Offishial news, 1/5/24: Rehab updates; youth baseball and softball registration

Here's what you should know with 83 days to go until Marlins Opening Day...

• Thursday’s winter ball notes: In the Dominican Republic, 3B Vidal Bruján went 1-for-3 with a walk and two stolen bases.

• More than two weeks after being designated for assignment by the Marlins, Ryan Jensen was claimed off waivers by the Twins. The Marlins 40-man roster remains full, so another corresponding move will be needed to make room for any further additions.

• Nearly three months removed from undergoing turf toe surgery, Jazz Chisholm Jr. is facing live pitching. Also encouraging to see Eury Pérez throwing again after ending 2023 with a back injury.

• Elsewhere around baseball, Chris Sale signed an extension (2/$38M) with the Braves, Harrison Bader (1/$10.5M) signed with the Mets and Cody Poteet (one-year split contract) signed with the Yankees. You remember Poteet, right? Drafted and developed by Miami, he showed flashes of being a potential back-end starter in 2021 and 2022 before blowing out his elbow. His contract provides a 40-man spot, but he still has to earn his way onto the Opening Day roster.

• Beginning today at 12:00 p.m. ET, there's an exclusive spring training tickets presale for Marlins Members.

• Today is the final day to register for free winter clinics being held for baseball and softball players ages 13-18 through the Marlins Youth Academy at Babcock Park. It's also the deadline to register kids ages 5-12 for the spring baseball and softball season (also being held at Babcock Park).

• With 119 BBWAA ballots entered into Ryan Thibodaux’s Hall of Fame tracker, former Marlin Gary Sheffield has received 74.8% of the vote (needs 75.0% for election). I’ll continue updating his status in Offishial News as more ballots come in.

• Kevin Barral is excited to find out how the Marlins will utilize Xavier Edwards this season.

• Skip Schumaker explains to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com what he learned and observed from meeting Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra at a recent game. "Just to see him and how he interacts with the players and how he interacts with his coaching staff and how he empowers his coaches, it's just everything that you strive for one day.”

• Glenn Geffner's View from the Bleachers came up with New Year's resolutions for Bruce Sherman, Peter Bendix, Skip Schumaker, Edward Cabrera and Jazz Chisholm Jr.

• MLB Pipeline picks LHP Thomas White as their Marlins breakout prospect for 2024.

• Answering a question inspired by the Pop-Tarts Bowl, Effectively Wild's Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley conclude that Billy the Marlin would likely be the tastiest MLB mascot to eat.

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Photo courtesy of marlinsyouth/Instagram