Alex Carver

Ryan Ignoffo nearly played everywhere in his amateur career, but as a pro, the final pick of the Marlins' 2023 draft class has been turned into a full-time catcher. He rose to the challenge this year. When the Marlins selected Ryan Ignoffo out of Eastern Illinois in the 20th round of the 2023 MLB Draft, it was like choosing to eat at a new restaurant after seeing it had a very long menu. Defensively, the two-way player had done almost everything as an amateur including pitching, playing the corner outfield spots, and playing multiple spots on both sides of the infield. From very early this spring though, it was evident the Marlins were trying something else and one of the few positions that was almost completely foreign to Ignoffo: catcher. He welcomed the chance. “I saw it as another opportunity to get out on the field,” Ignoffo told Fish On First during the minor league season. “It’s a position I didn’t really get to play. I caught some bullpens my freshman year in the fall in college and that was about all I got. But being called on to catch for a bunch of professional guys with nasty stuff was just one of those eye-opening opportunities.” Ignoffo began by catching some of the earliest bullpens on the backfields during spring training. As the campaign wore on, he spent nearly all of his time at the position. From the start, it was clear the Marlins had a plan for his development. “It takes a special player to go to different positions and he’s that special player,” director of player development Rachel Balkovec said. “I think it’s a big mental hurdle. It’s an identity: 'oh no, I’m an outfielder. I can’t do that,' especially catching. It just speaks to his mentality, his open-mindedness, his willingness to work and learn, and his humble nature to learn a new position like that and then crush it. It really speaks to him as a person.” Marlins top-ranked prospect Thomas White was paired with Ignoffo more often that any other catcher in 2024. White was highly complimentary of his battery mate's ability to cut down 28% of potential base-stealers. “He did great. He has a freakin’ cannon back there,” White said. “It’s nice to see a guy get thrown out. You walk a guy, then Ryan throws him out next throw. He’s done a great job. It’s only going to get better.” TGxNNXhfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X0FBZFVWZ0JRVUFvQUNsdFFVQUFBQVZVREFBTUZBQVFBVXdGWFZsRlFWUWRVQlFvRQ==.mp4 For Ignoffo defensively, some of his biggest takeaways as a new catcher were putting in the required time, learning how to be an effective supporter of his pitchers, and helping them control game tempo. “It was just a lot of me showing up earlier than normal, talking with our catching coaches and pitching coaches both at Low-A and High-A,” Ignoffo said. “Just knowing how to pick apart certain game plans, knowing what our pitcher has, and how to attack hitters.” Overall, learning how to catch nearly on the fly and making the full-time positional change in a single spring was a physical challenge, but one which he conquered. “Looking back at all my preparation being a new catcher and seeing it pay off, especially on the hitting side—I thought I was going to suffer with not having my legs underneath me,” Ignoffo said. “I never ran into any issues. I only had fatigue for a couple of games here and there, but overall I felt really, really good.” The success with the bat Ignoffo speaks of was a .324/.376/.459 slash line. He started with Low-A Jupiter and his exploits earned him the Marlins' organizational MVP award for that level. His production largely sustained with High-A Beloit against competition whose average age was closer to his own. In 24 games with the Sky Carp, Ignoffo hit .307/.327/.426. His 139 wRC+ across both levels was the best in the Marlins organization amongst full-season players. “I think going from Low-A to High-A wasn’t that big of a jump. Guys have better stuff and command and do a really good job slowing the game down,” Ignoffo said of how he handled the push up the minor league ladder. “I think the first game I was the most nervous because all my family was there; Beloit is only 40 minutes from my house.” Ignoffo added that his family was in attendance to support him at nearly every Sky Carp home game. Heading into 2025, the new backstop has a plan for how he will attack the offseason in order to improve even more. ”Now I have a foundation and I know what I need to work on,” Ignoffo said. “I caught a ton of games this year which was a really good learning experience. Now I know where I need to get better, and it’s going to happen this offseason.” At 24, Ignoffo is in a great situation: a player who impressed the organization, who became a leader, and who handled every challenge thrown at him. The versatility to play many other positions could be valuable further down the road even if catcher proves to be his primary occupation. He has a good chance of being invited to spring training and to possibly open the season at the Double-A level. View full article

