Alex Carver

Cole Sulser (Photo by Mitchell Layton-USA TODAY Sports)Sunday night, the Marlins addressed one of the biggest glaring weaknesses on the Major League team by acquiring righty Cole Sulser and lefty Tanner Scott from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for two prospects: teenaged outfielder Kevin Guerrero and 25-year-old lefty Antonio Velez, a player to be named later and a competitive balance draft pick. With Adam Cimber, Yimi Garcia and John Curtiss all departed, the Marlins’ bullpen limped to a finish in. 2021, posting a 4.38 ERA over their last 210 games. Before Sunday, the Marlins were scarcely being linked to many relief pitchers in the offseason. They appeared to be headed into 2022 with much of the same bullpen and without one of their best in house options, Dylan Floro who is delayed with a minor injury. In Sulser and Scott, the Marlins get one arm that will step into high leverage immediately and another that has the stuff to do so very shortly. Sulser is a recently turned 32 year old who made his MLB debut in 2019 and who has yet to hit his arbitration years. After a cup of coffee with the Rays in 2019, Sulser came back up to the bigs in 2020 with Baltimore. I’m 22.2 IP, Sulser struggled, allowing 14 earned runs in 22.2 innings. Despite his issues at the very hitter friendly Camden Yards, Sulser made the 2021 Opening Day roster for Baltimore and in his first full MLB season, showed massive improvement. Most strikingly, Sulser displayed a much better feel for his changeup. Despite a drop in velo, a softer grip has to game-changing improvement when it comes to the vertical movement on that pitch turned a two-plane offering into a four-plane offering. Sulser has never had a very fiery fastball, sitting at 93 and rarely up to 95. What he did have in 2021 though was much improved command, allowing him to fill up more of the strike zone and change the eye level of his opposition. The combination of the fastball up and the changeup diving out of the zone has proven to be a mystery for opposing hitters. Sulser can also mix in a slider which allows him to cover a wide range of the radar gun. Via very sudden improvements, he now has the stuff to start the year and, if his command consists, remain in a high leverage role for the Marlins this season. Scott is a 6’, 235 pound southpaw who was a 6th round pick by Baltimore in 2014. He broke out in 2017 in AA where he held down a 2.22 ERA via a 1.319 WHIP and 87/46 K/BB in 69 IP, allotting him a major league cup of coffee at the end of the year. Since then, Scott has thrown most of his innings for the big league club. His results with the Orioles have been very suspect. In 156 innings in the show, Scott has a 4.73 ERA, a 1.545 WHIP and a 208/96 K/BB, pointing towards his issues with command. While he may not have it all felt out yet, what Scott does have is absolutely electric relief stuff including heavy heat up to triple digits and some of the best spin rates in baseball all from the left side. In 2021, his average four seamer spin rate was 2582, 11th best among qualified pitchers. Additionally, Scott’s slider, which held an average 2666 spin rate, also averaged nearly 37 inches of vertical break, 14th highest among qualified lefties. He garnered an extremely high 46% whiff rate with it. Scott has the velo and stuff to become a viable high leverage reliever, but if that is to happen, he needs to work out his crux: inconsistent command, particularly with his fastball. Catching the heart of the plate far too often, Scott’s fastball allowed hard contact 44% of the time, had a .244 expected batting average and a .419 expected slugging percentage. Scott commanded his slider much better than the heat. But due to the inconsistency of the fastball, he had to challenge with the slider a bit more than he probably liked. Still, opposing hitters appeared to be pretty fortunate against Scott’s slider. The pitch had an xBA of .214 and was hard hit just 27% of the time. However, the actual batting average against the slider was .250 and opposing teams plated 25 runs against it. Those numbers should normalize as Scott leaves Camden Yards and comes to loanDepot park. Also working in Scott's favor, his hard hit rate decreased later in the 2021 season. With an elite 80 grade fastball and a 60 grade slide piece, Scott has the stuff to keep him in a major league bullpen and he is coming to a Marlins’ organization that knows how to get the most out of their pitchers. Expect Scott to start his tenure with Miami in middle relief and potentially get looks in high leverage situations a bit later in the year. Velez, a 6’1”, 195 pounder, is a Miami native and graduate of Brandon High School. After two years in JuCo, Velez was recruited to FSU where he had a solid junior year and was primed to build his draft stock in his senior season before the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out almost everything, including the collegiate baseball campaign. In the extremely shortened 2020 MLB Draft, Velez went unselected. DJ Svihlik and the Marlins signed him shortly thereafter. Immediately sent to A+ Beloit, Velez showed solid control and command over to-contact stuff, limiting his ERA to an even 3.00 and his walk rate to 2.9% while managing a respectable K rate near 24%. Velez got the call to AA Pensacola for his final three starts and showed much of the same: in 18 IP, he allowed just one earned run while striking out 18 and walking two. Am extremely feel-good story who has recently answered multiple challenges posed to him both mentally and on the field, Velez will not overpower with velo (usually sitting 92-93). What sets Velez apart is a great knowledge of who he is as a pitcher and plus command and control. In addition to the fastball which has good arm side run and tail away from righty hitters, Velez has advanced feel for a tumbling changeup and a well spun slider with late vertical action, that allows him to place it on both the front and back door in the zone for strikes and outside of it for whiffs. This trade is a good career move for Velez. With the depth in the Miami system, there were many pitchers above him in the pecking order. With the Orioles, he could contribute to the MLB team as early as this year. It is also a testament to the Marlins front office, their ability to recognize collegiate talent and their prowess for building up arms. Turning an undrafted free agent into a good looking piece and getting major league value out of him in a trade is an indicator of a very adept front office. The other piece going north is Kevin Guerrero, a Marlins international signee from the Marlins’ 2021-22 international signing class. He signed for an undisclosed amount. At 6’3”, 165 pounds two weeks away from his adult years, Guerrero’s best current tool is his solid bat speed from the right side. One of the youngest players in Marlins camp this spring, Guerrero was getting looks against mostly AA competition on the backfields. While he was clearly overmatched, he got his first taste of what adjustments he needs to make to succeed at the higher levels. He was also exposed to stateside coaching, development and facilities. A .260/.373/.298 hitter in the Dominican last year, Guerrero has a ton of projectability and should come stateside full time for Baltimore this season. In addition to two solid pieces (plus a PTBNL), the Marlins also traded away a compensatory draft pick. An event the club has leaned on heavily to find the next stars of their organization since the club’s purchase in 2018. Giving up prospects plus a draft selection to bolster their major league bullpen in addition the moves the club made earlier this offseason corroborates what Bruce Sherman said earlier this spring: this team wants to win at the major league level right now. Through this trade, they are closer to making that a reality.

This is the first weekly post of a season long series that will update readers on a few Marlins prospects each week. The players who perform best, or terribly, in any given week in the minor leagues are most likely to be featured here. However, those with significant prospect status, such as JJ Bleday or Max Meyer, are more likely to be featured if anything of note happens with them, as opposed to an off-the-radar name who has a noteworthy week. With Spring Training games officially under way, there has been plenty to look at for this group of young Marlins. A few players, like the aforementioned Meyer, have really stood out, while there were also a few notes that I gathered from watching this past week's action where there is room for improvement. Max Meyer, RHP This Week's Stats: 4.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 5 K, 0 BB Nothing excited Marlins fans more this week than Meyer's performance against the Mets on Monday. Coming into the game in relief of Elieser Hernandez, Meyer notched four perfect innings against a Mets lineup that still featured a few everyday players. More importantly, he showed developments in his repertoire that should appease more skeptical prospect experts who think Meyer will not pan out as a starting pitcher. Meyer's fastball sat around 96, as expected, and topped out at almost 98. As most pitchers do early in the Spring, Meyer threw plenty of fastballs. However, he also showed off two different versions of a slider. One version was so unique that Statcast was classifying it as a cutter, but it was almost certainly just Meyer manipulating the slider in a different fashion. It was a few miles per hour faster, and Meyer controlled the pitch well while getting many swings and misses. The changeup, Meyer's elusive third pitch, is still a work in progress and he did not consistently locate it on Monday. Still, if Meyer can use his slider in two different ways then it may alleviate the problem. Either way, Meyer showed this week why there is so much reason to be optimistic about his potential. Jerar Encarnacion, 1B/OF/DH This Week's Stats: 2-7, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .286/.286/.857 This is a big year for Encarnacion; he has untapped potential that was not realized last season. There were many reasons for this, including nagging injuries, but Encarnacion has to face the cold reality of being a 24-year-old prospect who needs to hit. The unheralded Dominican prospect gained attention on prospect lists because of his stature. Many have compared him to an NFL Tight End, and he has the strength and raw power to match that description. Getting to that power in games continues to be what Encarnacion needs to improve upon, and he has showed some real signs of life early in Spring Training. Of course, Encarnacion could also help his stock by becoming a better defensive player. He is undoubtedly limited based on his size, and having the DH in both leagues will help him if he can get to his power more often and become a better hitter. For now, there is plenty to work on still. Encarnacion has played the corner outfield and first base, but has not looked great at either position. Against the Cardinals earlier in the week, while playing first, he seemed to stretch with the wrong foot on the bag in the 7th inning. For a right handed first basemen, the right foot should be the one on the bag. Instead, the left was, and it looked a bit awkward as a result. Encarnacion still recorded the out at first base, but it may just be something to watch to see if the Marlins coaches can help improve his footwork this spring. The Marlins have optioned Encarnacion back to Triple-A, but he showed some of his elite contact skills prior to departing big league camp. Last Saturday against Houston, Encarnacion hit a ball 110 mph that went 459 feet. It was the hardest hit ball in the game, and would be in most MLB games as well. Encarnacion, for all of his defensive limitations and struggles making contact, still has the ceiling of an offensive difference maker because of how hard he hits the ball. The Battle for Backup Catcher It looks like we may have a winner of this positional battle, after the Marlins sent down Nick Fortes and Alex Jackson to Triple-A on Saturday. Fortes seemed to be the favorite for the position based on his impressive September cup of coffee. Jackson would have been a reasonable choice as well, since he had only one minor league option left. Instead, it will be Henry backing up Jacob Stallings on Opening Day in San Francisco, if health permits. Henry was seen as the least likely out of that trio to win the position heading into the Spring. We have yet to see him in much game action to this point, with three hits in just eight at-bats. It seems like the Marlins are making a bet on his power and defensive abilities. In Henry's last full minor league season, with the Milwaukee Brewers, he hit fourteen home runs in fewer than five hundred plate appearances. So, there is certainly some pop in his bat. Henry has also worked to become a better pitch framer with the now commonly used technique of catching off of one knee with the bases empty. This allows him to present the ball better, and the Marlins must be satisfied with the progress Henry has made. Henry caught Jesus Luzardo on Tuesday and Sunday, and the two seemed to have a good rapport. One final name worth mentioning is Lorenzo Quintana, a player who is not on the 40-man roster but who has had a great spring. The 33-year-old minor league journey man has five hits in 11 at-bats, with four for extra bases. Quintana hit well last year in Jacksonville, with a 131 wRC+. However, he played more first base than catcher, and he has seen limited reps behind the plate in Spring Training. So, Quintana was probably never a serious option for the backup catcher spot, considering the emphasis the Marlins are placing on defense with their young pitching. Still, he has had an awesome spring and is a guy deserving some praise. Huascar Brazoban, RHP This Week's Stats: 2.0 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 K, 0 BB Brazoban, a thirty-two year old reliever, never pitched above the Double-A level prior to playing in independent leagues over the past few seasons. Brazoban was dominant last season in the Atlantic League, and earned a well-deserved minor league contract from the Marlins in January. After pitching against the Nationals on Wednesday, his stuff seemed intriguing. Brazoban has struggled with control a bit over the years, but racked up huge strikeout totals as well. In an admittedly limited sample size this spring, Brazoban has not walked any batters. More intruiging is the velocity and swing-and-miss potential that Brazoban has shown. The Marlins bullpen is lacking in flamethrowers compared to the rest of the league. Brazoban registered six fastballs over ninety-seven miles per hour against Washington, and also generated two swings and misses. It is an incredibly limited sample, but Brazoban could fill a hole in the Marlins current bullpen. With Nick Neidert being sent down on Sunday, and expanded rosters for April, it does not seem impossible that Brazoban could be added to the 40-man at some point and see some big league time. Nick Neidert, RHP This Week's Stats: 2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K, 1 BB Neidert is a prospect worth featuring this week due to the career-altering news that was announced: Neidert will be transitioning into a reliever role permanently. I have my doubts about this move, as soft throwing guys with a kitchen sink pitch mix do not seem to have a place in big league bullpens anymore. I have been higher than most on Neidert over the past few years, because I thought that he could develop as a back-end starter in a sort of poor man's Kyle Hendricks mold. Instead, Miami sees his best path to production in the bullpen. On Sunday, Neidert was sent down to Triple-A, meaning that he will seemingly not have a place on the Opening Day roster. This came as a bit of a surprise, as many figured Neidert would be ready to serve in a multiple-inning role immediately for the big league club. Jordan Holloway was sent down as well, so that spot seems to be one the Marlins still need to fill. We know Miami has a plethora of pitching depth, but finding the right guys to work out of the 'pen is still something the club needs to do. Neidert looked okay in his early Spring outings, but it does not seem like Kim Ng and Don Mattingly view him as the answer right now.

