The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THERE are now five Bahamian baseball prospects on Spring Training rosters for their respective Major League Baseball organisations.

Anfernee Seymour (Miami Marlins) and Trent Deveaux (Los Angeles Angels) were the latest to receive the call up to the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues respectively last week. They joined Lucius Fox (Tampa Bay Rays), Jazz Chisholm (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Chavez Young (Toronto Blue Jays) who received their invitations earlier this offseason.

Deveaux is listed as No. 17 on the Angels’ list of top 30 prospects. The 18-year-old outfielder appeared in 44 games in the Arizona Rookie League last year and hit .199 with a .309 OBP, .556 OPS with 11 RBI, 20 runs scored, seven stolen bases and one home run. “Deveaux continues to be one of the best athletes in the organisation. He has top of the scale speed, which should allow him to steal bases and cover a ton of ground as an above-average, if not eventually plus, centre fielder. Deveaux has pleased the organisation with his willingness to ask questions and learn with an understanding he has a long way to go,” according to his MLB Pipeline analysis.

Seymour returned to the Marlins last season and fluctuated between the Double A and Single A levels. He was eventually re-promoted to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp of the Double A’s Southern League from the Jupiter Hammerheads of the Single A-Advanced Florida State League.

The 23-year-old centrefielder was previously assigned to the Jumbo Shrimp earlier in the season but in just under two weeks, he was sent back down to the Hammerheads in Single-A.

After being released by the Atlanta Braves (Florida Fire Frogs) in May, Seymour was signed by the Marlins just four days later and was subsequently assigned to the Hammerheads.

In 51 games with the club, Seymour hit .284 with an .760 OPS and .433 slugging percentage. He totalled 57 hits, 11 doubles, five ripples, three home runs, with 24 RBI, 27 runs scored and 16 stolen bases. He struggled early this season with the Fire Frogs prior to his release and was batting just .195/.242/.287 with 28 strikeouts in 87 at bats.

His season underwent a complete turnaround with the Hammerheads and recorded hits in nine of his first 11 games. 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.