The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Minor League Baseball opened play yesterday, and three Bahamians were in participation for their respective clubs in the Double-A Southern League.

Lucius Fox of the Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays), Jazz Chisholm of the Jackson Generals (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Anfernee Seymour of the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Miami Marlins) each participated in Spring Training with the main rosters of their franchises prior to their 2019 season debuts.

Fox finished 1-3 with one RBI, one run scored and one stolen base in the Biscuits’ 6-3 over the Chattanooga Lookouts.

In the top of the sixth, Fox singled to plate Rene Pinto and reached second on a throwing error.

Fox was listed as the No 11 overall prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays organisation in the preseason and the Rays were listed as the No 2 farm system in all of the MLB.

Last season, Fox achieved two All-Star appearances and reached the Double-A level for the first time in his career.

In the Arizona Fall League he hit .326 for Peoria with a .437 OBP, an .821 OPS in 22 games. Fox had 29 hits including three doubles, one home run, collected 11 RBIs, eight stolen bases and 12 runs scored. He was also named an AFL All-Star.

Fox advanced to Double-A when the Rays assigned him to the Montgomery Biscuits.

In 27 games with the Biscuits, Fox hit .221 with a .284 OBP, four stolen bases, 23 hits, three doubles, one triple, nine RBI and 14 runs scored.

Chisholm went hitless in his Double-A debut, but his Generals got the win in the head to matchup over Seymour and the Jumbo Shrimp.

Chisholm, the No 1 overall prospect in the Diamondbacks organisation was listed at No 60 overall in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100, one of 36 prospects on this year’s list who did not make the list just a year ago. He was also one of 12 shortstops and 32 international signees on the list representing 10 countries. Chisholm was also recently listed as one of the top 10 shortstop prospects in all of the minor leagues by MLB Pipeline.

In 2018, Chisholm was recognised twice by the Diamondbacks as its Minor League Player of the Year and was also named an organisational all-star. He spent the season between the Single-A Kane County Cougars and the Single-A Advanced Visalia Rawhide.

On the season between two clubs, he hit .272 (124-456)/.329 OBP/.513 SLG with 23 doubles, six triples, 25 home runs, 70 RBI, 39 walks, 17 stolen bases and 79 runs scored in 112 games

A Midwest League midseason All-Star, Chisholm, 20, led all D-backs farm system players in home runs, and ranked among the leaders in runs (3rd), triples (T-5th), RBI (7th), slugging pct. (8th) and walks (T-9th)

Seymour returned to the Marlins last season and fluctuated between the Double A and Single A levels.

He was eventually re-promoted to the Jumbo Shrimp from the Jupiter Hammerheads of the Single A-Advanced

Florida State League.

In 51 games with the Jumbo Shrimp, Seymour hit .284 with an .760 OPS and .433 slugging

percentage. He totaled 57 hits, 11 doubles, five ripples, three home runs, with 24 RBI, 27 runs scored and 16 stolen bases.

For the season across three clubs, Seymour appeared in 100 games, hit .257 with a .697 OPS, 35 RBI with 24 stolen bases and four home runs.