What makes Starlyn Caba a Top 100 prospect

[Kevin Barral]

Most national outlets are in agreement with their rankings of the 19-year-old shortstop, placing him inside their updated Top 100 lists and ahead of any other Marlins position player prospects.

The biggest Miami Marlins acquisition this offseason was shortstop Starlyn Caba from the Philadelphia Phillies. Caba is still just a teenager who has yet to play above the Low-A level, so you would expect to see various opinions on him from the scouting community. Instead, most of the national outlets that have recently updated their MLB Top 100 prospects lists ranked him similarly entering the 2025 season. Caba is ranked 81st by MLB Pipeline, 71st by Baseball America, 66th by ESPN and 72nd by The Athletic. Only Baseball Prospectus excluded Caba from their latest list.

Caba finished the 2024 season slashing .228/.385/.284/.669 with two home runs, 26 RBI and 50 stolen bases. At the plate, his strengths are contact ability and plate discipline, with Baseball America noting that Caba was "incredibly selective and rarely strayed from the strike zone." He only struck out in 14.4% of his plate appearances between both levels and led the Florida Complex League with 51 walks.

However, Caba shows little to no power. He has posted some of the lowest exit velocities of any player on current Top 100 lists. "While there’s room within Caba’s modest frame for some more strength, he’ll likely be a below average power source," Aram Leighton wrote in ranking him 72nd on Just Baseball's final 2024 list update. It's possible that he will never surpass the ten-homer mark in a season during his career. MLB Pipeline is a bit more optimistic, projecting him to hit around 10-12 home runs per season once fully developed.

If all goes well, Caba profiles as a leadoff hitter in the majors. If no more power develops, the backup plan would be using him as a nice spark in the nine hole.

Caba's calling card is his defense. Baseball America considers him an 80-grade fielder, the best grade that a player can garner. The Athletic's Keith Law wrote that he "might be an 80 defender already, with a plus arm, incredible instincts, and quick actions at the position." In a recent MLB Pipeline poll, team executives voted him the second-best defender in Minor League Baseball behind Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Carson Williams. Pipeline's updated scouting report on Caba praises his consistency and says that he "looks like a lock to win Gold Gloves when he reaches the big leagues."

ESPN is the outlet that's highest on Caba. While admitting that a lack of power "could torpedo Caba's whole profile and make him a utility guy," Kiley McDaniel points to Jose Iglesias, Luis Arraez or Steven Kwan as big leaguers who have overcome the same weakness.

Fish On First currently has Caba as the number three Marlins prospect behind Thomas White and Andrew Salas. All of the outlets mentioned above have him second or third in the organization, with White unanimously ranking number one.

Not yet ready to participate in big league spring training camp, Caba will be preparing for the upcoming season on the Jupiter backfields. He will likely be assigned to the Low-A Jupiter Hammerheads to begin 2025.

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[rurrusuno]

Caba looks like a promising fielder. It seems like the Marlins have a tendency to acquire contact hitting middle infielders with no power.

[Slacker Mills]

My best comp for Caba is Javier Sanoja. Caba with better glove and Sanoja with better bat. It was flat-out nuts to trade Luzardo for him.