Thomas White is good and he knows it. He dazzled in 2024 and wants to do even more in 2025. Thomas White looked down at two pieces of new hardware that were presented to him by Miami Marlins' brass on Saturday afternoon at loanDepot park. In his first full professional season, White double-dipped as High-A Beloit's MVP and the organization's Minor League Pitcher of the Year. For the 19-year-old left-hander, this would be a surreal moment, yet he keeps his composure throughout the ceremony, wearing a sly grin. He speaks in a calm and collected tone as he poses for photos with his family and accepts handshakes. He is the epitome of confidence. From the outset, new Marlins executives Gabe Kapler and Rachel Balkovec promised to aggressively challenge players who impress them. White was no exception. After a very impressive spring training, White spent just eight games in Low-A Jupiter before being assigned to Beloit. There, over 13 games, he was absolutely electric. Pitching to a 2.81 ERA via a 76/21 K/BB, White was one of the best pitchers on his circuit. He took the challenge of adjusting to a new league and new level about as well as he possibly could have. "Guys hit some mistakes a little bit better. I had a little streak of three home runs in three weeks, but I felt those outings were really good and I made one mistake and they made me pay for it," White said of differences he noticed between the two levels. "Getting used to that and obviously thats something I'll get better at as I get older." After settling in at the High-A level, Thomas White was automatic as he aced the Sky Carp rotation. From July 5 through August 29, White went five innings in each of seven starts while only giving up one run. White attributed his ability to stay consistent to his pitching coach, Jason Erickson. "I thought (he) was great for me; especially coming up there we tried to really just continue what I was doing well in Jupiter while also making some adjustments." One of White’s biggest focuses this season was improving the consistency of his control. After starting the season with a 10.9% walk rate through the month of May, White held down a 7.8% walk rate from June through the end of the season. ”(Control) started out okay, and then middle to end of the year it got really, really way better for me,” White said. “Starting to do more dry work on the mound, getting on the mound every day and getting more comfortable out there is really what contributed to it.” As good as White was in 2024 and as many accolades as he earned including becoming the Marlins' unanimous top prospect, he has plans to do even more in 2025. Working towards that season will start very soon and will include adding around seven more pounds of mass and furthering knowledge of his body. "I'm hoping to put on a little bit more weight and kind of get to where I want to be and then just focus on being explosive," White said. "Now that I know what its like to go through a full season, where I get sore and when I get tired, kind of just building on those specific areas." White also spoke of improving his already-impressive arsenal. "The changeup in general and then kind of honing in on slider," White said of improvements he wants to make to existing pitches. "It was really good at the end of the year when I was able to get it to 83-84, but when it starts to slow down and kind of gets to 80-81, it gets a little more sweeper-y, rather than a tight slider." White isn't stopping at just perfecting his existing pitches. He wants to add another one: a cutter he said he would like to resemble Garrett Crochet's. White believes the addition of a new pitch will allow him to mix speeds more advantageously and keep hitters even more off balance. "A nice bridge pitch would be nice," White said. "A hard cutter type thing; maybe a hard slider/soft cutter just to kind of have the fastball at 96, the changeup at like 84 and the slider also at 84." Stuff and physicality aren't the only things that stick out about White. According to Rachel Balkovec, he also showed that he has it between the ears. "You talk about maturity," Balkovec said. "It's stunning to think of his age and how he carries himself on the mound and how much of a leader he is in the clubhouse." If the club continues to challenge White, he could make his upper minors debut in 2025. From there, the possibility of him making his MLB debut the following year is real. View full article

