A former member of the Melville Millionaires baseball club is hoping to go to the “show”. Randy Schwartz, who played for the Western Major Baseball League (WMBL) Mils in 2006, has signed a professional contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.

“I was really surprised,” Schwartz told The Advance Monday during an interview from his home at Kleinburg, Ont. “They gave me the stock answers, you know’, ‘we’ll call you’ and then the next day I got the call.” Signing a minor league contract is what Schwartz hopes is his first step up the ladder to the Jays, a team he’s loved since his younger years. “I grew up emulating Jimmy Key and I was a fan of Lloyd Moseby,” adds Schwartz who will head to play for a Jays rookie-team in either Auburn, NY, or a team in the Gulf Coast League. “I just want to play,” mentions Schwartz who was told by the Jays staff to brush up on his outfield play as his bat is probably the reason he’s getting the chance with the Jays. Schwartz made the most of his time in Melville, leading the WMBL in hitting with a .441 average. He was also second in the league in total hits with 64, fifth in runs-batted-in with 38 as well as fifth in round trippers with seven. Schwartz was also named Rookie of the Year and the league’s Most Valuable Player as well as a league All-Star. Mils head coach at the time, Garnet Keller, liked every aspect of Schwartz’ game as well as his personality. “He had tremendous potential, probably more than he thought he had,” says Keller. “I told him not to quit and just continue and if he got a contract to take it just to make sure he got into some team’s system.” The versatile fielder attended High Point University (HPU) and was a member of the Big South Conference Presidential Honor Roll, but he cracked more than school books while there. He was the All-Big South Second Team selection after finishing the season as the Panther's top hitter with a .335 average. Schwartz started every game, led HPU in hits (69), doubles (16), home runs (nine), runs scored (35), total bases (114), slugging ppercentage (.553) and on-base percentage (.400), while ranking second on the squad in RBIs (32) and walks (23). He reached base safely in 48 of 53 games this season and tallied a team-best 23 games with multiple hits. Schwartz finished his four- year career at High Point as the program's all-time career hits leader with 255. In his final game with the Panthers, Schwartz belted a walk off homer to lead them to a come-from-behind victory. It was his team-leading ninth homer of the season. Schwartz was also named to the 2008 All-Canadian team by the Canadian Baseball Network. As for Melville, Schwartz says that the community was a great place for him to play and spend a summer. “It was my first time being really far away and living at the Kellers’ was a great experience,” says Schwartz. “For such a small town there was really great fan support and the fans there really knew the game and it reminded me of all the reasons that I play the game,” explains Schwartz. “We all just thought Randy was an all around good person as well as a ballplayer,” adds Keller.