The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

TODD Isaacs Jr returned to the New Jersey Jackals for his second season with the club in the Frontier League and helped the team to a series opening win to begin their 25th campaign as a franchise.

Isaacs finished with three hits, one home run and four RBI as the Jackals took 2-3 games over the Evansville Otters in Evansville, Indiana over the weekend.

In game one, he finished 1-5 with a two-RBI single in the Jackals’ 9-5 win.

In a game two that began Saturday afternoon before inclement weather forced its postponement and completion on Sunday - Isaacs hit his first home run of the season in a 10-9 Jackals win.

He finished 2-4 with two RBI, two runs scored and one stolen base.

New Jersey trailed 8-4 when play was halted Saturday night and returned Sunday to take the come from behind win. They dropped the second game of the impromptu double header 4-0.

The Jackals continue their season tonight when they begin a six game road trip in Florence, Kentucky against the Florence Y’alls.

The Frontier League is the largest league in all of independent professional baseball. It includes teams in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Eastern Canada. Last year it merged with the American Association and the Atlantic League to become an official MLB Partner League.

The Jackals compete in the Northeast Division with a 96 game regular season schedule. This will be the first season that the Jackals will be facing off against the majority of the teams in the West Division - Evansville, Florence, Lake Erie, and Schaumburg for the first time, Within their own conference, the Ottawa Titans and Empire State Greys will grace the team’s calendar for the first time.

In order to make the playoffs, the Jackals need a top three finish in the eight team East Division.

In just 53 games last season, Isaacs’ 11 home runs ranked second on the team behind Justin Wylie’s 15, achieved in 80 games.

For the season, Isaacs hit .304 with 63 hits, including nine doubles, three triples, 32 RBI, scored 44 runs, nine stolen bases, slugging .536 with an .889 .OPS

At the minor league level, Isaacs last played for the Colorado Rockies organisation with their Triple A affiliate (Albuquerque Isotopes) in 2020, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He spent the bulk of the season in Grand Junction at the Rookie Level but also received the highest call up of his career when he was called up to the Isotopes of the Pacific Coast League.

He was released by the Rockies in April, following the cancellation of the minor league baseball season.

After spending nearly four years with the Cleveland Indians organisation, Isaacs signed with the Rockies and spent approximately a year with the organisation.