Kevin Barral

On Friday, it was announced that Marlins pitcher Eury Pérez will attempt to rehab from his elbow injury without surgery in hopes of contributing for the Marlins in 2024. JUPITER, FL—More than a week after Eury Pérez initially experienced right elbow soreness, news broke Friday afternoon that the 20-year-old Miami Marlins starter has been diagnosed with mild right elbow inflammation, delaying the start of his sophomore season. This comes after Pérez met with Dr. Keith Meister, the surgeon who performed Tommy John surgery on Sandy Alcantara in October. Surgery was not recommended for Pérez and he'll attempt to rejoin the Marlins rotation later in 2024. He will begin a throwing progression by playing catch this weekend, per Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix. Pérez entered the 2022 season as the organization's number four prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, and then was at the top of the list in 2023. With their rotation down multiple starters, the Marlins called up Pérez shortly after his 20th birthday on May 12, 2023. He became the youngest pitcher in Marlins history when he debuted against the Cincinnati Reds. Through his first 11 starts at the Major League level, the Dominican right-hander posted a 2.36 ERA and 3.69 FIP and opposing hitters slashed .208/.274/.401/.675 against him. b6bb5b43-87f12efe-ea5b9cdf-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4 Pérez's workload was a huge storyline every step of the way. The Marlins had to figure out how to responsibly limit his innings considering his lack of experience and small workloads in previous seasons. On July 7, the day after Pérez made a start against the St. Louis Cardinals, Kim Ng and the front office sent him back down to Double-A Pensacola to give him what was described as "a breather." Pérez stopped throwing for a brief period, then made a few shortened minor league starts before being called back up on August 7. He ended up making eight more starts for the Marlins and posted a 4.26 ERA, 4.70 FIP and opponents slashed .221/.293/.457/.750. In September, he was placed on the injured list with left SI joint inflammation. Pérez pitched a total of 128 MLB/MiLB innings, easily marking a career-high for him. The expectation for him entering 2024 was to spend close to a full season in the Marlins rotation. However, Pérez suffered a broken fingernail during his March 2 start and left early. The Marlins tried to have him pitch through it rather than waiting for a full recovery. Then on March 13, he didn't even complete his first inning. It initially looked like a nail issue again, but the next day, he felt elbow soreness as well. The Marlins took steps to protect Pérez from overuse, but this is a reminder that pitcher health is complicated, especially when it comes to elbows. The 2023 Marlins starting rotation primarily consisted of Sandy Alcantara, Jesús Luzardo, Eury Pérez, Braxton Garrett and Edward Cabrera. Luzardo is the only one of them who'll be available for 2024 Opening Day, as Garrett and Cabrera both battle minor shoulder injuries this spring. Thankfully for the Marlins, Ryan Weathers and A.J. Puk have both had strong spring trainings. However, Weathers (career 5.88 ERA) is completely unproven in the majors and Puk has never been a starting pitcher at the MLB level. As nice as it is to have Trevor Rogers back, he only threw 18 innings in 2023 and has not yet regained the fastball velocity that made him an All-Star during his rookie season. View full article

Although Ryan Weathers did not have the same success he had in his previous spring outings, there were positives for the Marlins to take away from Friday's game. JUPITER, FL—On Friday night, Ryan Weathers went up against Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado and several other St. Louis Cardinals Opening Day starters. Weathers entered the game as a major bright spot for the Marlins, with only two total runs allowed during spring training, but his final line in this one was less impressive: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 SO, 1 HR, 79 NP. "I don't know why, the first couple of innings, I just couldn't pick up their approach," said Weathers after the game. "Approach switch-up, stuff in the strike zone. I think it was just I needed a little bit of a game point adjustment." Going with his usual fastball/changeup combo, Weathers did get a lot of swings, but just not the type that he would want. St. Louis hitters recorded even more hard-hit balls than whiffs. Weathers fastball velocity topped out at 97.2 mph, which came on the fourth pitch of the game. Weathers averaged 95.7 mph with the four-seam fastball and also went to his sinker, sweeper and changeup. Although the sinker specifically saw some hitters biting at it, the four-seamer is what carried his start on the night as he struck out three out of the four batters with it and only one with the changeup. With only one start left to go this spring, Weathers isn't thinking about all the injuries going on in the Marlins rotation and it is all "tunnel vision" for the Marlins starter. "Just gotta keep throwing the ball. My job is to throw the ball every time I am out there and just put myself in the best position." Along with Weathers the Marlins offense backed him up through most of the game, putting up sevens runs, highlighted by a three run top of the second and fifth. Five Marlins ended the night with multi-hit games and one of those was Josh Bell, who went 2-for-2 with an RBI single. "Feel good and it was good to get three at-bats right handed today," said Bell. "Had a good long work today and was trying to hit the ball the other way. Worked out tonight, kept me off from chasing pitches." The expectation this season is that Bell will be the team's primary first baseman, but as was the case this evening, he will also get a considerable amount of games at designated hitter. A couple days ago, Marlins manager Skip Schumaker had told the media that the DH spot isn't comfortable for everyone. For Bell, he has found a good rhythm there. "You feel like, longer innings," said Bell. "You want to take the first pitch, stuff like that. You have to stay active with those thoughts remembering that you have other guys that are playing on the field, but aside from that, I think the attack plan stays the same. Regardless