Xavier Edwards is doing his best Luis Arraez impression

Edwards' incredible streak of contact hitting makes him an even more intriguing call-up candidate for the Marlins.

Baseball fans adore Luis Arraez. One key to that is his ongoing flirtation with an unfathomable .400 batting average, but the manner in which he accrues those hits is also part of the appeal. Regardless of the pitch type or the location, Arraez believes he can get his bat on the ball. His 5.3% strikeout rate is by far the lowest among qualified major leaguers this season and on pace to be the best we've seen since Juan Pierre in 2007, back when triple-digit fastball velocity was a rarity.

That brings us to Xavier Edwards. The speedy switch-hitter had a couple MLB stints in May, but only received limited playing time (.381/.391/.429, 125 wRC+ in 22 PA). Since the latter stint ended about a month ago, he's been thriving in a familiar way.

Behold Edwards' recent game logs and all of the zeroes that populate the "SO" column:

Three total strikeouts in 25 games, including a three-week period in which he never K'd. He's been slashing .362/.396/.448 since being optioned. His overall strikeout rate in Triple-A this season is down to an Arraez-like 5.4%, ranking him first among all qualified minor leaguers at full-season levels.

Edwards seldom lets a hittable pitch pass by without offering at it. During his 4-for-6 performance on Tuesday, he saw 13 total pitches (2.2 P/PA).

While Arraez is a line-drive machine, Edwards compiles his hits in a wider variety of ways. He registered a blazing sprint speed of 29.7 ft/sec on his latest bunt single.

Edwards continues to utilize his legs once he reaches base, having gone seven-for-seven on steal attempts during the last month-plus. A lifetime infielder, he began to learn center field this spring. He has played nearly half of his defensive innings there in 2023.

I mention that because in the midst of an otherwise-awesome Miami Marlins win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, Jonathan Davis went down with a right knee injury.

The Marlins were already thin at the center field position as Jazz Chisholm Jr. is expected to miss several weeks with a left oblique strain. Davis filled in admirably during Chisholm's previous IL stint, coinciding with incredible team success. In 34 games since being acquired from Detroit, he has slashed .244/.307/.378 (88 wRC+) with good defense. The Marlins own a 20-7 record with him in their starting lineup.

The Marlins are describing Davis' injury as a right knee contusion for now. However, once he undergoes an MRI and further testing, he may be facing his own long-term absence.

Newly called up Dane Myers completed Tuesday's game in CF. He can contribute there in emergencies, but Myers' promotion was primarily about his offensive upside and versatility to handle the corner infield and corner outfield spots. The converted pitcher made only eight appearances in center during his MiLB career.

The Marlins have the option of using Jesús Sánchez in CF on days when Myers or Jorge Soler occupy right field. In 81 MLB games at the most challenging outfield position, Sánchez has accrued plus-3 defensive runs saved and minus-2 outs above average. His glaring issue is a lack of range. Also, he's got a lousy track record at the plate against left-handed pitchers, so he wouldn't be an everyday solution.

I suspect that in the event of a Davis IL stint, the Marlins will recall veteran Garrett Hampson, and that wouldn't be entirely unreasonable. The 23-year-old Edwards is among their best prospects and they'd prefer to get him everyday playing time with the Jumbo Shrimp while gaining more CF experience, rather than shoehorn him into a platoon role. That being said, Edwards' refusal to swing-and-miss would raise the floor of Miami's offense.

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