One of the pitchers participating in the 2024 fall league has already been confirmed. Who else might Miami send westward this autumn and why? Player development doesn’t stop in September. Each autumn, every major league team selects a group of up to seven players to send out west to compete in the Arizona Fall League. Selections are usually comprised of minor leaguers that organizations wants to see get more reps in order to gauge their current level of progression. This year, a rebuilt Marlins system has been keen on challenging players quickly. Logistically, Miami will need to continue to do so as more prospects have entered the organization via trades, the draft, and the upcoming international signing period. Who does Miami want to see a bit more of in Arizona this fall before next season? Here are a few candidates. LHP Justin King King has been notified that he will be going to the AFL, a source tells Fish On First. Released by the Milwaukee Brewers organization two months ago, a change of scenery is benefiting the 26-year-old left-hander thus far. Through 11 relief appearances with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, he has an astounding 48.8% strikeout rate. With an average fastball velocity of 97 mph, the key for King is sharpening his control and command. Expect him to be the oldest Marlins representative. UVc2OFhfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X0R3WlZBbHdHWGxBQUFRRUxVZ0FBVTFKVUFGaFJWRkFBVjFJTUFBVUJCQVlHVlZGUQ==.mp4 C Ryan Ignoffo Ignoffo has been one of the most pleasant developments for the Marlins’ system this year. A late-round pick from 2023, Ignoffo had a solid cup of coffee with the Hammerheads, slashing .300/.375/.389. This season, he proved that production wasn’t a fluke. Beginning with Jupiter then moving to Beloit, Ignoffo is slashing .335/.390/.490. The 5’9”, 215-pounder has also flashed good speed, stealing 21 bases and more than good plate discipline with a 49/46 K/BB. All of this has been done while Ignoffo has learned how to play a new position and arguably the hardest one on the diamond, catcher. The 24-year-old is deserving of an even greater challenge. The Marlins may decide to preview how he does offensively against advanced pitching while getting him even more reps at his new position this fall. INF Yiddi Cappe Cappe was the Marlins' top signing in his international free agent class, receiving a lucrative $3.5M bonus in January 2021. He jumped from the DSL to stateside ball in 2022 then spent a full season Beloit in 2023. This year, Cappe has played just 60 games between Jupiter and the Sky Carp due to being slowed by a wrist injury that cost him nearly three months. Cappe’s development has lagged behind what the Marlins initially projected. He has not developed much physically, his bat speed still needs improvement, and he has been completely moved off of shortstop. Cappe makes a lot of sense as a guy Miami could send westward to make up for lost time and continue attempting to bring out the top prospect they thought they signed four years ago. LHP Dax Fulton Fulton was a member of the Marlins’ all-pitcher 2020 draft class out of the high school ranks. He moved straight to full-season ball in 2021, then in 2022, he held down a 3.80 ERA with dazzling control numbers (150/42 K/BB) between A+ and a small showing in AA. He was invited to big league spring training last season before being sent back to the Blue Wahoos to begin 2023. Just 33 innings into his season, Fulton was shut down with an elbow injury, requiring him to undergo his second full Tommy John surgery. This spring, Fulton was limited to light work and throwing. He’s remained in Jupiter all season where he’s focused on both rehab and conditioning. Recently, a very slimmed down version of Dax threw off a mound again for the first time in over a year. It’s pretty easy to see the vision for Dax to head to Arizona: he needs innings. If he’s ready for game action, the Marlins would love to send him westward. INF Ian Lewis Lewis is a tooled-up infielder who has insane speed, giving him the ability for solid stolen base totals and the ability to turn anything into at least a double. In 2023, his first full-length pro season, Lewis struggled with the quality of his contact, but he was also a victim of the pitcher-friendly Florida State League, posting a .280 BABIP. Improvements are needed here, particularly physically, but the Marlins have not been able to bring the Bahamian switch-hitter to the U.S. all year due to visa issues. Instead, Lewis has been at their Dominican Academy and worked on his conditioning and building strength. The Marlins would love to see where Lewis stands in his progression if they can get him to Arizona. As long as no barriers are in place, Lewis will be with the Peoria Javelinas this fall. RHP Breidy Encarnación Encarnación is one of the longer-tenured members of the organization, having joined it out of the international ranks in 2019. Despite being around that long, Encarnación has logged just 177 ⅓ innings in the minors. Encarnación pitched a full season’s worth of innings last season and was effective at the Low-A and High-A levels as a reliever, demonstrating a plus changeup and earning small cups of coffee at the upper levels of the system. He was originally tabbed to go to the 2023 fall league. However, injury woes scrapped those plans and he remained shut down for most of 2024 until just recently beginning a rehab assignment. Now nearly 24, Encarnación is on track to appear in a limited showing at AA to end the regular season. It would behoove Miami to see more of the 6’3” righty in Arizona. He has the ceiling of a multiple-inning reliever at the next level. LHP