whether or not I am at first base, the work in the cage should stay the same." The only home run of the night for the Marlins came from utility man Jon Berti, who hit a three-run homer to left field. The ball left the bat 96.8 miles per hour and it went 374 feet. Through the first 25 at-bats for Tim Anderson, he has five hits, one of those being the solo home run he hit against the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie. On Friday, Anderson knocked in a double, marking his second extra-base hit of the spring. In his sixth appearance of the 2024 Grapefruit League season, Anthony Bender went one inning, struck out two and only gave up one base hit. Bender averaged 97.0 mph on the sinker and was able to make hitters work, with five whiffs. Bender has struck out eight hitters and only given up one earned run. Game notes - In his first Grapefruit League at-bat, minor leaguer Jake DeLeo took pitcher Wilking Rodríguez deep in the top of the ninth inning. The ball left the bat at 98.8 mph and it went 387 feet deep into the Miami Marlins offices. - Avisail Garcia was among the five Marlins hitters who had multi-hit nights, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs. - Trevor Rogers will be the starting pitcher on Saturday when the Marlins take on the Philadelphia Phillies. - Skip Schumaker will be away from the team for a couple days due to personal reasons. Bench coach Luis Urueta is taking over as interim manager. View full article

The Miami Marlins inked the nine-year MLB veteran Mychal Givens to a minor league deal, adding depth to a pitching staff which is dealing with injuries early on. JUPITER, FL—Through his first eight major league seasons, Mychal Givens had quietly been one of baseball's most consistent relievers. Every year during that stretch, his ERA+ was above 100 (better than league average) and he rarely spent any time on the injured list. In 2022, Givens had a 3.38 ERA, 3.96 FIP, 10.4 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 through 61 ⅓ innings pitched with the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets, pretty much exactly the kind of numbers he posted throughout his career. However, players are evaluated mainly based on their most recent work. Last season, in his second stint as a Baltimore Oriole, Givens struggled to stay on the mound (11.25 ERA and 7.51 FIP in 4.0 IP). After waiting deep into spring training, he settled on a minor league deal with the Marlins. "I'm from Tampa, so it's close to home and I got three kids," said Givens on Tuesday about why he signed with Miami. "I want to have the opportunity to be close and the way they've been since 2020. My buddy Richard Bleier told me great things about the direction they're going in. With guys Iike Jon Jay—I faced him in my career and he spoke highly of them and Skip [Schumaker] as well. It's just a great opportunity to be here and help the best way possible." Givens, 33, went to Plant High School in Tampa and was drafted in the second round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the Orioles. He remained with the organization until the 2020 season when he was ultimately traded to the Colorado Rockies. Since then, Givens has bounced around, making stops in Cincinnati, Chicago and New York before going back to Baltimore. This deal also reunites Givens with some former teammates, most notably Tanner Scott, who was on the Orioles when Givens was with them. "He was a young buck under my wing and I've been very proud of him and happy for him. He had some hiccups, but I think he just needed a change of scenery and it was great for him." The right-hander's arsenal consists of a four-seam fastball, changeup, slider and sinker. In 2022, Givens didn't use the sinker, but incorporated it in his limited 2023 sample size. The Florida native mainly relies on the fastball/slider combo. e243143c-59efd73d-7de424c1-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4 Givens would bring valuable experience to the Marlins. With David Robertson, Matt Moore and Matt Barnes leaving this past offseason as free agents, all members of their projected Opening Day bullpen are under 30 years old. Although he has only two weeks to prove himself, Givens hopes to be selected to the Marlins roster when the regular season begins on March 28. He's fully recovered from the knee and shoulder issues that held him back in 2023. The expectation is that Givens will throw live batting practice for the first time on Friday. If that goes smoothly, he could appear in a Grapefruit League game a few days after that. His path to making the Opening Day roster is helped by injuries that have sidelined fellow relievers JT Chargois (neck), Josh Simpson (elbow) and Calvin Faucher (shoulder). View full article

The top free agent bat left on the market has now been linked to the Marlins. Here's what to know about J.D. Martinez and the possibility of a deal getting done. On Friday, Craig Mish of SportsGrid reported that the Miami Marlins showed interest in designated hitter J.D. Martinez. They had "recent discussions" with the six-time All-Star free agent, but there's a question of how he'd fit with the current Marlins roster and whether the Marlins are comfortable giving him the two-year deal he's looking for. Martinez, 36, just had himself a revival season with the Los Angeles Dodgers slashing .271/.321/.572/.893 with 33 home runs, 103 RBIs and a 135 wRC+. His hard-hit rate was higher than ever, though so was his strikeout rate. The Miami native has a career .287/.350/.524/.874 slash line. But defensively, Martinez is pretty much a full-time DH at this point, playing only three games (one start) in left field since 2022 when the DH became universal. Marlins manager Skip Schumaker has spoken about the team's plan to use a DH rotation, including Josh Bell and Jake Burger. The addition of the right-handed hitter would give the Marlins an experienced and consistent offensive upgrade. He uses the whole field and has proven he can hit for power even in pitcher-friendly ballparks. The only recent concern for Martinez would be his lack of plate discipline, which led to his career-worst strikeout issues. It also could be damaging to the Marlins defense if he clogs up the DH spot every day. With less than three weeks until Opening Day, the Marlins have leverage in these negotiations and may be waiting for Martinez to drop his asking price and settle for a cheaper one-year deal. It's unclear what other teams are still in the mix for Martinez—the Dodgers have moved on and so have the Giants, who previously made an offer to him before reaching a deal with Jorge Soler instead. This signing would certainly help the Marlins' 2024 postseason chances, even if the fit isn't perfect. View full article

