The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

A PAIR of top Bahamian prospects eligible for Major League Baseball’s Rule 5 Draft were named to the 40-man rosters of their respective clubs retaining their rights and protecting them from the draft.

The Miami Marlins added and protected Jazz Chisholm while the Tampa Bay Rays did the same with Lucius Fox as the updates roster deadline passed last night.

Players are Rule 5 eligible after five years if they were first signed at age 18 or younger.

For international players signed on July 2, 2015, like Fox and Chisholm, they became Rule 5 Draft eligible this year.

Teams also set their Triple-A rosters and any players not protected or named to either roster are eligible for the their respective portion of the Rule 5 draft.

Unprotected players are eligible to be taken by the other 29 teams when the draft takes place at the Winter Meetings in San Diego, California, on Thursday, December. 12.

The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to have them play in the majors.

Jazz Chisholm, the No.4 prospect in the Marlins organisation, is currently the leadoff hitter for Criollos de Caguas in the Puerto Rican Winter League. He is hitting .375 with 2 RBI in eight at bats. He was ranked at No.55 on the list of MLB’s Top 100 prospects at the conclusion of the 2019 minor league season.

He was named the top defensive centre in the Double-A Southwest League and his advancement to Double-A baseball this season produced a Southern League All-Star selection after he led all the league’s shortstops with 21 home runs and 173 total bases.

In 112 Southern League games this season with the Jackson Generals and eventually with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, Chisholm batted .220 with a .321 OBP, a .441 slugging percentage with 10 doubles, seven triples, 21 home runs, 54 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. He finished in a tie for second in home runs and fourth in triples.

Chisholm was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks to Miami for starting pitcher Zac Gallen.

Following the trade, in 23 games with the Jumbo Shrimp, he hit .284 with a .383 OBP and a .494 slugging percentage with four doubles, two triples, three home runs, 10 RBIs and three stolen bases.

Fox received league-wide recognition and was awarded “Best Hustler” for his baserunning ability when the league announced its Postseason Awards. He spent 15 games this season in Triple-A with the Durham Bulls, but has spent the bulk of the year with the Montgomery Biscuits in the Double A Southern League. He went on to lead the Southern League with 37 stolen bases.

In 112 games this season across both leagues (104 with the Biscuits), Fox hit .221 with a .331 OBP and a .657 OPS. He totalled 90 hits including 16 . doubles, nine triples, three home runs, 34 RBIs, and scored 66 runs.