Jack Sellinger Sellinger is a 2023 draft pick who was limited to just four FCL games after his selection. He started his 2024 season in early May after spending time on the reserve list with Jupiter where he impressed, specifically with his control and command. In 34 innings, Sellinger threw to a 2.91 ERA via a 52/13 K/BB. He’s since been promoted to A+ Beloit. In four games and 5.1 IP, he’s allowed two earned runs. The lefty has a funky, herky-jerky delivery and a side-arm arm angle. He has succeeded due to his ability to drill the lower half of the strike zone and garner weak contact as well as whiffs out of it, particularly with his high-arcing breaking ball. At 24, the Marlins may choose to feed him more frames against older competition and challenge him in a hitter-friendly league. With success, he’s an arm that could be pushed up the MiLB ladder quickly. View full article

Grant Shepardson became a fifth-round pick of the Marlins this past week by way of great stuff and an even better support system. His older brother, Blake Shepardson, was selected by the White Sox in the 11th round. This past week at the MLB Draft, the Marlins had a plan: buy into the long-term future early, often, and regularly. With their first two picks, the Marlins took prep position players who will be on solid trajectory to make a big league impact in the next 4-5 years. After going with three collegiate picks their next three rounds to manage their signing bonus pool, Miami saw a prep pitcher fall to them that they could not pass on: Colorado right-hander Grant Shepardson. Although still 18, a big-league impact could happen even sooner for Shepardson. The key cog in Shepardson’s quick development has been those closest to him. It became a family affair for the Shepardsons on Day 3 of the draft when Grant's brother, Blake, a righty reliever out of the collegiate ranks, was drafted by the White Sox in the 11th round. For Grant, he went before his role model and a young man who has supported him the length of his career starting at an early age. Even if it took tough love, over the years, the brothers became inseparable. “They pushed each other hard and his brother rode him like a bull to push him and get better,” their father, Paul Shepardson, stated. “They are best friends.” According to their matriarch, the Shepardson brothers continued to be each other’s best source of motivation as they grew through the high school ranks. For the younger brother, he did his best to act spongelike around Blake, especially in terms of preparation. “Grant saw how Blake worked out and took his workout and made it his own.” As the pair grew, Blake headed off to college and continued to follow his own trajectory, first locally at Denver's Regis University, then transferring to the University of San Francisco for his junior season. However, his support for his brother didn’t waver. If anything, it got even stronger and more frequent. Grant committed to play at San Francisco as well. As Blake became even more versed with his younger brother’s path during Grant’s later high school years, he saw how advanced Grant was. “Ever since I entered college and started to follow along to his journey, I’ve started to realize how advanced he is at such a young age,” Blake said. “For example, by his junior year, he had already mastered a good slider, changeup, two-seam, sinker etc. Just a bunch of stuff like that that I had no idea about when I was his age.” Blake also noticed Grant’s strength of mind and his ability to rise to any game occasion, demonstrating maturity beyond his current years. “Not only that, his talent is extraordinary," the elder brother added. “The fact he has been able to be so successful in certain games and completely dominant at 17-18 is crazy; I know at that age, I was only just breaking the surface of what it could look like to be a good pitcher.” Yet another thing Blake noticed was the ability for Grant to be even better. With his brother sitting 93-94 mph with his fastball as late as his junior year, the elder Shepardson saw more in the tank and took it upon himself to encourage it and bring it out. This past winter, Grant met Andrew Amato, the Director of Pitching at Push Performance in Arizona. Their meeting happened on account of Blake. “He started working with me in February,” Amato said. “I’ve been working with his brother Blake for over a year now and Blake got Grant and I in contact.” Amato went to work with Grant on his lower body strength and mechanics. It was a main driver in his ability to bump up his fastball velocity and secure a $897,500 signing bonus from the Marlins. “(We) started off primarily focusing on spinal capacity and coordination through his spine. Made a few small tweaks to his mechanics, in hopes to clean up timing out of peak leg lift, and avoid a super swingy lead leg,” Amato said. “Along with that, increasing arm side side bend and posterior pelvic tilt to increase torque being induced at the lumbar spine.