Fish Unfiltered—Episode #55 Kevin, Isaac and Ely make the case for why we could see these unlikely individual and team accomplishments/milestones during the upcoming season. It's our annual bold predictions episode! Kevin Barral, Isaac Azout and Ely Sussman each come up with their five favorite spicy takes pertaining to the upcoming Marlins season. Ely's predictions Luis Arraez does not lead the Marlins in hits Braxton Garrett posts 4.66 ERA or higher Victor Mesa Jr. plays 30 games for the Marlins Josh Bell gets 100 runs batted in A.J. Puk earns NL All-Star selection Isaac's predictions Five Marlins hit 20 home runs Anthony Maldonado and Anthony Bender combine for over 12.5 saves Marlins rank top 10 in MLB in stolen bases Jazz Chisholm Jr. has 35 home runs and 35 stolen bases Griffin Conine hits first career MLB home run Kevin's predictions Tanner Scott records 50 saves Marlins sign Eury Pérez to contract extension Jesús Luzardo reaches 200 innings and 200 strikeouts Ryan Weathers earns NL All-Star selection Marlins make the postseason again Find Fish Unfiltered on the Fish On First YouTube channel, our new-look Apple Podcasts channel and wherever else you get your pods. FOF's audio programming also includes The Offishial Show, Big Fish Small Pod, Swimming Upstream and more. Follow Isaac (@IsaacAzout), Kevin (@kevin_barral), Ely (@RealEly) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. View full article

The roster for the inaugural Spring Breakout game includes 26 of the organization's top minor leaguers. On Wednesday, C Paul McIntosh was announced as the replacement for OF Victor Mesa Jr. on the Marlins' Spring Breakout roster. What is Spring Breakout? It's a series of exhibition games featuring rosters of the best prospects from each of the 30 MLB organizations. The Marlins will take on the St. Louis Cardinals in this seven-inning showdown on Friday, March 15 at 2:05 p.m. Released on Thursday, the Marlins roster is highlighted by 2023 draft picks Noble Meyer and Thomas White. There's a player with big league experience and several others who also have 40-man roster spots, putting them on the cusp of debuting in Miami. Overall, the roster includes 18 of the players ranked on our recently updated Fish On First Top 30 list. Keep reading below for key details about each of them. Pitchers Noble Meyer, RHP (Fish on First #1 prospect) The obvious choice for this game was Noble Meyer. The tenth overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft got off to a strong start in his pro career. Meyer was a part of the Jupiter Hammerheads team that won the Florida State League championship and this offseason, Meyer was hitting 100 mph in his bullpen sessions. During February's pre-spring developmental camp, Meyer made a couple starts in scrimmages and faced live hitters, most notably hitters in the upper minors such as Victor Mesa Jr., Paul McIntosh, Griffin Conine and Jonah Bride. Meyer did produce a lot of swing-and-miss, but as expected he did get hit around at times. Thomas White, LHP (FOF #2) Thomas White was chosen in Comp Round A of the 2023 draft. White saw early struggles in pro ball, but just like Meyer, he had a strong offseason and is sitting between 97-98 mph on the fastball. His secondary stuff has also made an early impact causing a lot of swing-and-miss. He's been developing rapidly, even more so than Meyer. White was supposed to be a first-rounder. Although he fell in the draft, the Marlins paid him far above his pick's slot value. White will be the first to take the mound for the Marlins in the Spring Breakout game. Karson Milbrandt, RHP (FOF #11) Milbrandt, a second-round pick in the 2022 draft has gotten off to a rollercoaster of a start, but seems to be on the right path as he will likely start the season in High-A. Along with his power fastball, Milbrandt's repertoire includes the curveball and changeup which for Milbrandt thus far, he has put up good numbers, but still has struggled when it comes to his control. Patrick Monteverde, LHP (FOF #15) Recently cut from major league camp, Patrick Monteverde was in the MLB Futures Game this past year in Seattle. He posted a 0.00 ERA in four innings pitched during Grapefruit League action. Monteverde struck out five hitters and didn't walk anyone. The lefty only gave up one hit. Monteverde mainly relies on his secondary stuff, being primarily a soft tosser, but that leads to a lot of swing and miss, which is what stands out with the lefty pitcher. Juan De La Cruz, RHP (FOF #16) One of the youngest players participating is Juan De La Cruz, who was a part of the Jupiter Hammerheads rotation with Noble Meyer and Thomas White towards the end of the season. In all likeliness, De La Cruz will also be a part of that rotation with Meyer and White. De La Cruz is still extremely young and is still learning, but right away, his ability to get hitters to whiff and the high velo on the fastball stands out. His arsenal of a curveball and changeup stands out and with the Marlins organization known to develop the changeup well, that is a pitch to keep an eye out on as well as likely incorporating another pitch into his mix. Jacob Miller, RHP (FOF #17) Drafted before Milbrandt, Jacob Miller's pro career has been held back a bit due to injuries, but when on the mound, Miller's peripherals have been encouraging, just a lack of total innings pitched, so most likely Miller will begin at the High-A level. Anthony Maldonado, RHP (FOF #18) The best reliever on the roster is Anthony Maldonado. He arrived at spring training aiming to break camp with the Marlins, but Maldonado has had his highs and lows thus far. In game action, he has held his own, but has struggled, entering with inherited runners and allowing them to score and in live BP, he was taken deep a couple times. Last season in AAA Jacksonville, Maldonado posted a 1.76 ERA, 3.40 FIP, 13.89 K/9 and 4.11 BB/9 in 46 innings pitched. Maldonado was the Jumbo Shrimps closers and he