Marlins Interested in Franmil Reyes

[Kevin Barral]

Per Hector Gomez, the Miami Marlins are one of three Major League teams interested in designated hitter Franmil Reyes, who has built up his stock to earn a shot at the big league level with the Leones Del Escogido in the Dominican Winter League which ended on Wednesday.

https://twitter.com/hgomez27/status/1740381674696069493

This season, Reyes led the Dominican Winter League in home runs and RBI while slashing .296/.353/.546/.899 with nine homers and 34 RBI. This is Reyes' longest winter ball season by far, providing his largest sample size.

Reyes' last stint at the Major League level was not successful. With the Kansas City Royals in 2023, he slashed .186/.231/.288/.519 with two home runs, seven RBI and a wRC+ of 34 in only 19 games. What has been detrimental to Reyes the past few years has been his ultra-aggressive approach. Before being DFA'd by the Royals, Reyes had three straight seasons of strikeout percentages of over 30%, including a 32.0% K in his largest sample size, which was in 115 games with the Cleveland Guardians in 2021.

Defensively, Reyes is limited to the corner outfield spots and has yet to see action at first base in his career thus far. This winter, Reyes has spent time at DH for the most part along with just four games in right field.

With his large build, it would benefit Reyes to make the move to first base where it would give him a lot more playing time on the field and gives any potential suitor the option to use him in different spots and specifically for the Marlins, who have a revolving door at DH.

Reyes will most likely receive a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, similar to what that the Marlins gave Yuli Gurriel and Jose Iglesias last spring, which included opt outs at the end of camp.

There is some hope that Reyes can translate his Winter League success back into the big leagues as he was a dominant power threat not too long ago (hit 37 home runs in 2019 with the Guardians.)

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[Guest]

I suspect that Johnston's spring training makes all of these nascent interests and any signings that might occur in the interim for washed-up DH types moot points. (Or, at the very least, I hope so.) Let's move on from considering the leftovers which, a la Cueto, are stone wastes.

TP Joseph

[Guest Kommenter]

I agree. Rather take a chance on Johnston than another Cueto

[Guest]

I agree too. Give the chance to Johnston

[Ely Sussman]

As much as I believe in Johnston, he's frankly in a very similar situation to "leftovers" like Reyes. Not on the 40-man roster and lacks any kind of leverage. He'll simply have to out-perform others at his position after being unable to do so last spring.

[Guest OneRegend]

This would've been a good player to have...

 

...3 years ago.

[Guest JustMarlins]

Would so much prefer if the Fish would turn their attention to Austin Meadows over Franmil.

[Guest]

Not that similar. At a similar age in 2023, Johnston vastly out-performed Reyes in AAA.