What stands out about these Jumbo Shrimp of Jacksonville, in just their second season classifying in AAA? Pitching, pitching, and more pitching. It is the strength of the Major League team, and the Marlins organization as a whole. While that depth presents itself in a quality big league rotation, it also manifests in the Triple-A rotation. Four of the six pitchers listed below have experience at the Major League level already. To have that many pitchers ready to step in, who have already received a cup of coffee in the Majors, should provide a competitive advantage for the Marlins when pitcher injuries inevitably occur to the guys currently expected to be in the MLB rotation. Moreover, this projected roster does not even include Edward Cabrera, who could potentially start the year at AAA if he does not earn a spot in the big league rotation. Either way, there figures to be a plethora of pitching talent moving through Jacksonville this year, with the Marlins ready to call up anyone at a moments notice for a spot start 350 miles south. While the pitching deserves the most attention, there is an intriguing collection of hitters prepared to play in Jacksonville in 2022 as well. The one most worth watching is JJ Bleday, the former fourth overall pick who had a rough go of it last year in Pensacola. While this has resulted in a plummet down most prospect rankings for Bleday, his Arizona Fall League performance gave some hope that he may be on the path towards righting things. Bleday has the highest ceiling amongst this projected Jacksonville collection of hitters, but there are plenty of other bats worth watching. Peyton Burdick's value as a prospect has skyrocketed as he has continued to hit at every level he sees. Jerar Encarnacion has prodigious raw power, but needs to start getting to more of it in games. Isan Diaz has been a frustrating player to watch for Marlins fans, but he clearly has the tools to mash at the AAA level. All in all, there should be plenty of hitters on this team that are worth keeping an eye on for Fish fans. Managing the team, in his first year in Jacksonville, will be longtime baseball coach Daren Brown. Brown, 54, managed for almost two decades in the Seattle Mariners organization. He more recently served as the manager with a collegiate summer league team, the Kingsport Axmen. Brown is probably most well known for his brief stint as interim manager with the Mariners in 2010. He took over for Don Wakamatsu, and went 19-31 over the final fifty games of the season. Many viewed it as a seamless transition for Brown, who had managed many of the Mariners players already at AAA-Tacoma. Brown ended up as a bit of a legend in Tacoma, as he is the current recordholder for wins there. Clearly, Brown brings a lot of experience with him. That should serve this group of players in Jacksonville well, considering how many of them already have MLB experience and may just need that little push that a baseball lifer like Brown can provide for them. In fact, Daren Brown will now be the second consecutive Jacksonville manager with major league managing experience. Al Pedrique, now the Marlins third base coach, managed the team last year, and served as the interim manager with the Arizona Diamondbacks for half a season in 2004. Without further adieu, here is the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp projected roster for 2022: Projected Lineup C Payton Henry 1B Jerar Encarnacion 2021 Stats (A-AA): .221/.308/.396, 9 HR, 29 RBI, 102/25 K/BB It is hard to understate how important of a year this is for Encarnacion. Already twenty-four years old, and having never played above AA, Encarnacion has to hit this year. The K% of 38.1% at AA is scary to the point where it is doubtful he can hit at a higher level, but there is still hope that the raw power will translate into a powerful bat off of the bench in the Majors. At this point, it is about getting to that power in games for Encarnacion. The arrow was really pointing up for him after 2019, when he had a breakout in A-ball while keeping his strikeout rate in check. The pandemic must have hindered his development somewhat, as he has struggled to replicate that success since then. With someone this talented, however, the Marlins are wise to keep giving him chances to show what he can do in the Minors. Unfortunately, he does not profile well defensively, having struggled in the outfield and in limited reps at first base. The universal DH would only help the stock of Encarnacion if he can get back in a groove at the plate. 2B Riley Mahan 3B Isan Diaz SS Jose Devers The cousin of Boston’s Rafael Devers, Jose appeared briefly in the Majors at the end of the 2021 season. Devers profile is quite different from that of his cousin; he has a quality glove at short or second and displays a lot of speed, while also being very slight of build. Devers does have an exceptional ability to make contact, but the exit velocities in the minors have been concerningly low (according to Fangraphs). Moreover, he has only one homerun in four seasons of minor league play. At best, Devers will need to hit a lot of line drives to get as many hits as possible. The offensive profile is just not there for an everyday player, but Devers is probably ready to contribute as a good glove off the bench for the Marlins. As it relates to the Jumbo Shrimp, Devers will certainly be a favorite of the pitching staff with his ability to turn a high percentage of groundballs into outs. LF JJ Bleday 2021 Stats (AA): .212/.323/.373, 12 HR, 54 RBI, 101/64 K/BB The argument could be made that no position player within the Marlins system, other than perhaps Khalil Watson, has a higher upside than Bleday does. There is a reason he was a top-five draft pick just a few years ago; Bleday has a sweet swing, power to all fields, and is a quality athlete. His speed even surprised scouts prior to the draft, and many had given him that classic label of a "five-tool" player. Since the draft, it has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride. Bleday looked solid in a limited sample in 2019, and then had his first full season cancelled by the pandemic. He slimmed down a bit heading into 2021, and that seemed to backfire. There was a lack of hard contact, and now more concern about a potential hitch in his swing. Bleday put some of the angst to rest with a better performance in the Arizona Fall League. It is worth noting, however, that the pitching in that league was not exceptional this year, and many hitters raked. Still, it was good to see Bleday have some success at the plate professionally. He enters this season already twenty-four years old, and should be on the doorstep of the Major Leagues. A great start to the season in AAA will get him there, and he could be an option to play in center field eventually this year (depending on how the Marlins fill out the rest of the roster). He profiles as more of a solid corner outfielder, but has the potential to play an adequate center field as well. CF Victor Victor Mesa 2021 Stats (A+-AA): .249/.321/.345, 4 HR, 27 RBI, 56/28 K/BB Mesa was a highly sought after prospect coming out of Cuba due to what was believed to be an MLB ready package; he was already twenty-two at the time of signing. However, he has failed to hit in the minors, which has resulted in his development being stalled. Mesa has the speed to be an above average runner and defender in center field, but has not displayed max effort at all times. This is probably preventing him from being a MLB fourth outfielder as much as his lack of hitting at this point. At the plate, Mesa has a long swing that does not allow him to tap into some of the raw power he has. He does not swing and miss too much, and has a good feel for the barrel, but still puts the ball on the ground with too great of a frequency. Some improvement was clearly made in 2021 at High-A, as Mesa hit a solid .306/.357/.432 (118 wRC+) over 225 PA. However, he immediately struggled when getting promoted to AA, and will need to hit at the upper levels at some point if he wants an MLB callup. The ceiling for Mesa is likely just a fourth outfielder, but even that is starting to feel unlikely for the former top prospect. RF Peyton Burdick 2021 Stats (AA-AAA): .224/.367/.456, 23 HR, 53 RBI, 146/79 K/BB A stocky corner outfielder who was not on the draft radar going into his senior year, Burdick tore up the country at Wright State in 2018. The Marlins signed him below slot and he has kept hitting his way through the minors. Making contact is the main concern, as Burdick’s 29.3 K% in AA last year counters his solid .231/.376/.472 line a bit. The power is real, although there is some concern that Burdick will not be able to catch up to big league fastballs due to an open stride. Scouts rave about his makeup, which is always a good sign, and he should be able to provide at least average corner outfield defense. The entire package culminates in a player who has skied up prospect rankings over the past year. There is no doubt that the power is MLB caliber, so Burdick just needs to keep doing what he has been doing. Burdick briefly appeared in AAA at the end of 2021, and should get an extended look in Jacksonville before making his Major League debut. DH Lorenzo Quintana Projected Rotation RHP Max Meyer 2021 Stats (AA-AAA): 111 IP, 2.27 ERA, 130/42 K/BB, 1.19 WHIP Meyer attended a cold weather school, which left some scouts skeptical and others dreaming on what he could be. The dreamers seem to be on the right side of history, as Meyer has really developed since being drafted third overall. He was mostly a two-pitch guy in college, after initially starting out as a reliever (had sixteen saves as a freshman at Minnesota). Then the big games started piling up, and Meyer showed the competitor he is on the mound and started reaching triple digits with the fastball. He was fading later in games at first as a starter, but seems to have gotten better with fatigue issues since then. The slider was described by Fangraphs as being the single best pitch in the draft that year, and he has continued to get strikeouts with it in the minors. The command could still use some work, but Meyer is a tough guy on the mound who seems like he will continue to compete. He was also a decent college hitter, which shows some of his athleticism despite a lack of typical size for a kid who throws this hard. That is a big part of why I am higher on Meyer than many in the industry have been this offseason. Meyer has become a divisive prospect; some experts included him in the top half of their top one hundred, while others did not have him in their lists at all. Typically, quality athleticism is one of the best indicators of being able to develop, so I trust that Meyer can make the necessary adjustments. That, and his clear competitiveness on the mound, make me think that he has the intangibles needed to succeed. Meyer was promoted to AAA right before the season ended, and should get an extended look there prior to making his MLB debut at some point in 2022. LHP Braxton Garrett 2021 Stats (AAA): 85.2 IP, 3.89 ERA, 86/32 K/BB, 1.23 WHIP Garrett required Tommy John Surgery almost immediately after being drafted, which delayed his development quite a bit. Still, he has the potential to be a back end starter because of a quality breaking ball, good movement on his third pitch (changeup), and good feel and command for his pitches. The fastball is the most concerning part of the profile; Garrett never has consistently reached the velocity that scouts hoped for him, and was barely averaging 90 mph on the fastball last season. If that could rise back up a few ticks it would make Garrett far more appealing, as it is a pitch