had nine saves. He will have a great opportunity to close this game out or go out there in high-leverage innings to make a name for himself. Evan Fitterer, RHP (FOF #27) This is the first prospect that Fish on First has ranked and Pipeline did not. Evan Fitterer was promoted to AA-Pensacola early last season where he struggled, but the struggles could've been anticipated as he posted a high 4.52 FIP in Beloit. Fitterer's high K rates have always stood out, but the control has been an issue, posting high walks rates and it has just been inconsistent, even when he did succeed at the High-A level. Thankfully, Fitterer is only 23 years old and will go through his first full season at the AA level. Luarbert Arias, RHP (FOF honorable mention) Arias also stood out towards the end of the 2023 season, but should've received more attention early on. In 2023, he posted a 1.69 ERA, 2.50 FIP, 12.23 K/9 and 1.27 BB/9 through 21.1 innings pitched at the AA level. In High-A, Arias put up similar numbers which is encouraging to see the translation from High-A to AA to be a success thus far. Ike Buxton, RHP Buxton made great strides in his first full MiLB year. He progressed from Jupiter up to AA-Pensacola and participated in the Arizona Fall League. Buxton will likely start 2024 back in Pensacola. Similar to Monteverde, he is not a strikeout-dominant pitcher, but with the Jupiter Hammerheads, he showed flashes of being capable of that. Nigel Belgrave, RHP Belgrave was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the 15th round of the 2023 draft and has already received the eyes of MLB Pipeline, as he is 28 on their list. His arsenal consist of fastball and slider stands out and with the Jupiter Hammerheads, Belgrave posted a 2.16 ERA, 2.96, 15.12 K/9 and 7.56 BB/9 through 8.1 innings pitched. It is a small sample size, but in a small sample size, there is still a lot to hope for. Matt Pushard, RHP Pushard was added to MLB Pipeline's list late into the 2023 season and rightfully so. He posted a 1.21 ERA, 1.58 FIP, 11.69 K/9 and 2.01 BB/9 through 22.1 innings pitched at the High-A level. Pushard struggled in his first taste of AA ball, but will likely begin the season either in AA or AAA due to his age (already 26 years old). Hitter Victor Mesa Jr., OF (FOF #4) Recently added to the 40-man, Mesa Jr. has made a strong first impression in big league camp. In the Grapefruit league opener against the St. Louis Cardinals, the 22-year-old went 2-for-3 with two doubles. For Mesa, his ability to play all three outfield spots is undoubted. The big question will be how consistent can the bat be through a full season of action. Through the first three months of the 2023 season, the Cuban outfielder slashed .257/.331/.415/.746 with six home runs and 37 RBIs. After that point, Mesa Jr. slashed .227/.289/.402/.692 with 12 home runs and 39 RBIs. Although the bat isn’t where it should be just yet, the make-up and athleticism is certainly top notch and if he finds consistency, then his chances at becoming a big leaguer in 2024 are high, especially with the organization being as high as they are. Jacob Amaya, SS (FOF #7) Amaya was the player Miami received in exchange for longtime shortstop Miguel Rojas. After his first season in the org, there are things to like, but things to also be a bit concerned about. Amaya's glove is MLB-ready. Everything that was said when it comes to his defense turned out to be the case. Offensively, he was proving many wrong early on in 2023, but after his cup of coffee at the big league level, he struggled back down in AAA. Yiddi Cappe, INF (FOF #9) Cappe took a major step back in 2023 slashing .220/.250/.308/.558 with five home runs, 53 RBIs and a 55 wRC+. Unlike in 2022, Cappe didn’t put the ball in play as much and only walked 18 times against 102 strikeouts. The 21-year-old’s struggles were apparent as well when he received the promotion to Low-A in 2022. He went from a strong 139 wRC+ to a 91 wRC+ and walked a lot less along with just putting the ball in play at a league average rate. Defensively, Cappe will likely stick at second or third. Doesn’t seem like he can stick at short although he has seen various reps at the position from time to time. The right-handed bat will most likely begin the 2024 season at High-A Beloit, but struggles can certainly push him even lower on this list, but this was his first true sign old struggles. A second go-around can change things up for Cappe. Troy Johnston, 1B/LF (FOF #10) Johnston, the reigning Miami Marlins minor league player of the year, has a chance to make the Opening Day roster, especially with the early struggles of Trey Mancini. In 2023, between AA and AAA, Johnston slashed .307/.399/.549/.948 with 26 home runs, 116 RBIs and 24 stolen bases. Johnston became the first Marlins minor leaguer since 2008 to achieve a 20/20 season. Having a left-handed hitter who also adds at least some sort of versatility could be valuable. Andrés Valor, OF (FOF #12) Valor has quickly stood out with his 6'3", 180 pound frame which has allowed him to succeed early in the Dominican Summer League slashing .294/.360/.466/.825 with five home runs, 25 RBI and a 116 wRC+. He also had 21 stolen bases. Valor has also made a name for himself in the developmental camp. This should be a great opportunity for the 18-year-old. Jacob Berry, 1B/3B (FOF #14) When the Miami Marlins drafted Jacob Berry in 2022, the pick was criticized heavily, given the struggles on defense and the bat possiby not translating as well as it could to pro ball. All of that ended up being the case, but there is hope for the former first round pick. The organization can identify that Berry just isn’t for for third base and switch him to become a first base/DH where he can solely focus on the bat and see improvements there. When he arrived to AA-Pensacola, Berry slashed .248/.301/.442/.743 with five home runs, 22 RBIs and a 94 wRC+. Berry was selected to attend the Arizona Fall League and there, the LSU product slashed .265/.329/.441/.770 with two home runs and seven RBIs. Through the first four games of spring training, Berry has gone 2-for-5 with one strikeout and one walk. In the fourth game against the New York Mets, Berry had his first multi-hit game of the spring. He was the only Marlin with a multi-hit game that day. Will Banfield, C (FOF #20) In 2023, Will Banfield finally