The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

YOU can "save the date" for the third edition of The Don't Blink Home Run Derby in Paradise.

Organisers announced via social media that next year's event will be hosted on January 4, 2020.

The project is the brainchild of Todd Isaacs Jr (Colorado Rockies) and Lucius Fox Jr (Tampa Bay Rays). They also unveiled the 2020 jerseys, which are available for customisation and pre-order for a limited time on www.dontblinkapparel.com

"The jerseys were inspired by the Bahamian Coat of Arms as we showcased our national fish, the blue marlin and our national bird, the flamingo. In the wake of Hurricane Dorian, we felt the need to show the strength, grace and beauty of the Bahamas through our jersey designs. Team Fox represents the "Pink Mingo" and Team Isaacs represents the "Blue Marlin."

For more information, follow the event on Instagram @dbherderby on Twitter @DontBlink242 or on Facebook @DontBlink242.

Bo Bichette put on another spectacular hitting display and claimed his second consecutive title of "Home Run King" at this year's event.

The revolutionary concept once again produced a series of highlights and showcased the Bahamas' elite baseball talent at the Montagu Bay foreshore.

An afternoon of power-hitting display from Bahamian minor leaguers and several visiting international prospects culminated in a final matchup between Bichette and Isaacs. Bichette finished with nine in the final round to surpass the eight posted by Isaacs.

The 2019 event featured the format change divided into teams headlined by Fox and Isaacs. Following the team format, the top four individual hitters from each team advanced to the individual segment.

Twenty active Bahamian professional players participated in the event, up from 16 local participants in 2018.

In 2012, there were just two active Bahamians in the minor league system, indicative of baseball's exponential growth in the country.

In addition to Fox and Isaacs, other local competitors included Warren Saunders (New York Mets), Anfernee Seymour (Miami Marlins), Chavez Young (Toronto Blue Jays), Trent Deveaux (Los Angeles Angels), D'Shawn Knowles (Los Angeles Angels), D'Vaughn Knowles (New York Yankees), Orveo Saint (Milwaukee Brewers), Kristian Robinson (Arizona Diamondbacks), Jazz Chisholm (Miami Marlins), Dominic Collie, Keithron Moss (Texas Rangers), Reshard Munroe (Cincinnati Reds) and Courtney Smith.

Bichette and the Miami Marlins' Lewis Brinson - the first major leaguer to hit in the derby - led the American prospects in the lineup.

Others included Shed Long (Cincinnati Reds), Nolan Jones (Cleveland Indians), Nate Lowe (Tampa Bay Rays), Will Benson (Cleveland Indians), Josh Lowe (Tampa Bay Rays), Monte Harrison (Miami Marlins), and Tyler Frank (Tampa Bay Rays).

"I'm really humbled and excited for what we can accomplish in the future. It was a lot of fun to feel this energy," Isaacs said at the conclusion of last year's event. "It's all about the fans and creating an atmosphere for baseball to flourish in the country. The Bahamas is a breeding ground for talent on and off the baseball field and in all professions in the world, so for us to bring this amount of people out and create something for people to recognise the amount of talent we have here is incredible. I'm looking forward to the number of Bahamian professional players to continue to grow so we could have even more competitors next year."

Proceeds from the event annually benefit the Cancer Society of the Bahamas, the Sister Sister Breast Cancer Support Group and the development of youth baseball in the Bahamas.