right now that is only being used to get ground balls. It does have downward movement, but big leaguers were able to tee off at that low velocity. The slider and changeup are thrown too hard to pair well with that fastball, so adding some velocity would be a huge value driver for Garrett. While he is unlikely to ever live up to the hype that comes with being the seventh overall pick in the draft, Garrett did perform well at Jacksonville last year and should be one of the first calls the Marlins make if they need a spot starter. RHP Nick Neidert 2021 Stats (AAA): 68.2 IP, 3.67 ERA, 52/21 K/BB, 1.34 WHIP Neidert once drew a Kyle Hendricks comp from Fangraphs for his plus changeup, excellent command, and not possessing an overpowering fastball. That obviously has more to do with style of pitching, as opposed to Neidert's ceiling. However, it is a big reason why I am high on Neidert. The way he pitches, showing command of a variety of pitches and an emphasis on getting weak contact, is a joy to watch when done right. Neidert commands a mid-eighties slider very well to the outside part of the plate against righties, which helps set up the movement of that changeup. The curveball is a slower pitch that does not get used as much but can still be dropped in effectively. Neidert will not miss many bats, but he has the potential to be a back-of-the-rotation starter because of the command and getting a high amount of weak contact. He struggled more than expected with control in a brief cup of coffee in 2021, but it was a very small sample. Neidert should be one of the first guys the Marlins turn to for a spot start in 2022. Like Garrett, he showed enough at AAA last year to get more opportunities in the big leagues. RHP Cody Poteet 2021 Stats (MLB): 30.2 IP, 4.99 ERA, 32/16 K/BB, 1.34 WHIP Poteet came back onto the radar in 2021 due to an increase in his strikeout rate, which had plummeted as he advanced through the minors. He then held his own over seven Major League starts, with a 24% K rate. The BB rate was a little bit high, but has been much more reasonable in a larger samples at AAA over the past few years. The UCLA product flashes four pitches, with a high spin curve, good control on the slider, and the changeup being the out pitch. His fastball sits in the low nineties, and tops in the mid nineties. It has less sink on it than it once did, and surprises some hitters. The complete package means that Poteet has a chance to be a back end starter, and the Marlins will probably turn to him for depth at some point next season. He may not be the most exciting option out of this minor league depth, but Poteet showed in his MLB sample last year that he can hold his own when called upon. RHP Jeff Lindgren LHP Will Stewart 2021 Stats (AA): 99.2 IP, 4.33 ERA, 85/38 K/BB, 1.34 WHIP Acquired as one of the main pieces in the JT Realmuto trade, Stewart has not quite pitched well enough to keep moving up the organizational ladder quickly. His fastball has dropped a few ticks since his Phillies days, and his groundball rate has seen the same sort of decrease. Those two things do not mix well for a guy without elite stuff, and the results have shown it. His secondary pitches are not poor, and he does possess a four pitch mix. However, the results are not good enough for this to be a starter profile. At best, Stewart’s path to the Majors is probably as a ground ball producing lefty out of the bullpen. The Marlins left him exposed to the Rule 5 Draft last offseason but there were no takers. That would not indicate the highest level of confidence in Stewart's chances in the big leagues, but lefties can always stick if they show an ability to get same-handed hitters out.

Photo by Alabama Aerial Perspective From dominant pitching performances to a new single season club home run record mixed in with Blue Angel flyovers, mullet Thursdays and an occasional chase of a man dressed as a cockroach, it was quite an exciting first season of affiliation for the Marlins and the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. With home plate just yards away from Pensacola Bay, the Blue Wahoos enter the second year in partnership with Miami. Even though their relationship is still so young, majority owner Quint Studer has made two adjustments to Blue Wahoos Stadium that should aid in prospects’ path to loanDepot park. Firstly, the Wahoos made a lighting upgrade swapping out old lamps for LED lamps. Secondly, the playing surface was given a major overhaul. As they do at the new ABC Supply Stadium in Beloit at the A+ level, Marlins prospects at the AA level will be playing on the same synthetic turf used in Miami. Leading the Wahoos onto their newly remodeled field will once again be Kevin “Smoke” Randel. Smoke, a Marlins’ draftee in 2002, played at every level of the minor league ranks and has now managed at three different levels, starting at A Greensboro in 2014 followed by A+ Jupiter in 2016. He’s been at the helm of the AA level since 2018. Randel also served as a Marlins’ MiLB hitting coach from 2009-2013. “He’s a really laid back guy,” . ”It helped a lot going to AA. It’s overwhelming going from high A to AA obviously. He treats everyone light in a way. He’s not super hands on. He doesn’t take anything too seriously. He helped me in that way that he kind of let me figure it out on my own.”Projected Lineup C Will Banfield 2021 Stats (A+): .181/.258/.308, 6 HR, 42 RBI, 95/25 K/BB Banfield, the Marlins’ second round pick in the 2018 draft, was a highly prized commodity out of high school and got paid as such. The then-18-year-old made $1.8 million, twice more than his slot value. Since then, Banfield’s spectacular defensive skills have stagnated. Pitchers rave about his game calling and receiving skills and he’s posted a 39% caught stealing rate all while playing against older league average competition. But as great as the defense has been, the bat has severely lagged behind. Through his first 207 career games, Banfield is a sub-.200 hitter, slashing .199/.263/.322. He also owns a 259/61 K/BB. On occasion, Banfield has shown good raw power, but he lacks much of an approach. He is very pull heavy and his line drive and hard hit rates are minuscule. Banfield has also always posted ground ball rates over or very close to the 40% range. Because he is still just 22, the ceiling is still that of a starting catcher, but it is lowering by the day. 2022 will be a huge year for Banfield as he is forced up to the AA level because of a wealth of catchers with less experience coming up behind him. This season will be a tipping point for Banfield. Something to note is that Banfield has not been seen yet at minor league camp. In his stead, undrafted free agent Paul McIntosh has been doing of the catching on the AA field and has looked good doing it. After an impressive showing with the A Hammerheads last year especially in terms of his power potential, McIntosh, 24, could be the backup plan in Pensacola. 1B Troy Johnston 2021 Stats (A-A+): .300/.399/.468, 15 HR, 85 RBI, 103/68 K/BB Johnston personifies late round lightning in a bottle and DJ Svihlik’s mastery. A 17th round draft pick in 2019 out of Gonzaga, the 24-year-old lefty was the epitome of two terms: scientific and simplistic. A self proclaimed ‘cage rat’ during his younger years, Johnston spent much of his time studying the intricacies of handling a baseball bat. This paved the way for him to become a .312/.387/.515 three year collegiate hitter (and a .300/.346/.403 bat during a showing in the wood bat summer leagues after his freshman year). Johnston’s natural bat to ball skills translated well to his first showing in pro ball in 2019 when he hit .277/.373/.399 with Batavia. Only one thing was missing: power. This past season in Beloit, the power found him. After beginning the season in A Jupiter where he hit an insane .349/.427/.446, Johnston slashed .289/.393/.473 in 96 games for the Beloit Snappers. By unlocking more of his lower half, he cranked out a total of 15 home runs (14 with Beloit), the most he’s ever hit over the course of a full season at any level. Johnston led full season Marlins' organizational players in many metrics including batting average, RBIs and wRC+ (140). He finished his 2021 calendar year by going 21/71 (.296) with a .383 OBP in 18 Arizona Fall League games. Defensively, Johnston was drafted as an outfielder. This past season, the Marlins brought him in to play first base. There, Johnston has shown good lateral movement, a good feel for the bag and for his new glove. With the ability to position himself properly and to make difficult plays including stretches and diving grabs, Johnston is a natural athlete who can make a difference on both sides of the ball. As good as he has been, a big challenge approaches for Johnston as he presumably makes the trip up to the AA level. Should his hit tool persist there, he’s not far away from big league readiness. 2B Chris Torres Torres is a 24-year-old acquired infielder acquired by the Marlins in their trade of Dee Gordon to the Seattle Mariners. Torres was rated as the 18th best prospect in the 2014 international signing class. Unfortunately, since coming to the Marlins, playing time has come at a premium for the 5’11”, 170 pound switch hitter. After playing 37 games between short season ball and low A, Torres got in his only full season to date in 2019 with the A Clinton LumberKings. There, Torres showed an advanced approach but the bat to ball skills lagged behind limiting his average. In 112 games, he hit .234/.347/.317 with a 141/75 K/BB. What seemed like a good building block season would not be built upon at all due to the pandemic followed by injury. Following the idle 2020 season, Torres missed all of 2021 due to injury. Torres comes into 2022 as a bit of a wild card with a lot of questions surrounding him, questions he was thought to have the capability to sufficiently answer when he was selected. What kind of physical shape will he be in? Can he make a 50 grade hit tool come to fruition? And can he come by a bit more power? While that remains to be seen, what Torres has shown so far is a plus approach from both sides of the plate, good patience, great speed, and defensive versatility. At 24 and with a wealth of younger infield talent behind him, Torres will — like Banfield — get a big challenge to the AA level. But if he can come back healthy and physically recharged, there is the potential for the Marlins to get even more out of the Gordon trade that has already spurned big league contributors Pablo Lopez and Nick Neidert. 