looked like the player the Miami Marlins drafted back in 2018. Slashing .258/.302/.472/.773 with 23 home runs, 76 RBIs and a 100 wRC+, Banfield worked with some of Miami’s top pitching prospects in Eury Pérez and Patrick Monteverde. Banfield should begin the season at the AAA level if there's room for him. The only possible reason to hold him back would be to see if he can find consistency with the bat, as 2023 was his first true successful offensive season. Fabian López, SS (FOF #22) López was signed last year in the international signing class and has the highest chance of sticking at shortstop. Although he was under the league average wRC+, there is still a lot to like about the profile and the fact that he is still just a teenager makes you believe that there is room for maturity and growth. The strikeout percentage for López can certainly go down and there is a good chance that it does. His walk percentage also needs to increase. Those are the only true needs of improvement right now. Javier Sanoja, UTIL (FOF #23) The speedster utility man Sanoja survived the first round of spring training cuts and has been able to learn from the vets of the Marlins clubhouse like Luis Arraez and others. This past season, Sanoja began the season in Low-A and went up to High-A. There is a chance we see an aggressive promotion, but unlikely. Sanoja plays every defensive position fairly well and if he finds a home at one spot, that can allow him to become a plus defender as well as show off his very low strikeout rate and plus contact that he makes. Kemp Alderman, 1B/OF (FOF #24) Alderman was the Marlins second-round pick and similar to Vradenburg, it's really a power profile with a high strikeout rate. Alderman has stood out early on in camp, which is good to see. He has also gotten reps in left field, which was a rare occasion for him when he first began playing in the Marlins organization. Griffin Conine, OF Most recently, Conine hit a home run to dead center off of Patrick Corbin and has played in almost every single spring training game, giving him a good opportunity to see reps and see if maybe he has the chance to play at the major league level someday, but at the moment, for Conine, lowering the strikeout rate is the big concern, Striking out at almost 40% in AAA last year was concerning and that needs to change. The power is there and he can play the corner outfield spots, but all in all, there is a future where we won't see the last name Conine at the major league level. José Gerardo, OF José Gerardo truly struggled in 2023. Striking out at a 42.5% marked one of the highest in the organization and the power numbers dipped. There is hope that another full season in the FCL will help Gerardo and soon enough he can make the jump to Low-A, but right now, FCL is his home. Joe Mack, C Mack has struggled since going pro. It can't be said any other way unfortunately. Defensively, there has been growth, but for a prospect who was expected to be an offensive-first catcher, it is tough to see the bat not produce the way that he was supposed to. There is hope (like in Banfield's case) that Mack is a late bloomer, but at the moment, that isn't a given, which is why he missed the cut for our FOF Top 30 list. Brock Vradenburg, 1B Although the power is there for Vradenburg, there is still a lot to that we haven't seen. At the moment, Vradenburg's swing is a bit weird where there are still a lot of moving parts in it and it is really a power/pull profile where there isn't variety. In a power profile, there is also a high strikeout rate, and for Vradenburg, it was at 27.8%. View full article

Max Meyer took the mound in a pro game for the first time since July 2022. Along with Meyer going two scoreless innings, Ryan Weathers struck out five along with an uptick in velo. Tim Anderson made his spring training debut. Here are the main takeaways from Thursday's matchup between the Miami Marlins and New York Yankees, which ended in a scoreless tie. Ryan Weathers with a career high in velo Marlins starting pitcher Ryan Weathers had himself a very strong outing against a Yankees lineup which featured DJ LeMahieu, Gleyber Torres, Anthony Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton, Alex Verdugo and Anthony Volpe. Through 2 ⅔ innings pitched, he gave up only one hit, no runs, one walk and five strikeouts on 48 pitches. "When your facing a lineup like that, the importance of getting ahead is huge," said Weathers after his start (via Stephen Strom, Marlins Radio Network). "Just got ahead tonight and felt really in control and it's also a little extra juice when you get to face the Yankees...It's the first time I've ever faced them, so it was just a lot of fun having that extra juice facing probably one of the best franchises of all-time." For Weathers, his velocity was up, averaging 96.2 mph on the fastball. In 2023, his fastball averaged 95.1 mph. Weathers' hardest-thrown pitch last season was a 98.4 mph fastball, but on Thursday, he topped that and hit 98.7 mph while striking out LeMahieu, who has historically been great at making contact against southpaws. Weathers consistently elevated the fastball, which allowed him to generate four of his six total whiffs. Weathers incorporated his changeup, sweeper and sinker along with the fastball. "The more I've thrown it, I think it takes a little bit off my heater," said Weathers about his changeup. "Threw several two-seamers tonight and everything just felt really connected." The sweeper for Weathers also saw him generate one whiff, which was when he struck out Alex Verdugo. Max Meyer makes his first appearance since surgery The last time Max Meyer pitched in a game environment, it was for his second-ever start against the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 23, 2022. More than 19 months later, he made it all the way back and went two innings, gave up one hit, no runs, no walks and struck out two. "It's been great," said Max Meyer after his appearance (via Stephen Strom). "It's been a long process. There's been so many people that helped me out and just being out there. I got to kinda take it in and just great to be able to feel healthy out there, be back with the boys and be able to pitch." Prior to undergoing Tommy John surgery, Meyer's fastball was averaging around 94 mph and in his return he averaged the same velo, so no