The Tribune

ANDRE Arthur became the latest Bahamian prospect to join the Miami Marlins farm system.

The Marlins signed the 17-year-old, 6’5” 185-pound outfielder out of the International Elite Sports Academy last week on the final day of the 2019-20 International Signing Period.

The International Signing Period traditionally runs from July 2 through June 15 of the following year, but Major League Baseball made an extension of an additional four months due to the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic which readjusted the league’s schedule.

Arthur joins current major leaguer Jazz Chisholm and minor league prospect Ian Lewis in the Marlins organisation. Chisholm made his MLB debut this season while Lewis is currently participating in the Florida Instructional League.

He also became the fifth Bahamian signed during the current period following Lewis, Everett Cooper (Houston Astros), Dax Stubbs (Baltimore Orioles) and Zion Bannister (Texas Rangers).

Arthur was the latest of more than a dozen Marlins prospects signed during the current signing period. He was the second prospect signed by the team since the end of the regular season on October 8, following Venezuelan pitcher Yoelvis Burguillos.

A busy 2018 season for Arthur on the Perfect Game Showcase circuit with Maximum Development Academy was highlighted by his selection to the PG 14U Select Baseball Festival. He also participated in the 2018 WWBA Freshman World Championship, WWBA 15U National Championship and the 15U BCS National Championship.

Adrian Lorenzo, Marlins’ special assistant of Baseball Operations, expressed his excitement at the growth of baseball in the Bahamas at Lewis’ signing.

“This baseball market is a particular passion project of mine to make sure the players from this country continue to develop. I want to point that out so people can appreciate what’s been going on here, to develop this baseball market in such a short amount of time is quite a testament to what is going on in the Bahamas.”

MLB officially announced that the next International Signing Period is scheduled to run from January 15 to December 15, 2021.