3B Cobie Vance SS Ynmanol Marinez LF Griffin Conine 2021 Stats (A+-AA): .218/.330/.531, 36 HR, 84 RBI, 185/58 K/BB In 2018, the name Conine being back on a Marlins’ affiliated jersey eluded Miami by one single draft pick. At the trade deadline in 2020, the Fish ensured the next wave of Conine would come through South Florida when they traded infielder Jonathan Villar to the Blue Jays for Griffin’s services. Conine, a graduate of Pine Crest Academy in Boca Raton, had a year of extremes in his initial tenure with his hometown organization. After hitting .247/.382/.587 with 23 homers in 66 A+ games, Conine got the call to AA Pensacola. In his first 42 games with the Wahoos, Griffin came way back down to earth, hitting .176/.243/.447. While the power was still prevalent (13 of his 18 hits went over the fence), his strikeout rate soared to an unprecedented 47%. The variance in those stats from A+ to AA shows just how big that jump in level is. More often than not, Conine looked very overmatched. That said, the entirety of Conine’s 2021 season came after he missed half of 2019 due to suspension (for Ritalin) and of course the entirety of 2020. With unprecedented 70-grade raw power and good outfield tools fit for either corner and with the disjointedness of his recent career, there is still room for this recently turned 24-year-old lefty to build an approach and catch his hit tool up enough to turn in to the next Conine (albeit a very different one) who makes an impact for the Marlins. But, with the outfield depth in the Marlins’ system, that clock starts ticking this season. CF JD Orr RF Thomas Jones DH Bubba Hollins Projected Rotation RHP Zach McCambley 2021 Stats (A+-AA): 97 IP, 4.36 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 120/26 K/BB Max Meyer and Jake Eder, challenged to the AA level to begin their careers in 2021, flew out of the gate, showed the Marlins’ organization they were up for the challenge and proved they were both very close to being big league ready. In 2022, another name and another member of the 2020 draft class has a very legitamite chance at reaching a similar level of development: Zach McCambley. McCambley, the Marlins’ third rounder in 2020 out of Coastal Carolina is a 6’2”, 220 pounder. After tossing mostly as a reliever for his first two seasons with the Chanticleers, McCambley took a trip to the well known Cape Cod summer league following the 2019 season. There, in five starts, McCambley really started to make his name well known to scouts. In 20.2 IP, McCambley held down a 1.74 ERA via a 24/7 K/BB. He returned to Conway, SC in 2020 and was off to a fantastic 25 IP, 1.80 ERA, 32/7 K/BB start to his junior year before the COVID cancelation. Considering he could have gone much higher had a full 2020 NCAA season been played, the Marlins got McCambley on a bargain at pick 75 overall McCambley began his 2021 season at the A+ level and proved just how much of a steal he can be. Against A+ competition nearly a year and a half older than him on average, the 6’2”, 220 pound specimen’s extremely advanced stuff allowed him to hold down a 3.79 ERA via a 1.018 WHIP. The most glaring stat McCambley posted with Beloit: a ridiculous 73/6 K/BB. McCambley made the jump up to AA just after the midseason mark. There, in his first taste against the high levels of MiLB (in his first season pro), McCambley discovered he would need to challenge a bit more to remain effective. In his first 40 IP with Pensacola, his ERA inflated to 5.18 and his walk rate from 0.95 to 4.50. This week, McCambley showed back up to Marlins camp spotting his stuff this way. His 70-grade sharp biting power curveball is the difference maker. One of the best pitches in the organization and potentially in all of MiLB (it’s that good), McCambley shows the ability to challenge to both sides of the plate and to bury it for whiffs in pitcher friendly counts. In first looks at McCambley, better fastball command early in counts and his knack to change eye levels has given him a better plan of attack. Moreover, McCambley is gaining a better feel for his blueprint changeup, improving it’s status from mix-in to usable. Should McCambley’s command continue to improve and should his changeup continue to gain polish (something that is almost a guarantee within this pitching development system), McCambley could one day approach the ceiling of James Shields. At the bare minimum he will be a major league reliever and could fill that role right now. Entering his age 23 season, McCambley should return to AA to begin 2022 but may not be there for too long. LHP Antonio Velez 2021 Stats (A+-AA): 99 IP, 2.55 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 93/11 K/BB Continuing with the theme of Svihlik-discovered potential gems in the rough, Velez is a soon-to-be 25-year-old lefty out of Florida State University that went undrafted in the shortened 2020 draft. Velez came in to the Marlins organization and was immediately thrust up to the A+ level. There, Velez began as a reliever but soon entered the Snappers’ rotation. In his first 20 career games (11 starts) Velez managed an even 3.00 ERA via a 0.877 WHIP and outrageous control numbers including a 75/9 K/BB. These accolades earned the lefty a call to AA late in the season. In three starts with the Blue Wahoos, Velez allowed just one earned run while the control and command consisted to the tune of a 18/2 K/BB. Overall, Velez’s 2021 strikeouts to walks ratio was 8.45, tops in the Marlins’ organization. What Velez lacks in the way of fiery velocity (sitting 92, up to 94), he will make up for with incredible command and control over three pitches: an arm-side running fastball, a very advanced two plane changeup and a sweeping slider that he can spot on both sides of the plate. Since his high school days, Velez was always been a late bloomer and he’s become a breakout candidate. Velez’s sudden success story born from obscurity makes him very easy to root for. RHP George Soriano 2021 Stats (A-A+): 89.1 IP, 3.43 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 114/37 K/BB Soriano is another under the radar piece who has recently started to make his name known. A 2015 international signing by the Marlins (which makes him one of the longest tenured players in the system), the Dominican is a 22-year-old righty made his minor league debut as a 17 year old in 2016. After missing the entirety of 2017 due to injury, Soriano came stateside in 2019 where he made an impression mostly as a reliever. In 2019, Soriano had a solid first full season with Clinton as a rotational piece, holding down a 3.91 ERA via a 1.32 WHIP and 99/50 K/BB. Soriano got a bit of a late start to 2021 due to another arm injury. The Marlins built Sorinao up in low A before sending him to Beloit in early July. In 55 innings with the Snappers, Soriano had a 3.74 ERA via a 1.39 WHIP and 67/19 K/BB. Soriano is another pitcher who won’t overpower guys with velocity. He normally sits around 94 with the ability to pump up to 96. What sets him apart are advanced breaking pitches, anchored by a plus slider. Soriano can also throw a changeup that currently grades at 40 with decent sink and tilt. While it is still a third pitch for him, he shows enough feel and command to make it a decisive offering. While Soriano has three pitches and one major league ready one, his overwhelming best tool is his control and his bulldog mentality to challenge hitters. What can get him in trouble at times is his command and catching too much zone which has lead to quite a bit of hard contact. That said, Soriano, another guy with an extremely disjointed recent MiLB career, is still 22 with time to iron that out and continue to ramp up to better velo. He should enter AA baseball with a ton of tools that give him the ability to stick as a back end starter. RHP MD Johnson RHP Bryan Hoeing LHP Zach King

The Beloit Snappers enjoyed a long history as a premier Class A franchise, spending almost four decades in that division with three different affiliates. Beloit was treated to appearances from solid future big leaguers such as Paul Molitor, Prince Fielder, Matt Garza, and Matt Chapman, to name a few. Now rebranded as the Sky Carp, they are prepared to start their first full season in the beautiful new ABC Supply Stadium. This is a new age for the Beloit franchise, and just their second year as an affiliate with the Marlins in High-A. With the amount of talent that is filtering through this lower level of the Minors, it would be no surprise to see Beloit have their first season above .500 since 2013. With fans buzzing around the new park, there would be no better season to do that in. Beloit fans will be treated to the talents of Eury Perez, one of the fastest rising pitching prospects in the sport, and electric offensive talents in Nasim Nunez and Osiris Johnson. In conducting this preview, what stood out most in the projected Beloit roster was speed and athleticism. That should make for an exciting product to see for those in the area of the Wisconsin-Illinois border town. Managing the team in their inaugural season as the Sky Carp will be Jorge Hernandez. Hernandez has spent over a decade working with the Marlins in various positions as a coach and manager in the lower minor league levels. He was most recently the manager with Jupiter, spending just this past season there. That should make Hernandez's transition to Beloit a seamless one, as he managed Nunez, Victor Mesa Jr, Johnson, Perez, and others just last season. Having experience with the most talented players expected to be in Beloit should only help their development, as they gain comfort while traveling from the cozy confines of Florida all the way up to Wisconsin. Hernandez has further managing experience in the Gulf Coast League from 2009-2012, and also in the now defunct New York-Penn League in 2018. This all came with the Marlins, so it is good to see a long time trooper in the organization get promoted. Ensuring that your coaches at all levels, from the Majors to the Minors, are on the same page with the organization's overall goals is a common theme for the best teams. Hernandez has clearly shown he is a quality developer of young players, so here is to hoping his first season in Beloit will be fruitful. C Bennett Hostetler 2021 Stats (A-A+): .319.367/.486, 5 HR, 33 RBI, 38/36 K/BB Converting to catcher from the infield gives Hostetler the opportunity to improve his value if he can play the position well. He has done nothing but hit since his senior year at North Dakota State, although Hostetler did strike out a concerning amount in his professional debut this past season. 1B Tanner Allen 2021 Stats (FCL-A): .183/.257/.275, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 11/3 K/BB Already 23 years old, Allen will be under a lot of pressure to start moving up the levels of the minors this season. The SEC Player of the Year in 2021, Allen has raw power and a line drive approach. He is an above average athlete, but did not play the outfield particularly well. Ultimately, to profile at first base, where he played a bit in college, Allen will need to hit more. 2B Federico Polanco 3B Cody Morissette 2021 Stats (A): .204/.308/.299, 1 HR, 10 XBH, 10 RBI, 38/20 K/BB Morissette has good contact skills and a solid approach at the plate that made him one of the top college hitters in the country. His short swing and gap-to-gap power drew a Joey Wendle comp from FanGraphs, and this is before the Marlins traded for Wendle. Morissette’s versatility, as he could play second base as well, contributes to that comp and his lack of arm strength is probably meant more for second base. Not having enough raw power holds Morissette back from being a better prospect and limits his ceiling. SS Nasim Nunez 2021 Stats (A): .243/.366/.265, 3 XBH, 10 RBI, 46/35 K/BB, 35/10 SB/CS Nunez has played just over one hundred minor league games now, and has over sixty stolen bases. His speed and defense will be what gets him to the Majors, although some scouts remain optimistic about his ability to hit. As a switch hitter, Nunez has shown more promise from the left side and has barreled some balls. Added strength has also improved his exit velocities, but Nunez still has more to put on his frame. His approach at the plate should be appreciated, as Nunez knows his strength is his speed. As a result, he has prioritized getting on base despite his lack of power; a .243/.366/.265 line in A-Ball in 2021 shows this, to go along with 33 stolen bases. Scouts seem to agree that he will be able to stick at shortstop and be a good one. LF Victor Mesa Jr 2021 Stats (A): .266/.316/.402, 5 HR, 37 XBH, 71 RBI, 102/33 K/BB The brother of Victor Victor Mesa, Victor Jr. has clearly emerged as the better prospect out of the two despite what scouts initially expected. What he lacks in raw power is made up for with a decent