concern there. His command and control were also on point—he threw 30 pitches and 20 landed for strikes. After giving up a leadoff double to Anthony Volpe, Meyer went on to shut out the Yankees lineup. He generated five whiffs off of 16 swings. His slider looked good as it generated three whiffs, with both of his strikeouts coming on that pitch. "It's always going to be there, I never lost it," said Max Meyer when asked about his slider and what he thought of it. "I thought I filled (the strike zone) well," said Meyer. "Throwing strikes...couple bad misses, but I just liked getting out there and throwing strikes. (Trey) Mancini with a great play and I just gotta remember to trust the defense and it was just great." Prior to the game, Skip Schumaker told the media that Meyer would most likely be amped out to go out and maybe there was a chance he would have to go and calm down the young pitcher, but that wasn't the case for Meyer. "Not too much," said Meyer. "I just realized what it is. It's a spring training game, I'm trying to pitch for 162 games. Just wanted to compete and I think I controlled my emotions pretty well." Tim Anderson makes his Miami Marlins debut Although the Miami Marlins new shortstop went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts, Tim Anderson felt good for the most part and just looks to keep it going. "I felt good," said Anderson (via Stephen Strom). "First game, I felt confident, felt comfortable and I'm looking forward to keeping it going." In his first at-bat of the game, Anderson struck out of three pitches, swinging at strike three. In his second at-bat, strike three was certainly out of the zone, but Anderson just had to take it. "I didn't like my at-bats," said Anderson. "I do think I took some pretty good swings when I did. I feel like I was seeing (the ball) really well. Took some good pitches, but the more at-bats I get, the more comfortable I'll get." Even if Anderson did have a tough night at the plate, he found success defensively. In the bottom of the second inning, Gleyber Torres hit a grounder that third baseman Jon Berti was unable to grab and after the ball left the infield dirt, Anderson was there to make a 100-foot throw at 78.3 mph to get the final out of the inning. View full article

Tens of millions of dollars are being spent to renovate the Jumbo Shrimp's home ballpark, highlighted by several major projects. On Wednesday, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Miami Marlins Triple-A affiliate) announced that 121 Financial Ballpark will be undergoing major renovations. The team has secured $31.8M in public funding from the City of Jacksonville to further improve the fan experience and player amenities. The work has already begun. The home and visiting clubhouses were renovated prior to the 2023 season along with the addition of a female locker room. Entering 2024, the scoreboard has been made 20% larger with better resolution, and new ribbon boards have been installed. Next up, the Jumbo Shrimp are constructing a home plate club, a "front porch" in center field and a multilevel building to make their team store accessible on the street level. This project is a collaboration between the team, the city and ASM Global, a company which focuses specifically on renovating ballparks. "This is such a vital time for the ballpark," said Jumbo Shrimp owner Ken Babby. "All of your support it truly appreciated. It's been an incredible journey...Our work is just beginning...Ultimately we knew, if we invested into Jacksonville, the community would respond and that our vision would be realized by working so hard to create a path here for baseball in Jacksonville." The Miami Marlins were involved when it came to the clubhouses and making overall conditions for their players better. "They're thrilled with the results of the work," Babby added. The right field building will feature "special field-view access, amenities, climate-controlled spaces and views that are unmatched of the sports complex" where the Jacksonville Jaguars play. Babby notes that construction will not interfere with the 2024 season, but as we get deeper into the season, the building will come to life. The building will also feature a street-level team store, something that Babby mentioned the fans have wanted since the inception of the team. Just like we are used to seeing in MLB stadiums, the Jumbo Shrimp are adding an "enhanced club space" behind home plate. It's coincidentally sponsored by PNC, who also sponsors the PNC Club at loanDepot park. This will not only be used in season, but also throughout the year. This was previously where the Jumbo Shrimp administrative office used to be, but that will now go over to the right field building once all of that is complete. "This true new premium experience space will be a unique place for board meetings, meetings, receptions and other events throughout the city," said Babby. "It'll be a year-round space that we are so excited to show off and could be activated even before concerts and other sporting events etc. with great street level access here at the sports complex." The final major project is the center field "front porch," which received its name from general manager and executive vice president Harold Craw. He envisions it being a popular gathering space both before and during games. The Jumbo Shrimp's 2024 home opener is coming up on March 29, exactly one month away. View full article