“ After that, it was all about repetition. “Hammered that stuff and over the course of the season. We obviously would talk weekly and velo just kept ticking up,” Amato said. “Ended up hitting 98 on March 28 and one of his last pitches of the game was 97. He came in, got some work in before his pre-draft workouts and ended up climbing to 98 as well.” On top of Shepardson's staple slider, that velocity has been recognized very quickly. According to Amato, though, this still isn’t the best possible version of him. “There is definitely more in the tank. For being 18, and doing what he’s doing is a great sign. Now, the goal moving forward obviously is to keep climbing average velo and dialing in command. A lot is gonna happen in the next couple years.” As those years happen, along the ride with Grant will still be his brother Blake. Through his own experience, Blake has made it his task to continue to contribute to the success of his younger sibling. According to Blake, they will continue compelling each other to develop further. “Having him be really good at a young age has been awesome just because I have a younger version of myself who I can bounce ideas off of, help with my stuff, and ultimately I can be the one to help him through a baseball career,” the elder Shepardson told us. “I’ve been there, done that at a lot of places, lots of teams, coaches and had lots of success and even more failure.” “I can’t even express how fired up I am for my brother,” Blake added. “He works his ass off and everything he has accomplished has been deserved.“ By both being selected in the 2024 draft, the Shepardson brothers are one of six pairs of siblings in MLB history to go in the same selection period. Cole Messina (Round 3, Rockies) and Carson Messina (Round 12, Blue Jays) also pulled off the feat this year. “One person getting drafted is a huge thing and a major accomplishment for one person or one family,” Blake stated. “But myself as well is almost inconceivable at this point. I cannot imagine what our parents are feeling now. But, at the end of the day, they are the sole reasons we are at this point. They supported us every step of the way, and have been there no matter what.” What is next in the development path for the Miami-bound Shepardson as he enters the professional ranks? “(Blake) had been up to 101 mph this summer,” a collegiate source said. "I don’t know if Grant will throw that hard, but that was something that was really intriguing in the recruiting process. His slider is gross. Best pitch and it’s not close. The issue with his fastball is the movement: super generic. If he gets it to do something and adds a third pitch, he could be a starter. But at worst, he’s a good reliever that relies heavily on his slider.” With a great blueprint that has quickly gotten even better and a sturdy support system that isn’t going anywhere no matter how many miles come between them, Grant Shepardson is going places quickly. With an already high floor and higher ceiling, this is arguably the best signing of the draft for Miami. For it, the team can thank the Shepardson family now and continuously. View full article

Though they weren’t at their best, Noble Meyer and Thomas White were effective on a big stage. For a second straight prospect-centric event, the Marlins got a look at their top two pitching prospects on a national stage. On Saturday afternoon in Arlington, Texas, Noble Meyer and Thomas White toed the rubber for the National League Futures team. What the Marlins currently lack in overall prospect prowess, there’s a ton in both of these arms. Once again, they proved it. Both recently called up to High-A as 19-year-olds, Miami’s pair of high-prized arms turned in a combined 1 ⅔ innings of one run work on three strikeouts. Noble was up first. Following Colorado’s Chase Dollander, Meyer tossed the second inning. It was just Meyer’s third time on the mound over the past month; he had missed two straight starts due to a minor injury scare. From the start, Noble had full command of his fastball. Since spring training, it’s been a focus of his to elevate and place his fastball up in the zone more consistently to allow his best pitch slider to advantageously change eye levels and garner even more off-balance hacks. After placing two fastballs up to his first hitter Xavier Isaac, Meyer attempted two pitches to the outer half before freezing him with another fastball over the middle of the plate. In a 2-2 count, Meyer showed great confidence in his heater which topped at 94.6 mph. While the fastball was good, Meyer didn’t have full control of his slider. Many of his spinners wound up well off the plate and led to his walk of Harry Ford. Meyer did garner a whiff for a second strikeout with his slider, but it wound up middle/middle. He somehow got away with the mistake for a K. All in all for Noble, it was very encouraging to see him continue to build confidence in his fastball and place it with paint in the upper quadrants. Though the slider wasn’t there in this inning, it’s a forgone conclusion that that pitch is already close to major league ready. Without his best stuff in a