approach at the plate and an ability to make solid contact consistently. Mesa has a sweet swing from the left side, and does have some muscle, but is not expected to tack on much more power. Scouts doubt if he has the speed to play center field in the big leagues, but he is a high IQ player who undoubtedly would be an adequate corner outfielder. The ceiling is not terribly high, but everything is there for him to be at least a contact-oriented fourth outfielder. CF Osiris Johnson 2021 Stats (FCL-A): .219/.294/.373, 11 HR, 30 XBH, 55 RBI, 104/34 K/BB Johnson was tearing up the Complex League before earning a promotion to A-Ball in 2021, but struggled from that point on. This is understandable considering Johnson missed all of 2019 due to an elbow injury, so 2021 was his first live action since 2018. Johnson has impressive bloodlines, as the son of a former big leaguer and the cousin of Jimmy Rollins. He has displayed impressive minor league exit velocities, and scouts are optimistic that he can keep getting stronger. A better approach at the plate will be needed, and his stocky frame has many thinking that he will be better in the infield. The Marlins have tried him at all three outfield spots, plus shortstop, second, and third. FanGraphs expects he will stick at second or third base, and MLB puts a Howie Kendrick comp on him due to his frame and surprising pop. He should get a chance at Beloit to show that his ability to hit the ball hard can translate to a better slash line in 2022. RF Davis Bradshaw DH Paul McIntonsh Projected Rotation RHP Eury Perez 2021 Stats (A-A+): 78 IP, 1.96 ERA, 0.885 WHIP, 108/26 K/BB Perez was not a huge prospect when signing, but has grown four inches since then and his fastball has increased in velocity as a result. Scouts are now optimistic that this rapidly rising prospect could sit in the mid-nineties with the heater, and he reportedly topped out at 97 during the 2021 season in the minors. That is all very promising, and makes Perez very projectible as a prospect. He already had very good feel for the curveball and changeup, which is impressive considering his age. That helps explain why Perez has had some success already as he has progressed through the minors, despite still being so young. His control was even improved in games, and this was his first time pitching professionally due to the pandemic. Perez should continue leaping up prospect lists if he continues his success, and keeps jumping levels in 2022. LHP Dax Fulton 2021 Stats (A-A+): 78.1 IP, 4.60 ERA, 1.391 WHIP, 84/38 K/BB Fulton missed the end of his senior year in high school due to TJS, and the Marlins still took him high. He was the top rated prep left handed pitcher, and was able to finally get on the mound in a professional setting in 2021. The fastball has the potential to keep adding on a few ticks, considering Fulton’s age and size. It already has a ton of downward movement, and he generated a lot of ground balls with it last year. The curveball also has a lot of movement, and is more of the swing and miss pitch. He does have a repeatable delivery, and the changeup is starting to develop so Fulton should be able to remain a starter. Staying healthy, cutting down on the walks, and continuing to work on his third pitch will all be crucial for super-athletic Fulton in 2022. RHP Evan Fitterer 2021 Stats (A): 30.1 IP, 4.15 ERA, 1.385 WHIP, 33/10 K/BB Fitterer projects as a potential back end starter due to a decent four pitch mitch. All four pitches project as average eventually, and the fastball has sinking action that results in a lot of ground balls. A little more velocity would make that pitch more interesting, and there is a chance for that considering Fitterer’s age and size. His control greatly improved in 2021, with a very low BB rate. That came in a small sample size, but it would be a great sign for Fitterer if that continued considering he lacks a truly dominant out pitch. He was described by MLB Pipeline as looking similar to Kyle Hendricks, with better raw stuff, which is obviously high praise. RHP Matt Givin RHP Chris Mokma LHP Luis Palacios 2021 Stats (A): 65 IP, 3.88 ERA, 0.985 WHIP, 66/16 K/BB Prospects are rarely judged much on minor league statistics, nor should they be. But, some prospects have to be put on the radar because of the way they dominate the lower levels. That is what Palacios has done, despite stuff that does not put him on many scouts radars. He is very deceptive with his low velocity, and has superb control already. Palacios is not a ground ball pitcher, but gets a ton of infield fly balls. The deceptive delivery can only help there. If he wants to be more than a depth starter, he will need to add some velocity. That is still possible considering the age and size, but it better come soon.

In the past few weeks, Marlins fans have gone through the full gauntlet of emotions when it comes to reading prospects reports on their favorite team. After The Athletic's Keith Law controversially did not include Max Meyer in his Top 100 Prospects (or his just missed list), he then ranked the Marlins system as just the fourteenth best in the sport. This came after a fourth place ranking last season, so Law sees this system as taking a step back from where they were. Of course, that was partially due to hyped prospects like Trevor Rogers and Jazz Chisholm Jr. graduating out of prospect eligibility. Shortly after Law’s list was published, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel released his own Top 100 Prospects rankings. His list was far more Marlins-friendly, with seven Marlins included in it. That interestingly included Meyer as his top Marlins prospect, showing the lack of consensus that exists among experts on this pitcher. Furthermore, McDaniel ranked the Marlins system as the fourth best in the league, citing the elite talent at the top of their system. Law and McDaniel are not the only two experts to diverge in their opinions of the Marlins entire system. Baseball America recently ranked the system even lower than Law did, at twentieth best in the Majors. Baseball Prospects, on the other hand, was more aligned with McDaniel’s thinking in ranking the Marlins system as the sixth best. This is not to say that one expert is right, while another is wrong, but instead to show just how different opinions are and how volatile prospect rankings can be. Still, there is quite a bit of consensus in the way the experts stack up most team’s farm systems. For instance, Law and McDaniel had seven of the same ten teams in their respective top ten, albeit in different orders. Ultimately, the scouts seem to agree on which teams have the most high end talent and depth in their system, and can then differ on their opinions in exactly how good some of the top-end players are. So, what gives with the Marlins? Why is this system being viewed so differently by a variety of sources? The answer comes down to pitching. Much has been made of how unique this Marlins system is; few teams have ever had this hoard of pitching depth, but the Marlins do not possess the hitting talent to match it. That explains why there have been various rumors surrounding Miami potentially swapping some of that pitching for hitting. Trading Zac Gallen to Arizona for Chisholm Jr. a few seasons ago was the kind of deal that many view as being mutually beneficial for the Marlins and a potential trade partner again. We will see if that ultimately comes to fruition, but the point here is that the Marlins are well known around the league right now for having so many exciting pitching prospects in their minor leagues. Look no further for the answer to why there is such a difference of opinions regarding the Marlins system. Pitching is notoriously volatile, and not easy to predict. McDaniel wrote in his 2020 book, co-authored with Eric Longenhagan of Fangraphs, titled Future Value, about the difficulty in projecting young pitchers: While we think pitching is a little easier to scout, it’s harder to predict. Who will get hurt? Who will throw harder as they enter their physical prime? Who will retain that velocity into advanced age? Whose command or secondary pitches will improve? These are slippery central questions for which we still only have vague, perhaps apocryphal answers that apply across the pitching population as a whole, partially because, now more than ever, so many of those answers are dependent on player development. While McDaniel and Longenhagan do not go so far as to agree with the old adage that “pitchers are not prospects,” they do recognize that the lack of certainty with pitchers still leads many to value hitters over them. In his recent Top 100 rankings, McDaniel seemed to be leaning even more in this direction, with his top six prospects all being hitters. He even noted in his blurb about the top pitching prospect, Baltimore’s Grayson Rodriguez, that the industry has struggled in ranking pitchers in recent years. Looking at Baseball Prospectus’ top pitching prospect for the last decade, one can see that McDaniel is on to something here: YearPitcherCareer fWAR2011Julio Teheran12.92012Matt Moore8.22013Gerrit Cole35.52014Taijuan Walker7.92015Lucas Giolito11.02016Lucas Giolito11.02017Lucas Giolito11.02018Alex Reyes1.62019Forrest Whitley0.02020MacKenzie Gore0.0This exercise was simply done not to show that the top pitching prospects are not often successful; after all, the traits that get one ranked this high are inherently good. Throwing hard, having multiple plus breaking pitches, and quality command get a pitching prospect up to the top ranking. Instead, this just shows what McDaniel and Longenhagan were saying a few years ago: pitching is nearly impossible to predict. Cole and Giolito are star-level pitchers now, but for each of those there is a Matt Moore or Taijuan Walker who just cannot put all of the pieces together. Health seems to be one of the main reasons for that, although Julio Teheran was a highly durable pitcher for the entire decade and never lived up to the hype either. Compared to the top hitting prospects, the pitchers do not compare in projectability. Even looking at the last two names from that table, Whitley and Gore, one sees the danger in overvaluing pitching prospects. Both pitchers were drafted in the first round out of high school. High school pitching is the most risky demographic to select from, an issue that has been researched extensively by Law and others. Many of the Marlins top pitching prospects come from the international signing market, as opposed to the amateur draft, but many are still around the same age as these draft picks right out of high school stateside. Eury Perez would have only just been eligible for last year's draft, and would have certainly been a top pick, hypothetically, based on his talent. However, he is no more easily predictable just because he has already been in the Marlins system for a few years. The Marlins feature an impressive treasure chest of pitching spread across various levels, but the young pitchers are exceptionally hard to expect any particular thing out of. Therefore, it is not surprising that we are seeing such different opinions on the Marlins system. Some still have the mindset, and justifiably so, that pitching prospects are harder to project and therefore not as valuable as hitters. The Marlins could counter that by saying that their pitching prospects are so talented that at least a few of them will end up being top line starters. The result is a lack of consensus in how certain pitchers, like Meyer and Edward Cabrera, are viewed. Since these guys make up the top of the Marlins system, the system as a whole can be viewed quite differently depending on who you are listening to.