The minor league free agent signing has some of the top velocity on the Marlins pitching staff and survived the first round of spring training cuts. JUPITER, FL—In January, the Miami Marlins signed Elvis Alvarado to a minor league contract. He has made it all the way to a major league team's spring training camp as a pitcher despite actually beginning his professional career as an outfielder. The last time Alvarado swung a bat was in 2017, when he was a part of the Washington Nationals organization. His .139/.199/.228/.427 slash line in the Dominican Summer League (30 wRC+) led to a position change. The 6'4" right-handed pitcher has experienced some minor league success on the mound, especially in 2022. Across three levels of the Detroit Tigers organization, he posted a 2.72 ERA, allowing only three home runs in 59 ⅔ innings pitched. However, he was on the injured list this past season throughout April and May and his ERA nearly doubled to 5.18 while seeing most of his action in High-A. Alvarado became a free agent at the end of 2023, but stayed busy as a reliever for the Dominican Winter League's Estrellas Orientales. He put himself on the Marlins' radar by throwing 12 ⅔ scoreless innings, striking out 10 and walking six. His sinker topped out at 100 mph. nub49e.mp4 Early on in Marlins camp, Alvarado impressed. He struck out center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. and utility man Vidal Bruján during live BP. In his first Grapefruit League appearance (February 26), he went one inning, struck out one and didn't allow a hit nor a walk. "He's uncomfortable," said Marlins manager Skip Schumaker. "That's what you want, especially a righty kind of three-quarters arm slot...He hit the first guy, but I think the the reality is that if you can command his fastball and rip the slider like he's doing, he's gonna be an option for sure." Control is the main issue for Alvarado. He also doesn't get as much swing-and-miss as you might expect given his velocity. On March 1, he received a save opportunity against the Philadelphia Phillies and allowed a game-tying homer to David Dahl. A good comparison for Alvarado in terms of stuff, physical frame and eventual MLB potential is fellow Marlins reliever Anthony Bender. Bender burst onto the scene as a 26-year-old non-roster invitee during 2021 spring training and became a key piece of Miami's bullpen after debuting in May of that season. Alvarado turned 25 last month. While Alvarado doesn't look to be in the mix for an Opening Day job, don't be surprised if he gets a call-up to Miami at some point and contributes. View full article

Eury Pérez made his first start of the spring and 10-year MLB veteran Curt Casali had a lot of positives to say about the 20-year-old pitching phenom. JUPITER, FL—Eury Pérez took the mound on Monday, looking healthy and experimenting with a new pitch grip. There was a lot to take away from his 2024 spring training debut as the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals ended in a 1-1 tie. Eury Pérez makes his first start Although there was a lot of good in Eury Pérez's first spring training start, there was still some rust to take off. His whole arsenal was on display while going 1 ⅔ innings where he struck out three and gave up one run off of three hits, just not all of it was working well. His fastball was averaging 98 miles per hour and the slider was effective, but his curveball and changeup still need some work to be done. "I'll evaluate this is a good outing," said Pérez after his outing via translator. "I was out there trying to as always compete, and first one of the spring, trying new stuff and working on a few things." One of the new things Pérez worked on was his curveball grip. This was a decision he made along with pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. "The curveball is one of the things I'm working on during my bullpen sessions," said Pérez. "It's looking well, but in the game, not that good. I have to work on that. I have a different grip over the curveball, so it's something I have to keep working on in my bullpen sessions and then try my best during the games." Pérez used his curveball 14.0% of the time during his rookie season. Curt Casali's perspective Along with Pérez, his battery mate Curt Casali made his spring training debut. Casali was one of the last players Bendix signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. Most recently, Casali was with the Cincinnati Reds and slashed .175/.290/.200/.490, but for the 10-year veteran, his defense is what stands out the most. Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker had a lot of praise for Casali's simple but effective communication style. "He’s had really good young pitchers up and down (in Cincinnati and San Francisco)," said Schumaker before the game. "He's been around, he knows how to have simple messaging on the mound, even listening to him post-bullpens. It's just really simple messaging, which I think gives guys confidence when there are leverage situations or whatever. When they walk off, then you know they're ready to go.” Schumaker also noted that Christian Bethancourt "has done a great job already as well." Bethancourt in his lone game this spring went 1-for-2 with an RBI single. "It was incredible," said Casali about catching Pérez. "The life on his fastball is real. Feels like he's literally placing it in my glove. That's just how far it reaches. I thought his slider was really good today. Fastball location could probably do better. Had a really good curveball in the bullpen that just didn't really translate into the game. We tried a few times and didn't really have too many opportunities to throw the changeup, but in terms of first start of the spring, my first impression of him catching him for the first time, I thought it was good." What can Pérez do to improve in his next outing? "Going out next time, we need to be a little bit more around the zone. Get them into swing mode as fast as we can. His stuff should take a positive first step for him and I'm excited to see what he can do." Skip Schumaker's thoughts and game notes Here is Schumaker's assessment of Eury Pérez: "Some deep counts probably cost him pitch count-wise in spring training. His velocity was there. Thought his slider was good, changeup and curveball, probably not where he wanted it. Overall really good outing." Schumaker also noted that Pérez only threw his new grip curveball twice and that it had been working during sides and bullpens, it's just a case of it not translating to the game itself. The Marlins acquired Darren McCaughan from the Seattle Mariners this offseason and on Monday, he made his Marlins spring training debut, throwing one shutout inning, but walked two. "Probably too much around the zone today," said Schumaker. "Was playing with fire a little bit. With the bases loaded and that type of stuff, probably not ideal, but got out of it. I think the double play was really good up the middle, but I think he probably wants to throw more strikes than that and then get behind hitters, fell behind hitters. His slider is good." The second-year manager also noted that McCaughan threw the slider more, but has gone away from it due to how uncomfortable it feels when throwing it. Starting pitcher