Some breakout bats maintaining their consistency and a standout pitching performance by an under-the-radar arm paved the way for a feel-good week around the Marlins’ system.
C Paul McIntosh, AA
This Week’s Stats: 9-20, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 1 SB
McIntosh impressed in his first taste of pro action upon (somehow) being signed as an undrafted free agent last year. This year, the 24-year-old was challenged all the way up the ladder to the AA level and he has been even more unstoppable. In a smaller park but against much better stuff, has come by some incredible results. This week, McIntosh racked up nine hits including three more extra base hits. Hitting an even .500, McIntosh leads the Marlins’ minor league circuit in multiple stat categories including wRC+ at an insane 304. As ridiculous as that is, it has somehow shrunk significantly from the 400+ mark it was at earlier in the week. Despite the recent doubles, McIntosh’s OPS has also somehow fallen to .929. Thats the lowest it’s been all year, proving how unprecedented his start to the year has been.
There’s no question: McIntosh is one of the strongest guys in the Marlins’ system. He also couples it with advanced pitch recognition and plate coverage skills. In his initial showing in 2021, McIntosh was more pull heavy. On the young season in Pensacola, he has gone to the opposite field 43% of the time, proving he has another facet within his extremely balanced approach. While McIntosh’s overall numbers will even out quite a bit as the full season wears on and while his style of hitting does favor the pull side, he’s beginning to prove he has the ability to be a complete threat. The 6’1”, 220 pound specimen has even stolen two bases.
McIntosh, who caught many Marlins’ top prospects in camp, continues to do so this year in Pensacola. Preseason, Zach McCambley spoke very highly of P-Mac’s ability, calling him a big target who knows how to call and handle a staff.
A complete athlete who can play multiple positions, McIntosh is a great story and a testament to the Marlins’ scouting team and the work they do before, during and in this case, after a draft.
C/1B Lorenzo Quintana, AAA
This Week’s Stats: 9-23, 2 HR, 4 2B, 8 RBI
Quintana is another deep dive find by the Marlins who has performed everywhere he’s ever played. After a long and impressive career in the Cuban leagues (.310/.377/.438), Quintana was signed by the Astros in 2018. He came to the Marlins organization last season in exchange for cash considerations. In 92 games between the the Houston and Miami organizations, Quintana hit .300/.350/.463. With the backup catcher position up in the air this spring, the Marlins took a look at Quintana in camp and he stuck there all campaign long. This past Saturday, Quintana had a career day, homering twice and driving in five runs.
Quintana is a stocky 5’10”, 205 with a quick short stroke and a bit of hidden power. The approach is made more for average and gaps than it is for over the fence power but the experienced 33-year-old has a veteran presence at the plate and good vision that should allow him to continue to produce decent numbers at the big league level. Quintana also has some positional flexibility. While he is serviceable at catcher, he can also slot in at first and third. At his age, it’s hard to imagine there will be a starter’s ceiling for him for an MLB team but he could provide value off the bench and in pretty short order. If he continues to produce and the Marlins need a bench bat this year, he could be a name they look at.
OF Tanner Allen, A+
This Week’s Stats: 5-17, 2 2B, 1 3B, 3 RBI, 1 SB
The Marlins’ fourth round pick from 2021 (the third time he was drafted), Allen, who spent four years at Mississippi State and is well within their program’s Hall of Fame, got off to a slow start in his break in to pro ball. He’s more than begun to rectify that. Allen is off to a really hot start and is arguably the best hitter on the Beloit Sky Carp roster. Seven for his first 24 in A+, Allen provided theatrics (something he is used to doing) this past week, contributing a standup triple and a walk-off knock. Four of Allen’s seven hits so far have gone for extra bases.
Allen, who is lauded for an advanced 50+ grade hit tool with room to grow with seasoning at the pro level. He also owns 50+ grade raw power. The lefty plays all three outfield positions and will continue to be an everyday mainstay in Beloit’s lineup. According to DJ Svihlik, Allen’s level of development and positional flexibility could allow him to move quickly through the levels. A complete athlete who had a decorated collegiate career, Allen has a pretty high floor and we are starting to see it. Don’t rule out him getting a look at AA before the end of the year.
RHP Bryan Hoeing
This Week’s Stats: 7.1 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 6 K
Hoeing has been through quite the journey in just three years. Drafted in the seventh round out of the University of Louisville in 2019, he had played in 70 career games between the NCAA and the wood bat summer leagues. Of those games, Hoeing started 21 times. In his first season pro, Hoeing appeared in nine low A games, all out of the bullpen. Enter 2021, coming out of the canceled COVID season. Hoeing appears in 22 games. He started all of them. It was a struggle for Hoeing in his stark and immediate transition to full time rotational work. For the Jupiter Hammerheads, he had a 5.36 ERA via a 1.273 WHIP. Hoeing did post good control numbers though with a 96/24 K/BB, proving that the 25-year-old was controlling, he just wasn’t commanding at his best.
Enter 2022. Despite the struggles, Hoeing has gotten the big push up past A+ to AA baseball and he remains in the rotation. In his first two starts, Hoeing has looked spectacular, including this past Sunday where he went a career high 7.1 innings and allowed just four hits. The start comes on the heels of a 5.2 IP season debut where he set another career high with 10 strikeouts. Hoeing, who also played small forward in high school, looks much more in control of his huge levers and he is maintaining that control throughout his starts. He’s also added in a second offspeed pitch, a nasty diving changeup that can hit all four planes. He couples that with a low-mid 90s fastball and a slurvy slider in the low-mid 80 mph range.
A good mix of size, shortened distance to the plate and now a solid three pitch mix which he commands well, Hoeing has back end rotational potential with a good floor as a multiple innings reliever if his success continues for the Wahoos.
Next Up (4/19-4/24)
- AAA Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp vs Gwinnett
- AA Pensacola Blue Wahoos vs Montgomery
- A+ Beloit Sky Carp at South Bend
- A Jupiter Hammerheads vs St. Lucie
Marlins Links
- As Isaac Azout reported, Tuesday’s series opener in Jacksonville will feature a marquee matchup with the rehabbing Ronald Acuna Jr facing off against Max Meyer
- The Beloit Sky Carp are hiring for multiple positions, including bat boy and bat girl
- The Pensacola Blue Wahoos have a ton of fun planned for their second homestand of the season
- Fish Stripes’ Ely Sussman graced us with a Peyton Burdick home run compilation on their YouTube page
- Man On 2nd Baseball’s Joe Frisaro explained why he believes Jesus Sanchez is the answer in center field
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