With bat already producing, next step for Agustín Ramírez is defensive growth

The catcher position has been a sore spot for Marlins fans since the departure of J.T. Realmuto in 2019. The Rockies are the only MLB team to have received less overall value from their backstops during that span. As recently as last season, the Marlins were getting replacement-level production from the position, according to FanGraphs.

It has been a different story thus far in 2025, in large part thanks to the rookie who Cal Quantrill amusingly referred to as "the greatest hitter alive" back on April 26. Agustín Ramírez’s historic start was a sight to see, to be sure. He went 7-for-10 the first three games of his career with more extra-base hits (five) than any other new big leaguer in the modern era had totaled through their first three games.

Ramírez has slowed down since then, but only slightly. He boasts an .876 OPS through 20 games. Among all Marlins players, his 14 XBH trail only Kyle Stowers.

As he spent his entire professional career with the Yankees organization prior to coming over in the Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade last summer, it would be remiss not to share what Yankees Double-A hitting coach Kevin Martir had to say in 2024: “He might be like a generational player. Not many guys at his age can make contact as much as he does and also hit the ball as hard as he does with that elite bat speed. He’s an outlier for sure.”

By the time Nick Fortes was reinstated from the injured list on May 4, Ramírez had already secured his place on the active roster with his offensive prowess. With Rule 5 Draft pick Liam Hicks performing well himself, the Marlins are currently making do with a funky three-catcher setup.

Can Ramírez improve his skills enough defensively to continue catching long term? Or is he destined to become a full-time designated hitter, particularly with MiLB Gold Glove winner Joe Mack lurking at Triple-A Jacksonville?

Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix insists “he’s a catcher.” The ballclub believes continuing in the bigs is the “best place” for Ramírez to hone his catching skills, manager Clayton McCullough said earlier this month. Kyle Sielaff reported during the May 6 television broadcast that they’re creatively getting some work for everybody in between games by having them catch pitch design sessions for both active pitchers and those like Andrew Nardi still working through injuries.

Nobody questions Ramírez's intangibles. Quantrill complimented his preparation back on April 26. "He seems to have a good head on his shoulders. So it’s awesome to see him succeed like this.”

It bodes well for Ramírez that his teammates are a testament to the power of player development. Fortes has done an admirable job improving his metrics behind the plate over the years to keep his defensive presence solid. Following an offseason where his former team didn't even select him to their 40-man roster, Hicks enters Friday ranked second among MLB catchers in blocks above average, even with fewer opportunities than some of his peers.

 

Catchers almost always get a footnote mention when a pitcher has a spectacular outing, but it's worth the reminder that it was Ramírez behind the plate for Max Meyer’s recent 14-strikeout game.

New Marlins catching coach Joe Singley began working with Ramírez early in the offseason. "I think he's improved overall at everything," he told the media during the last homestand. "But there's a lot of meat left on the bone. We're gonna chew down his exchange time. His arm strength and accuracy continue to rise. Doing a much better job of keeping strikes strikes and he's blocking the ball a lot better, and we're gonna continue to work on blocking balls laterally."

Of the 17 baserunners who have attempted stolen bases against Ramírez, 16 have been successful, so there's continued room for improvement there.

Ramírez has logged only 89 ⅔ innings at catcher since his debut. There's nowhere to go but up. 

“A lot of the game awareness, game situational things are just going to feel normal for him," McCullough said. "That just takes time.”

However Ramirez’s defense pans out, he is undeniably talented and a valuable asset both on the field and in the organization’s never-ending obligatory business calculus. Let’s settle in and enjoy the show.