Braxton Garrett, who had been dealing with some general soreness this spring, threw what Schumaker considered his first real bullpen of the spring. It was a step in the right direction, but Garrett's availability for the Opening Day roster is unclear with only a month to go. “He's gonna have a couple more bullpens,” said Schumaker. “I'm sure you can think about where that is headed, but I think the reality is he needs a couple more bullpens. Need four or five before you get an outing out there. That was his first one. We'll see where he's at, anything can happen, but he's gonna need three more bullpens. He felt really good coming out of it today.” Recently signed Tim Anderson is getting back in the swing of things. He won't travel for the Marlins' road game against the Mets on Tuesday, but he's nearly ready for Grapefruit League action. "When he feels ready to go, we'll put him in a game," said Schumaker, "but I don't have like this one date that he's gonna go. He's gonna play the next couple days." View full article

In his first go-around as a non-roster invitee, Griffin Conine looks to learn from the Major League coaching staff and make the best of his opportunities. JUPITER, FL—Now entering his fourth full year with the Marlins organization, Griffin Conine is closer than ever to following in his father's footsteps. The 26-year-old son of Jeff Conine, Griffin was invited by the Marlins this year to be a non-roster invitee at big league camp. He's seeing a lot of action early on in Grapefruit League play. Through his first three spring training games, Conine is 3-for-6 with one RBI, but two strikeouts. "It's been a lot of fun so far," said Conine when Fish on First spoke to him. "Definitely a lot of new faces, meeting a lot of new people, always trying to introduce myself to as many people as I can and do as much as I can while I'm here to to make an impact and get comfortable around all these guys and get comfortable with this coaching staff and develop a rapport." The Marlins acquired Conine from the Toronto Blue Jays at the 2020 MLB trade deadline in exchange for Jonathan Villar. His best minor league season came in 2021 when he hit 36 home runs and 84 RBIs between two levels. He has recorded at least 20 home runs in every minor league season he has played since then. The biggest issue holding Conine back from reaching the majors has been his high strikeout percentage. In 2023, his K% was 34.0% in Double-A and then 38.5% in Triple-A. Overall, he owns a 35.9 K% across parts of five MiLB seasons. The MLB average is 22.7%. Defensively, Conine has primarily gotten reps in right field as a pro, showing more arm strength than Mr. Marlin himself had during his playing days. anFyb1hfWGw0TUFRPT1fQmdaVFZGME1WQVFBQ0ZVQVVBQUVBUUpWQUZFRlV3SUFWRlVOVTFjRUFBUUJCd0lI.mp4 Conine has a lot of competition for an outfield spot in Miami. Beyond the projected Opening Day outfielders, Jonathan Davis, Marty Costes, Victor Mesa Jr. and Dane Myers are all in camp as well. Davis and Myers both have big league experience on their side. For Conine to make his case during the course of the 2024 season, it would help to find a balance between contact and power hitting. The Marlins' first full-squad workout was less than a week ago, but Conine mentioned how much he has already learned from Skip Schumaker's coaching staff. "The main emphasis has just been getting to the top of the ball," said Conine. "I've definitely been under a lot in the past. Just kind of how my swing path plays. It's just evening things out. Feel versus real type stuff. Thinking about the barrel working above the ball, even if that's not the way that it unfolds on video. That's kind of what I'm realizing I have to feel to get the swing and so on." For Conine, being around big leaguers on a daily basis now could be valuable to him in the future. "Obviously the talent is better, so the more comfortable I can get now with that, I think will help me down the road for sure," said Conine. View full article

Anthony Bender had to undergo Tommy John surgery, which kept him out through the entirety of the 2023 season. He had a lot to say after his successful outing on Sunday. JUPITER, FL—Although the Marlins fell to the Washington Nationals in Sunday's spring training game, Anthony Bender won the day. The right-handed reliever made his first game appearance since August 13, 2022 against the Atlanta Braves. He would then undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery and miss all of 2023 as well. On February 25, 2024, Bender took the mound going one inning, gave up one hit, no runs, walked one and struck out one. He threw 19 pitches. "It was exciting for sure," said Bender following his outing. "It felt really good getting out there." Bender's velocity never left as his fastball was averaging 96.0 miles per hour. He went with a fastball/slider combo on the afternoon. The lone strikeout he had was against Trey Lipscomb, who he got on the slider. "Those are my main pitches for sure," said Bender. "We're dabbling with the changeup. We'll see when we break that out, but getting the first three out of the way, getting comfortable and we'll take off from there." During his time away, Bender explained that he also changed the way that he holds his pitches. "We'll see how those look and how the hitters react to them and then we'll kinda go off of that." Although he was able to complete the inning, after the first two outs, the 29-year-old righty got into some trouble. He gave up a base hit to Jacob Young, who went on to steal second, and then walked leadoff hitter Alex Call. With runners on first and second, Bender picked off Young at second to end the inning. "Was just trying to fill up the zone out there and working on some things," said Bender. "All the adrenaline setting in and came out after the walk and was trying to go with a pick here and looked back at (Luis) Arraez and it ended up paying off." Bender says that he was "itching to get back" in time to contribute for the Marlins during their 2023 postseason run, but wasn't quite able to. His advice to Sandy Alcantara and other pitchers who are going through Tommy John rehab? "Just listen to your body. Try not to push too fast. When you push too fast, your body pulls back a little bit. So you just gotta listen to your body and go through the proper steps of it." View full article