and the Lansing Lugnuts have clinched a playoff berth with a 75-54 record in the Eastern League.