JJ Bleday (Photo by Pensacola Blue Wahoos) At the end of each professional season, each club has at least a few names that surpass expectations and cause the phrases 'who is that?' or 'where did that come from?' to be rhetorically spoken before those names become household fixtures. In 2021, it was Eury Perez, Jake Eder, Troy Johnston and Anthony Bender among others. Who will it be this year and how will they make their mark on 2022 and beyond? Herein, we provide our predictions.*Predictions labeled with SH were made by Sam Hemenway **Predictions labeled with AC were made by Alex Carver -- Bryan De La Cruz hits 20 HR as the Marlins' starting center fielder De La Cruz was a pleasant surprise for the 2021 Marlins, coming over after the trade deadline to little fanfare and playing well enough to project as a starter going into next season. De La Cruz is one of those guys who never had the advantage of having a "top prospect" billing attached to his name, but he has performed at a higher level as he has matured. Combined between AAA (in the Astros organization) and MLB, De La Cruz hit a career high seventeen homeruns in 2021. That was an increase from the eight he hit in 2019, and the first time that he had ever reached double digits in a single season. De La Cruz hit the ball hard at the Major League level, and while his BABIP indicates he was probably a bit lucky on contact, the power is real. If he can keep his strikeouts in check, than De La Cruz could lock in the starting center fielder spot and show some real power over the entire season. Moreover, he would become the first Marlins center fielder to hit 20 home runs in a season since Marcell Ozuna did it back in 2016. De La Cruz could do that while playing far more acceptable defense in center than Ozuna was able to do. Edward Cabrera makes 20+ starts, holds ERA under 4.00, contends for team lead in strikeouts Cabrera had a dazzling minor league career with theMarlins. Selected as an 18 year old in the 2016-17 international signing period, Cabrera flew through the levels, making it stateside his second year pro and all the way up to AA in 2019. Despite the lack of minor league baseball in 2020, Cabrera continued to turn heads at the Marlins’ alternate training site and was on taxi squads late in the season and during the postseason as a candidate to potentially make his debut. Despite a delayed start to 2021 due to an inflamed nerve issue in his biceps, Cabrera returned to the mound in June seemingly no worse for the wear. After two starts in Jupiter, a handful in Pensacola and six in Jacksonville, Cabrera made his MLB debut on August 25th and turned in a 6.1 IP, 3 ER quality start. The rest of Cabrera’s major league tenure was a mixed bag for a couple reasons. For the bulk of his minor league career, Cabrera’s success stemmed from his fiery heat coupled with knee-bending slider, like so: However, as a major leaguer, Cabrera broke out his third pitch changeup much more frequently. In fact, in three of his seven starts, Edward threw the changeup more than his anchor heater that can touch triple digits and that sits at 95-97. While puzzling, the most plausible reason for his increased usage is that Cabrera’s feel for the pitch was being analyzed by coaching against major league pitching during the back end of a lost season. Cabrera’s time with the Marlins gave the staff a better knowledge of where he is his stuff and the work to improve has already begun at the big league level. Looking at Trevor Rogers, Pablo Lopez, Sandy Alcantara and others, Mel Stottlemyre Jr has the ability to fully develop a changeup in the blink of an eye. And Cabrera’s was already useable and further ahead than some of those names as he came out of AAA. With a fully healthy 2022 preseason campaign and spring training, considering what the Marlins’ system does with changeups and with Gold Glover Jacob Stallings joining the fray as the Marlins’ primary catcher, we anticipate Cabrera will pop immediately to begin 2022, defending himself as the top prospect in the organization and as a guy who could one day challenge Alcantara as the long term ace of this staff. Cabrera can be that good. Nick Fortes emerges as one of the best backup catchers in MLB Like De La Cruz, Fortes emerged as a pleasant surprise in his 2021 cup of coffee despite being unheralded as a prospect. His .677 slugging percentage in the Majors is the definition of unsustainable, especially considering it came in just thirty-four plate appearances, but think about the lack of quality hitting that exists at the catching position right now. Look no further than Miami, where Sandy Leon was given 220 PA, at a horrible .183/.237/.267, last season. That is the worst offensive season, by wRC+, for any Marlins catcher with a minimum of 200 plate appearances in club history. It just goes to show the lack of offensive options at the position around the league, and how much defense is prioritized while there are still human beings calling balls and strikes. The Marlins have some options at backup catcher, which should be a fun battle to watch if there is a normal spring training that emerges when the lockout concludes. Fortes had more success than his competitors, Alex Jackson and Payton Henry, at the Major League level and should be the favorite for the job. His ability to make contact is far superior to those two, and his reputation as a defender is on the same level if not better. Ultimately, if Fortes can keep making contact, hit the ball hard, and play solid defense, he will become one of the best backups in the league by default. Having that insurance behind Jacob Stallings will give the Marlins their best caching tandem since the JT Realmuto era. Antonio Velez dominates in the upper minors; makes late season Marlins debut Antonio Velez: the ultimate diamond in the rough. A Miami native and attendee of Brandon High School in Tampa, the 6’1”, 200 pound lefty attended JuCo at Hillsborough Community College before being recruited to Florida State University in 2019. After a respectable season out of the bullpen for the Seminoles in 2019 (44.1 IP, 4.26 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 47/10 K/BB), Velez allowed just one earned run on a solo shot while striking out 21 and walking just three in 17.1 IP before COVID canceled the collegiate season. The shortened draft also caused Velez to go undrafted but the Marlins signed him shortly thereafter. After a brief appearance in the Puerto Rican Winter League, Velez began his MiLB career at the A+ level. In his first taste of pro ball, Velez was fantastic for the Snappers, holding down an even 3.00 ERA by way of a 0.88 WHIP. The lefty showed off impeccable control and command as he struck out 75 while walking just nine. In September, the 24-year-old made the jump up to the AA level where his success permeated. In three starts and 18 IP for the Blue Wahoos, Velez allowed just one earned run via a 0.78 WHIP while striking out 18 and walking just two. If Velez was going to make it to his capable ceiling, he needed to show it pretty immediately at the professional level. And in 2021, that is exactly what he did. The 6’1”, 200 pound lefty lacks size and has average velocity usually sitting 92-94. The rest of his arsenal — a best pitch biting slider in the low-mid 80s and a useable changeup — is good but not elite. However, Velez makes up for all of that with a mature knowledge for his craft, the ability to mix pitches advantageously and the ability to spot pitches with pinpoint accuracy in all four quadrants. He has also shown the ability to throw outside of the zone with purpose and garner whiffs. It takes more than 26 players to get through a major league season. A pitcher the Marlins have very little invested in as an undrafted free agent, I view Velez as a command-over-stuff guy who limits contact and plays to a ceiling 4-5 starter or multiple innings reliever. Velez should start 2022 back in Pensacola but he should be a quickly promoted to AAA. As either an injury replacement or fresh arm, he should be one of the first guys on call in the second half. Upon his promotion to his home town team, we foresee this under-the-radar arm impressing for the Marlins and earning a permanent spot on the roster. Nick Neidert becomes a part of the rotation by midseason The Marlins have a tremendous amount of pitching depth, to the point where the national focus on this team has become when they will swap some of that pitching for offense. In the meantime, the Marlins have exciting options like Sanchez, Edward Cabrera, and Braxton Garrett able to contribute despite not appearing to be in the Marlins Opening Day starting rotation. One other guy worth noting, who may be the steadiest of the bunch, is Nick Neidert. Neidert has pitched 44 major league innings over the last two years to get his feet wet, and the Marlins should be ready to call on him at the first sign of injury. Neidert is not the most sexy option; he does not throw as hard or strike out as many guys as the Cabrera's of the world. However, what he offers is a pitch-to-contact profile that should limit hard contact and let a quality Miami defense make plays behind him. Neidert has yet to live up to his reputation as a pitcher with exceptional command in the Majors, but hopefully the added experience will have driven out any nerves and slight mechanical issues. Guys who can limit hard contact, and Neidert's changeup is an excellent weapon with that goal in mind, have a tendency to get "hot" for a stretch if the BABIP gods are in their favor. I am betting that could happen if Neidert gets an extended look in 2022. JJ Bleday is the best hitter in AAA in the first half; called up midseason For most of 2021, JJ Bleday was the talk of the Marlins’ system for all the wrong reasons. After posting an overall .212/.323/.373 line in AA Pensacola, the 2019 third overall pick was sent to the Arizona Fall League to continue working on his craft. There, Bleday was a different player. In 24 games, the Vanderbilt product hit .316/.435/.600 and won the league’s Co-Hitter of the Year award. JJ also added to his accolades a Fall-Stars Game MVP. Although the purely offensive friendly scope of the Arizona Fall League this past season should not be understated, what Bleday was able to accomplish after his regular season struggles was very encouraging. Though Bleday truly popped in Arizona, he began to figure it out late in the regular season. After hitting through the first week of August, the lefty slashed .263/.362/.453 in through his last 27 games of the Blue Wahoos’ slightly abbreviated season (the team’s last series was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns). Per his own admission midseason, Bleday was tinkering with his swing all season long. Here is the before (a 3-1 pitch with the bases loaded in mid-July) and after (one of his six AZFL home runs) Not only was Bleday the talk of the Arizona Fall League, he has continued to be the talk of the current development camp taking place in Jupiter. According to Fish Stripes’ Isaac Azout, Bleday stated he put on more than 15 pounds. During a sim game on February 12th, Bleday used his newfound approach and size to go yard on the first pitch of an at bat. Bleday has always had the tools to succeed as a major leaguer. After a lost 2020 season, he had to learn how hit professional pitching at the most difficult level of development. Not shying away from admitting he had adjusting to do, it took Bleday some time but he finally found his comfort zone late in the season. Then he went to work in the gym and has returned to the Marlins looking more like a physical representation of one of the strongest guys in the organization, Peyton Burdick than the former version of himself. Inasmuch as 2021 was the winter of JJ Bleday, 2022 will be the summer of JJ Bleday. I foresee him starting his age 24 season in AAA Jacksonville and having a first half as impressive as Jesus Sanchez’s 2021 campaign. He gets the call to the Marlins in July after the trade deadline and carves out his role as the Marlins’ long term left fielder. Peyton Burdick is the starting DH by September The designated hitter in the NL was long rumored to be an inevitable outcome of whatever is agreed upon in a new CBA, and commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed as much this past week. That opens up an extra spot for the Marlins offensively, which should be beneficial considering two of their top hitters from a season ago, Garrett Cooper and Jesus Aguilar, both profile as first basemen. Cooper and Aguilar could be trade candidates at midseason, however, if the Marlins are still a year away from playoff contention. Many expect that to be the outcome; could a youth movement be the result in the second half of the season? Lewin Diaz would slot in at first base due to his exceptional glove, while a young hitter like Burdick could benefit from the addition of the extra offensive slot in the lineup. Burdick, a stocky corner outfielder out of Wright State, has hit at every level despite never getting much attention. He has hit to the point of finally getting some attention on prospect lists, and slugged 23 HR with a 137 wRC+ in 2021 at AA-Pensacola. A brief cup of coffee at AAA prior the season's expiration showed that Burdick is knocking on the doors of the Major Leagues. As long as he keeps hitting in 2022 at Jacksonville, and there is no indication with this track record that Burdick will do anything but hit, he should be given a chance to play with the Marlins. Burdick has a quality arm, but not great range in the outfield, meaning that he could be given his first Major League chance at DH in order to get his bat in the lineup. Eury Perez is the best pitching prospect in baseball by the end of the season Eury Perez is skyrocketing up prospect lists at a meteoric pace; Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, and The Athletic's Keith Law all included him in their recent Top 100 Propsects lists. Perez will only turn nineteen years old in April, and was not included on any of these lists a year ago. The following line is a solid way to vault one onto the radar of the experts who put these lists together: 78 IP, 1.96 ERA, 108 K, 26 BB, 0.89 WHIP. Minor league statistics are notoriously fickle, and they should not be given too much weight. However, when a pitcher this young dominates two levels it is always noteworthy. Look at it from this perspective: Perez pitched exceptionally well at two levels of A-ball last season at a time when most players his age are still seniors in high school or freshman at college. To perform that well at such a young age, while also being 6'8, 200 lbs., and hitting the upper nineties in velocity, is sure to garner some warranted attention. The sky is truly the limit for Perez. He was the youngest pitching prospect on Law's Top 100 list, showing how unprecedented his success has been. As some of the older pitchers graduate off of the list, Perez can move past the remaining prospects if he has another season that shows scouts just how much potential he has. Ronald Hernandez breaks out; emerges as top organizational prospect Since Eury Perez lit the world on fire and became a top prospect after signing his international contract in 2018, the question has often been posed: who in this Marlins’ system is next? My answer: Ronald Hernandez. Hernandez, a Venezuelan catcher, came to the Marlins as part of the 2020-2021 international signing class. His bonus: $850,000. While he may not come as quite a surprise as Perez who signed for just $200,000, he is coming fast. And this past October, he just turned 18 years old. Hernandez is a switch hitter. Looking at his 2021 splits which heavily favored his performance from the left hand side. However, in a small sample, Hernandez was able to show similar plate discipline from the opposite side. Against lefties as a right handed batter, he had a 10/6 K/BB. Hernandez is also a right handed thrower leading to the assumption he will catch up his bat to ball skills from the right side which he has all the time in the world to do. Hernandez has shown a good approach and a selective line drive swing with uppercut that could eventually come by more power. The one knock on Hernandez that inhibits that is his lack of projectable size. He comes to the Marlins listed just 6’1”, 155, leading to questions surrounding his muscle as well as his ability to stick at the catcher position. But the Marlins are opening a brand new state-of-the-art Dominican Academy this season and Hernandez is already making use of the club’s stateside facilities as a participant in the current development camp. In addition to reaping the benefits of stateside facilities and his coaches’ tutelage, on the field this winter, Hernandez is both facing off against and receiving as high as AA pitching, experiences that should be considered invaluable for one of the youngest players on the development camp roster. Already with a lot of intangibles out of the way at age 18 with fantastic athleticism, good receiving skills, an accurate arm and the ability to stick as a switch hitter, Ronald Hernandez has youth and the means on his side to pop in 2022 and potentially become the top catching prospect in the Marlins’ organization.

