MLB Develops alums return to Vero Beach for Dawson Classic
VERO BEACH, Fla. ¨C Grambling State¡¯s Chris Marcellus can look around the Jackie Robinson Training Complex and compare his growth as a player to that of the facility¡¯s increasing popularity and standing in the baseball community.
GSU was one of seven HBCU schools to play in the three-day, eight-team Andre Dawson Classic, named after 1987 National League Most Valuable Player and 2010 Hall of Fame inductee Andre Dawson.
A 21-year Major League Baseball veteran, 1977 NL Rookie of the Year and 8-time All-Star, Dawson played for Tallahassee-based Florida A&M, and also competed at the iconic former Spring Training home of the Dodgers organization.
A 5-foot-9, 185-pound product of Rowlett, Texas, Marcellus is hitting .250 this season with seven walks in six starts this year.
The junior catcher liked what he saw in his return to Florida¡¯s Treasure Coast.
¡°It¡¯s awesome. I had a lot of good memories here,¡± said Marcellus, an alum of MLB¡¯s Develops programming. ¡°It¡¯s nice seeing how the place looks now. It¡¯s good to know how far I¡¯ve come all the way with baseball.
¡°It shows that [MLB Develops] is working. Guys are getting seen a lot more often, they are getting their opportunity and making it count in the [ADC] tournament.¡±
Beginning in 2018, Marcellus played for the Texas Rangers RBI squad over four seasons. He also competed in the 2019 Commissioner¡¯s Cup, 2020 DREAM Series and 2021 Breakthrough Series.
He said that being televised on MLB Network and MLB.com is an important tool for players at the HBCU level.
¡°Extremely valuable,¡± Marcellus said of the ADC. ¡°Probably one of the more valuable things we¡¯re going to do throughout the season just with the exposure. We don¡¯t play on TV often.¡±
His message to MLB Develops participants is straightforward.
¡°To all the Develops guys, keep pushing and working hard. You¡¯re going to get your opportunity, and when you do, seize it,¡± Marcellus stated.
The Texas native had a breakout freshman season in 2023, batting .294 with four doubles, a homer and six RBIs in 15 games.
Marcellus went 3-for-10 with two runs, an RBI and four walks in the weekend¡¯s trio of games.
GSU (4-3) closed out its ADC appearance in strong fashion, crafting a high-scoring 13-11 win over Prairie View A&M on Sunday. The team used an 11-hit attack to win for the second time in three games.
The Tigers¡¯ lone loss Friday night to Alabama State provided the most bizarre moment in the ADC.
With one out and the tying run on second for GSU in the bottom of the ninth, the Tigers¡¯ Trey Bridges lined out to right field. Hornets shortstop Kyler McIntosh then faked his handoff of the ball to his pitcher, trotted to second base and used the hidden-ball trick to walk off the 6-5 win by tagging out GSU¡¯s Cameron Hill as he took a step off the bag.
ASU second baseman Devin Chandler, who stood nearby in amazement as the strange ending unfolded, was a competitor in the 2019 and 2023 Nike RBI World Series at the JRTC.
The Ellenwood, Ga., native and Stockbridge High School product has a one-word explanation for what the JRTC is for him.
Home.
¡°It feels like home, man,¡± said Chandler, who went 3-for-12 with two runs and two RBIs as ASU won all three of its games. ¡°I¡¯ve been here four or five years, coming back here and playing RBI. [Atlanta] RBI created me as a baseball player.
¡°I¡¯m comfortable [at Holman Stadium]. I know the field, been in the box before, been successful here and been bad here. I¡¯ve hit a few home runs and made some plays here.¡±
Chandler, who hit .333 in 29 games as a sophomore last season, made a bold statement, too: The SWAC can compete with any conference in the country.
His fellow Hornets backed him up Saturday.
From start to finish against Southeastern Conference member Missouri, the Montgomery-based team dismantled the Tigers in a 10-2 rout.
The second baseman went 2-for-4 with two runs, an RBI and a walk as the Hornets outhit Mizzou 17-5 and pressured the Tigers by going 8-for-16 with runners in scoring position.
Chandler added, ¡°It just shows we can compete with anybody, no matter the conference ¨C SEC, SWAC. We¡¯ve got the same types of players and recruits.¡±