The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

For the second consecutive season, Champ Stuart has received a spring training call up with the New York Mets organisation.

Stuart was assigned to the Mets and joined the team yesterday in Grapefruit League play at First Data Field in Port St Lucie, Florida. Stuart did not see action yesterday in the Mets’ 11-4 loss to the New York Yankees. In 101 games last season with the Double-A Binghampton Rumble Ponies, Stuart led the Eastern League with 35 stolen bases, hit .222, slugging .331, an on-base percentage of .310, an OPS of .641 and five home runs.

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. His last call up was also preluded by a stellar regular season, and an offseason spent in the Arizona Fall League.

The Arizona Fall League attracts many of the top prospects in the minor leagues.The league is designed for these prospects to refine their skills and perform in game settings in front of major and minor league baseball scouts and team executives, who are in attendance at almost every game.

In 19 games, Stuart hit .300 with 12 runs scored, five RBI, 12 stolen bases an OBP of.329 and OPS of .729 with one home run.

He continued with the Port St Lucie Mets in Single-A Advanced, which led to a Double-A call-up with Binghamton. Through 114 games in both leagues, Stuart hit .240 with 34 RBI and eight home runs.

He has also totalled an OBP of .319, slugging percentage of .349 an OPS of .663 and his aforementioned 40 stolen bases.

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.