Edward Cabrera's highly anticipated debut came this past season, with the touted prospect throwing the first twenty-six and a third innings of his Major League career. That came over seven games started; Cabrera only threw more than four innings in one start. As the soon-to-be twenty four year old looks to make improvements heading into next season, going deeper in games will certainly be high on the wish list. How can Cabrera accomplish that goal? I went through Cabrera's first seven Major League starts to try and find an answer. My conclusion: Edward Cabrera is going to be a very good Major League pitcher. The fastball, athleticism, movement, breaking balls... there is too much here to not result in an impressive big leaguer. However, it was not long ago when Cabrera was considered to be a likely relief pitcher. The development of his slider and changeup as he matured resulted in this becoming a starter's profile, but command remains the biggest area for improvement before Cabrera can take that next step. It is important to keep in mind that Edward Cabrera has a unique repertoire. His 2021 pitch mix was fairly evenly distributed among four pitches: Pitch Type% of Pitches ThrownAverage Velocity (mph)4-Seam Fastball38%96.9Changeup24%92.2Slider20%87.8Curveball17%83.8Statistics Found via FangraphsFastball Throwing such a low percentage of fastballs is not unheard of, but is unusual, especially for a pitcher so young. One of the first thing scouts are looking for is velocity; Cabrera having a fastball that sits 95-97 and can touch triple digits gained him a lot of notice. Velocity is not everything though, as Cabrera struggled with his ability to command the pitch in his MLB starts. I think this may in part be due to Cabrera trying to make the fastball something that it is not. For instance, Cabrera's pitch has a lot of "tail" on it. The fastball has more of a 2-seam look to it at times, because it is sinking so much and has horizontal movement. Cabrera is massive, at 6'5, and the ball is coming in on a downhill plane. That fastball movement pairs very well with operating low in the zone, getting ground balls, and working with an effective changeup and slider. But, Cabrera does not use the pitch in that way. Instead, he tried to throw it up in the zone often to change the eye levels of hitters. That can be an acceptable strategy, but the movement of the pitch would be much more appropriately located with the goal of getting ground balls in mind. It is not enough of a swing-and-miss generating pitch to be used up in the zone. Commanding this pitch is easier said than done. Cabrera had several starts where he had to take something off of the fastball (sitting more around 94-95) in order to get it over the plate. That is less than ideal, so Cabrera needs to make sure he can throw the pitch at it's usual velocity for a strike when he needs it. In his September 7th start at home against the Mets, Cabrera made the mistake of throwing consecutive fastballs at the top of the zone to Pete Alonso. The first one got by, but the second sunk right into the bat path of the powerful Alonso. That sinking fastball is going to look attractive to hitters with high launch angles like Alonso, especially if it is thrown up in the strike zone. That is running right into the bat path of these powerful sluggers, as Cabrera learned to his detriment. Curveball Moreover, Cabrera's secondary pitches profile better for a groundball pitcher. He does not possess a big, 12-6 curve like many pitchers who throw up in the zone consistently do. Those pitches pair well together, for a variety of reasons including tunneling, and make it difficult on the hitter. Think of Justin Verlander or Walker Buehler as these styles of pitchers. They have the type of fastballs that hitters often describe as "rising" (even though this is not actually the case). The curveball is the pitch in Cabrera's repertoire that has the most vertical break, but it is still not a traditional 12-6 breaker. Instead, it is a slightly slower, more vertical version of the slider. Many scouts did not differentiate between the two pitches because of the similar shape to the pitches. But, Cabrera did use the pitches a bit differently in his 2021 starts. He liked to use the curveball as a "get-me-over" strike in 0-0 counts, and for the most part it worked well to surprise hitters. Cabrera not working in a traditional way was effective in this regard. In his second start, against the Mets, he managed to induce two double play balls off of the curveball because he was not afraid to throw off speed pitches in non-traditional counts. It led to some timing issues for hitters, which became awkward swings and weak contact. In this regard, Cabrera was quite successful in using his curveball. It had the highest pitch value of any of his four offerings in 2021, in part because hitters were so rarely expecting it. Also, Cabrera was able to control the pitch better than any of his other offerings. It was the only off-speed pitch that was actually in the strike zone for the majority of it's offerings from Cabrera. Slider The slider was the pitch that had scouts most excited about Cabrera entering last season, with both Fangraphs and MLB Pipeline rating it as his best off speed pitch. However, there may have been some disagreement with classifying his curveball versus the slider. In his Major League cup of coffee, the curveball was Cabrera's better pitch because he threw it in unexpected counts and was more consistently able to get it over the plate. Still, the slider was easily the pitch that Cabrera was able to command best, other than the curveball. He was often able to get it in on left handers, for a sort of backfoot slider. In his September 18th start against the Pirates, Cabrera effectively located the slider twice in the first inning for swinging strikeouts. It was his best put-away pitch in many scenarios, and resulted in the highest swinging strike percentage of any of his four offerings. This pitch can work so well when paired correctly with the fastball, because it is thrown at a high velocity still while completely breaking in the opposite direction of the tailing fastball. Both pitches work well in the bottom of the zone. Where Cabrera got into trouble with the slider was leaving it in bad locations. Because the pitch is thrown at a high velocity, it can get hit hard if it is left over the plate. This was the case in a few situations where Cabrera was trying to use the pitch as a backdoor slider against lefthanders, but it ended up flat and over the plate. Changeup The pitch that Cabrera struggled with the most in 2021 was the changeup. Yet, this still has the potential to be a plus pitch because of the spin and movement on it. Frankly, it should not be an easy pitch to hit. When located well, it is a downward moving, spiraling pitch that results in some ugly hacks. It is only a few ticks slower than the fastball, which is not typical, so it is not working in the way changeups traditionally do. As a result, Cabrera is not afraid to throw it to right handed hitters. Traditionally, changeups were taught mostly as a weapon against opposite-handed batters. The way Cabrera chose to throw it resulted in a lot of problems. This may be due to mechanical issues that Cabrera and the Marlins coaching staff needs to work through, but Cabrera was often trying to locate the pitch low in the zone and it ended up hanging over the heart of the plate. In his first two big league starts, Cabrera gave up three home runs, all of which came on changeups. He was trying to use it as his out pitch, but it ended up catching too much of the plate. https://twitter.com/Nationals/status/1430701249985490945At other times, Cabrera was not able to get the pitch close enough to the plate. Finding this balance will be imperative in 2022; Cabrera needs the pitch to be competitive enough to entice hitters to chase, while also not catching too much of the zone. Only 44% of his changeups actually ended up in the strike zone. When hitters know that the pitch will often be a ball, they can hone in and look at it only in an ideal location. This led to some trouble for Cabrera with the long ball. This make sense; as a slightly slower version of his fastball, it will be hit hard if it is left right over the plate. Summary Cabrera clearly has a lot of trust in his off-speed pitches, as evidenced by how often he throws them. But, the sinking changeup and the devastating slider work better when paired with that tailing fastball at the bottom of the zone. Those are all pitches that work best low in the zone, so it makes sense to throw them off of each other. The classic "sinker-slider-changeup" type of pitcher does not describe Cabrera perfectly, as his fastball is still a 4-seamer that can be used up in the zone. However, because of it's typically tailing movement, Cabrera may be better off adjusting his own approach and trying to throw it lower in the zone to work more effectively with his other pitches. In Cabrera's final start of the season, in New York against the Mets, he made one notable change that could be a sign of things to come in 2022. He threw fastballs for over 50% of his pitches in that start, which was the first MLB start in which Cabrera had done that. Commanding that pitch is not easy for Cabrera; he walked several batters, and threw five consecutive fastballs out of the zone at one point. However, I think that it is a good sign in that he is trying to build his pitches off of one another. His breaking pitches will be much more effective against MLB hitters when they have to keep the 97 mph fastball at the top of their mind. Ultimately, it may not be the sexy approach, but I think it will lead to Cabrera having the most success in the Major Leagues. Embracing the strengths of his current arsenal will make Cabrera a ground ball pitcher with the ability to still get swings and misses with his breaking balls. This will all have to start with Cabrera gaining a better feel for when to throw his pitches, and not having quite as even of a distribution among the four pitches. Of course, as previously noted, the best thing that Cabrera can do for himself in 2022 is improve his command. That could include his control, as his BB% of 15.8 was far higher than any Major League pitcher will be able to have success with. In a limited sample size, that should not be too much to worry about. Many pitchers struggle throwing strikes early in their Major League careers, as they adjust to nerves, mechanical aspects, and throwing against the world's best hitters. But, if Cabrera can just gain a bit more confidence in getting his fastball over the plate, he will find that hitters will have a much harder time laying off his filthy secondary pitches.

