Marlins offense could really use another Derek Dietrich

[Ely Sussman]

Unlike the 2023 Marlins, Dietrich was always willing to take one for the team if it meant getting on base.

Derek Dietrich has seemingly closed the book on his playing career, with Joel Sherman of the New York Post reporting on Tuesday that the New York Yankees have hired him for a position in their player development department.

Dietrich played for Yankees minor league affiliates in 2021 and 2022, but hadn't appeared in the majors since 2020 (Texas Rangers). Prior to that, he spent the vast majority of his MLB tenure with the Miami Marlins (2013-2018). Assuming he is indeed hanging up his cleats, he'll conclude his career with a .245/.335/.428 slash line (108 wRC+), 84 home runs and 5.9 fWAR accumulated.

As a Marlin, Dietrich provided defensive versatility, alternating between first base, second base, third base and left field, wherever the team needed him. He was known for being a beast in the gym and maintaining an impressive physique. Most of all, he distinguished himself by constantly getting hit by pitches.

In 608 career games with the Fish, Dietrich was plunked 93 times. He led the National League in that category during the 2016 season despite frequently sitting against left-handed pitching. Every single month that he spent on Miami's roster across six seasons included at least one HBP—incredible consistency!

There has not been another ball magnet like Dietrich in Marlins history. Only two other former Fish, Álex González (51 HBP) and Brian Anderson (48 HBP), made it even halfway to Dietrich's total. You'll have to scroll down a looooooong way to find the top current Marlin (Jon Berti, 17 HBP).

The Marlins were the lowest-scoring team in the National League during the 2023 season, as you're probably aware of. Did you know they also ranked last in the NL with 50 hit by pitches?

The MLB-wide HBP rate has been higher than ever and this offense must do more to capitalize on that to manufacture more scoring opportunities.

Jorge Soler has departed via free agency. He ranked third on the club with six HBPs, so that digs the hole even deeper.

However, maybe new acquisition Nick Gordon can offset that. In his most recent season with significant playing time (2022), Gordon had 10 HBPs. As an above-average runner, he's more likely than Soler to steal his way into scoring position once he reaches first base.

Christian Bethancourt, meanwhile, has a less encouraging track record when it comes to this niche: only three HBPs as a big leaguer. He enters 2024 with a drought that stretches back 489 consecutive plate appearances.

Jake Burger was quietly on a Dietrich-esque pace following his trade to Miami. Burger played with the Marlins for just one-third of the season yet was plunked seven times during that span. Although there figures to be some regression coming, he'll help raise the Marlins' HBP floor for the foreseeable future (he's under club control through 2028).

On the other end of the spectrum, Xavier Edwards has been hit by seven total pitches during his professional baseball career (465 games). Like Burger, Edwards is forecasted to be a much bigger part of the team than he was in 2023. His aversion to HBPs will be tolerated as long as his perennial double-digit walk rates from the minors translate to the highest level. The very early returns on that were not promising (3 BB in 84 PA).

Besides Gordon, Bethancourt, Burger and Edwards, here are the other position players who I currently project to make the Marlins Opening Day roster and the percentage of their MLB career plate appearances that have resulted in HBPs (league average is a 1.1 HBP%):

• Luis Arraez—0.4 HBP%
• Josh Bell—0.4 HBP%
• Jon Berti—1.1 HBP%
• Vidal Bruján—1.1 HBP%
• Jazz Chisholm Jr.—0.8 HBP%
• Bryan De La Cruz—0.3 HBP%
• Nick Fortes—2.0 HBP%
• Avisaíl García—1.4 HBP%
• Jesús Sánchez—0.8 HBP%

If the Marlins aren't going to spend directly on players, why not bring Dietrich to spring camp as a guest instructor so that he can share his special techniques with the rest of the squad?

Welp, maybe they'll make a stronger bid for his services next year if "HBPhobia" continues to hamper their offense.

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