The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

JERVIS “Champ” Stuart received another promotion in the New York Mets organisation, a week ahead of Minor League Baseball Opening Day.

Stuart was assigned to the Las Vegas 51s, the Mets’ Triple A-affiliate in the Pacific Coast League.

Based in Las Vegas, they are named for Area 51 which is located near Rachel, Nevada, about 80 miles north of Las Vegas. They play at Cashman Field which has a capacity of 9,334 people. The 51s won the PCL championship as the Stars in 1986 and 1988.

The team has plans to move into Las Vegas Ballpark, a new 10,000-seat facility located in Summerlin, in 2019.

In 2012, the 51s signed a Player Development Contract with the Mets. For the second consecutive offseason, Stuart has received a spring training call up from the Mets in Grapefruit League play at First Data Field in Port St Lucie, Florida.

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 league attracts many of the top prospects in the minor leagues and 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.