By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

LAST week was filled with celebrations as seven Bahamian baseball players signed professional contracts with five Major League Baseball (MLB) organisations during the 2024 MLB International Signing period to kickstart the next chapter of their baseball journeys.

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Mario Bowleg believes that the growth and development of baseball in the country is headed in the right direction.

“It shows where the growth and development of baseball in the country is. When we spent about $50 million to build the Andre Rodgers [National Baseball Stadium], many people said what were we building the stadium for.

Hopefully, now they can see why we built the stadium. We intend to continue to develop our young men in the field of baseball, and hopefully one day be able to have a semi-pro league here in that baseball stadium and allow the revenue of that baseball stadium to be of some profit to the country after all these years,” Bowleg said.

On the first day of the MLB International signing period, Max D prospects Tavano Baker, Edwin “EJ” Darville and Trent Wilson all signed with the Boston Red Sox. Their signings were followed by International Elite (I-Elite) Sports Academy prospects Bohan Adderley and Javado “JT” Bain Jr, who inked deals with the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays respectively.

The week culminated with FTF prospects Rohan Culmer and Phillando Williams signing contracts with the Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Minister Bowleg made it clear that investing in facilities plays a major role in helping Bahamian athletes to develop and get to the next level.

“When we invest in these facilities, we invest to have a facility that provides a safe haven for young people to develop their skills and talents that goes with them to represent us around the world. The investment in these facilities is an investment in the people and so we should not put a dollar value on the investment with anything we do that helps empower and develop our young people,” said the minister.

The seven signees will now add to the total of over 20 Bahamian baseball players in the MLB farm system.

The aspirations of many of the young players is to make it to the major leagues similar to Miami Marlins centre fielder Jasrado “Jazz” Chisholm Jr.

The 2024 MLB International Signing period began on January 15 and will continue until December 15