By Carlena Knight
Antiguan baseballer Ovis Porter said it “was a dream come true” for him, when he got the news that he was being signed in the USA’s Minor Baseball League.
Porter, who represented Antigua and Barbuda in the Little League Tournament in 2017, was signed to the Boston Red Sox last week, and while speaking briefly on the Good Morning JoJo Sports show on Friday, added that he will now “focus on improving his game.”
He also encouraged youths to follow their dreams no matter the sacrifices.
Former President of the Antigua and Barbuda Little League Baseball Association (ABLLBA), Jermaine Lewis, also shared that she was elated when she first got the news.
“I was shocked. I knew he was doing exceptionally well but I was really, really shocked that this is actually happening. If you recall, we had a former pitcher for the Chicago Cubs here and he came in and he assisted Ovis, and here it is now that he is being called up to go pro,” Lewis said.
With this new move to the Minor Leagues, Porter’s agent Alex Isaac-Quallis says he will have a challenging transition.
“It’s a complex system. He is going to have a lot of training to do, a lot of development, a lot of getting used to the things going on around him. It’s a great start, but it’s only the start. There is so much more to happen in-between, and this is where most of the challenges begin for him but I am extremely proud that he has come this far and has been recognised,” Isaac-Quallis said.
Isaac-Quallis, the CEO of 340 Sports Management, shared that Ovis’ mindset will now have to focus on his career path and preparing for both on and off the field work as he will have to travel to several States and adjust to the culture change, while still having to perform at a certain standard to impress the right people.