As we grapple with the increasing probability that the lockout will cause, at the very least, a significant delay to the start of the 2022 season, some preseason baseball talk has at least reestablished the hope that Spring will truly arrive eventually. Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus published their annual Top 100 Prospects lists this past week, giving all baseball fans something to distract themselves from the bitter relationship between the big leaguers and the owners. The Marlins featured prominently in those lists, with top prospects Max Meyer and Kahlil Watson among the players to appear. Those players have already cemented their status as top prospects due to amateur hype and minor league performance. The question being examined here is who shall follow their path this season and emerge one year from now as a Top 100 prospect from the Marlins system. For one who is not currently on the list to rise in the experts’ rankings, they will require a breakout season in 2022. Here are ten Marlins prospects who I could see rising to that status by this time next year, in advance of the 2023 season*: * Prospects recently signed during the International Free Agency Period were not included during this exercise. While it is possible that a few could emerge on these lists by next season, we have no idea when they will be debuting with the uncertainty of the pandemic, lockout, etc. Waiting for them to debut first will allow us to form a better judgement next year on players who are so young. Jose Salas, SS 2021 (Rk-A): .305/.391/.405, 14 2B, 2 HR, 51/22 K/BB, 14 SB The main concern for the young Venezuelan prospect entering last season was his ability to make contact consistently. Salas had never appeared in a professional game prior to this season, due to signing late in 2019 and then the pandemic wiping out the 2020 minor league season. So, scouts were eager to see how the hit tool would look with Salas finally in uniform. He put some of those concerns to rest by posting a K% in the low twenties, a reasonable figure at any level. If he can keep the rate below 30% as he jumps through the minors, then Salas should be able to reach the Majors as a power hitting shortstop. That package is always a valuable one, especially with the additionally interesting characteristic of Salas being a switch hitter. Salas also offers some speed, with 14 SB over two levels last season. At 6’2 and nearly 200 pounds, Salas is growing into more power, but there is some concern about his staying at shortstop over time. The Marlins auditioned him at second and third base, so the added versatility should only keep Salas’ stock trending upwards. Some scouts also think his profile would fit in center field. Either way, this is an athletic prospect who should keep getting better. Ian Lewis, 2B 2021 (Rk): .302/.354/.491, 10 2B, 5 3B, 24/11 K/BB The top Bahamian prospect in the 2019 International Free Agent Class, Lewis looked the part in his first professional action following the cancelled pandemic season. He impressed scouts with his ability to make contact, posting just a 14.9 K% in rookie ball. The approach at the plate will need polishing, as Lewis did not walk much and was very aggressive. But, the physical tools are there. The elite trait that Lewis possesses is speed, which is beneficial on the basepaths and in the field. He was playing second in the Florida Coast League mostly due to Salas getting the nod at shortstop, but held his own there and should be able to do the same at short. Lewis is not huge, at 5’10, but does possess some pop that will probably manifest in gap-to-gap power. Once again, Lewis being a switch hitter makes his profile even more appealing. Joe Mack, C 2021 (Rk): .132/.373/.208, 22/20 K/BB Mack passed up a scholarship to Clemson to sign with the Marlins after being drafted thirty-first overall in last year’s amateur draft. He possesses that aesthetically pleasing profile of a lefty hitting catcher, with a gorgeous swing to match. His slash line from a brief Rookie ball debut indicates that Mack has great plate discipline, which was known going into the draft. His struggles with the bat, especially with slugging, is not surprising considering Mack is from New York. Players from cold-weather states typically need to be given a little bit more leeway, as they are not used to playing year-round and typically take a little longer to develop. That should excite Marlins fans, as Mack should continue developing, while it is also clear that he already has the right approach at the plate. Moreover, Mack is expected to stay at catcher as he develops due to a strong arm and plenty of athleticism. Making solid contact this season should be all it takes to get Mack on prospect lists next season. Nasim Nunez, SS 2021 (A): .243/.366/.265, 46/35 K BB, 33 SB Nunez has played just over one hundred minor league games now and has racked up over sixty stolen bases in the process. Prospects with one elite tool can be easy to dream on, and Nunez has one of those tools in his speed. With a success rate over 80% on those stolen bases, Nunez has the potential to be a special base runner. That speed translates very well into the field, where Nunez may be the best fielding shortstop prospect in the system. Furthermore, his arm should be strong enough to stay at the position long-term. Like Mack, Nunez passed up a Clemson scholarship to enter the draft. He needs to keep working on making contact consistently in order to maximize his strength on the basepaths. This will never be a power profile, but one has to like the approach Nunez takes at the plate. He needs to be a bit more aggressive, btu he clearly recognizes speed as his strength and tries to get on-base as a result. If Nunez can just show a little more promise with the bat, then the defense and speed will easily make him a prospect to get excited about. Yiddi Cappe, SS 2021 (Rk): .270/.329/.402 While prospects like Nunez possess an elite trait that makes them projectable, others just physically appear to be future monsters. Cappe would fit into the latter category, with a 6’3, 175 lbs. frame that, at nineteen years old, has room for growth. Cappe already showed an ability to hit the ball hard to all fields in his 2021 professional debut, and scouts expect the power to continue to grow. He is such a promising athlete that Cappe does have the potential to stay at the position, despite his size. Few shortstops have played the position at that height, although Carlos Correa comes to mind. Cappe is that exciting as an athlete. Fangraphs described Cappe as “toolsy” before last season, which perfectly describes why scouts will be excited about him if the production starts to come in the lower levels. Jordan McCants, SS 2021 (Rk): .224/.286/.237 McCants passed up a scholarship to Mississippi State to sign with the Marlins after being drafted in the third round of last year’s draft. In a brief Rookie ball debut, McCants displayed an all-fields, line-drive approach that scouts saw in high school. He struck out more than expected, but scouts do like McCants ability to make contact consistently as he begins to climb up the minor league ladder. More power should also come, as McCants is over six feet tall and should keep adding on muscle. That may not manifest itself in huge homerun power, but hopefully McCants can play gap-to-gap with his speed and athleticism. McCants does have the range to play shortstop, but may move to second base due to a lack of arm strength. Similar to all the guys listed above him here, McCants’ abundance of athleticism will allow him some room for error though, as he could play any of the up-the-middle (SS, 2B, CF) positions well due to in-game speed. Yoelvis Sanchez, OF 2021 (Rk): .151/.311/.279 Sanchez finally saw the field for an extended time in 2021 and showed some of the tools that scouts are excited about. He has the speed to be an up the middle player that can stick in center field. There is a lot of swing and miss in his game right now, but it is only concerning if it continues to happen for someone so young. For now, he is a projectible, athletic bat who is must-watch in 2022 to see if there have been improvements made at the plate. With a 6’2 frame, the lefty Sanchez has the sort of athleticism that can lead to breakouts and quick improvements. Dax Fulton, LHP 2021 (A-A+): 78.1 IP, 84 K, 38 BB, 4.60 ERA This pick feels a bit like cheating, as Fulton did appear on the Baseball Prospectus Top Prospects list this week. However, he has largely flown under the radar, and did not appear on the Baseball America version. He is clearly trending upwards, so it feels like a good bet that Fulton will be on more of these lists next season. Fulton was the Marlins’ second round pick in 2020, but was unable to debut until 2021 due to the pandemic and Tommy John surgery in his senior year of high school. That he showed so much promise in that debut is very exciting, considering Fulton had not been able to pitch in such a long period of time. At 6’7 and 225 lbs., Fulton has the look of an intimidating, monster left handed pitcher. He struck out batters at a high clip last year due to a fastball that sits in the mid-nineties, paired with a curveball that generates a lot of swings and misses. The fastball has a lot of downward movement, leading to an abundance of ground balls. The lack of a third pitch could lead to this being a reliever profile down the road, but Fulton did make progress with the changeup last year. If that keeps developing, he will be projected as a 2-3 starter and will be on all of these top prospect lists a year from now. Evan Fitterer, RHP 2021 (Rk-A): 30.1 IP, 33 K, 10 BB, 4.15 ERA Fitterer was one of the top high school arms in the 2019 draft, but fell to the 5th round due to a UCLA commitment. The Marlins had to give him the equivalent of second round money to entice him to sign. Fitterer is polished for his age, with a four-pitch mix that points to this being a starters profile. All four pitches project as average eventually, and the fastball has sinking action that results in a lot of ground balls. A little more velocity would make that pitch more interesting, and there is a chance for that considering Fitterer’s age and size. His control greatly improved in 2021, with a very low BB rate. That came in a small sample size, but it would be a great sign for Fitterer if that continued considering he lacks a truly dominant out pitch. He was described by MLB Pipeline as a potential Kyle Hendricks with better raw stuff, which is obviously high praise. Jake Eder, LHP 2021 (AA): 71.1 IP, 99 K, 27 BB, 1.77 ERA This is the biggest wild card on this list for a disappointing reason; Eder is not expected to pitch in 2022 after having Tommy John Surgery at the end of last season. If Eder was a Major League pitcher who could contribute to a pennant race, then he might be brought back towards the end of this summer. The knock against Eder going into 2021 was a lack of control, but he was incredibly effective in the Minors because he was able to limit the walks. A 9.4 BB% is not exceptional by any means, but with Eder’s stuff it is good enough to have success at the lower levels. Eder was a first round talent coming out of high school, but stuck to his Vanderbilt commitment instead after being drafted later by the Mets. He had an excellent college career, including closing out a CWS, and showed a fastball that could absolutely play at the next level. The slider is also a plus pitch, and there was some concern he’d be a reliever because the lack of a third pitch and control issues. Yet, Eder developed a decent changeup last year that was not easy on minor league hitters. 2021 was such a promising year for Eder that he should be on the radar for prospect experts the second he returns to the mound, with the hope that he maintains his velocity and the control has not slipped too much.