nerve-wracking environment, Noble rose to the occasion. Thomas White, Fish on First’s consensus top prospect, was up next. White entered into a scoreless game in the bottom of the fourth inning. From the jump, White didn’t have his sharpest control. After getting behind his first hitter 3-0, White issued a walk on a fastball. To his second hitter, White tried incorporating his signature slurve a bit more. He did so effectively, gaining a a called strike. He then went back to the bender for a flyout to center field. White seemed to be settling in at that point, getting ahead to his third hitter 1-2, but he eventually lost him by missing outside with two breakers and a fastball. Following a mound visit, White got ahead versus Jaison Chourio 0-2, but then issued a changeup that caught way too much plate. Chourio took the pitch to left for an RBI single, breaking the scoreless tie. After the single, White appeared a bit rattled by his control issues. He was much quicker to the plate between pitches and could be seen exhibiting some negative body language as he walked his next hitter on four pitches. Although he didn’t get out of his inning of work, White ended his night on a good note, striking out Max Clark on a frontdoor slider. He showed good confidence in the pitch to throw it inside in an even count. Though neither Meyer or White had their best stuff, they were still able to limit damage against some of the brightest young bats in Minor League Baseball. The pair of friends will travel together back to Beloit, then meet their High-A teammates in Peoria, where they are expected to return to the Sky Carp starting rotation next week. View full article

Declan Cronin continues to pitch well out of the Marlins bullpen, no matter what the recent results say. Declan Cronin entered the month of June riding high. The 26-year-old reliever had come a long way from being DFA’d twice this past winter, first by the White Sox and then again by the Astros. Cronin was squeezed off the Marlins active roster for a couple weeks shortly after the regular season began, but his job security has not been in doubt since being recalled in mid-April. Showcasing a two-pitch slider/sinker mix both from a funky arm angle and all with downward tilt and command, the righty was extremely effective in 26.2 IP through the end of May. He held down a 1.35 ERA and 2.72 FIP. His 61.4% groundball rate ranked seventh-highest in baseball amongst qualified pitchers. Cronin also had a respectable 24.3% K rate and was stranding baserunners at an 83.8% clip. Along with Tanner Scott, Cronin was a bright spot in the Marlins bullpen. Peter Bendix looked as though he had made one of the most impactful waiver claims of the MLB offseason. Cronin won't be joining Scott as an All-Star representative, though. His production has slipped recently. His ERA has jumped two full runs to 3.35 and his WHIP is up to 1.40. So what happened? Did Cronin regress to the mean and lose value or is something else in play? In not so many words, Cronin himself is just as effective as he used to be. The placement of his pitches has not changed, as illustrated below. Through May 31, he had a 2.72 FIP. In June/July, it is 2.13. He still hasn't allowed a home run in 2024. The two extra runs on Cronin's ERA? They can be attributed to terrible luck and poor defensive play by the Marlins while he was on the mound. Since June began, Cronin’s BABIP is .404, 11th-highest amongst all qualified relievers in baseball. That is up considerably from the .329 BABIP he posted in the first two months of the season. Additionally, he was forced to deal with this brand of glove work behind him: 78le14.mp4 xzn0u2.mp4 On a few occasions, Cronin was teased with good defensive play on one end, only for it to come undone on the back end: s6xxpn.mp4 MLB opponents have made a few adjustments against Cronin. They are not whiffing against his sinker as much as they did initially and they've found ways to lift the ball more consistently. That being said, Cronin's trade stock should not be diminished by what happened this past month. He was still a great pickup by Bendix, perhaps his best of the winter. The baseball gods owe Cronin and his fielders some more routine plays (and maybe a steak dinner to boot) in the second half of the season. View full article

Claimed off waivers from the Astros this past February, Cronin has been excellent out of the Marlins’ bullpen. In his first year as Marlins President of Baseball Operations, Peter Bendix has been the target of some scrutiny for how he handled both the offseason and his first couple months of in-season maneuvers. The team has disappointed to this point with a 21-38 record following Saturday's shutout loss, but Bendix has made his share of valuable low-cost acquisitions that could prove to be impactful long term. Declan Cronin, for example, had a 9.00 ERA in his brief MLB career when the Houston Astros designated for assignment shortly before spring training. Remarkably, he has been lights out in relief for the Marlins and just completed a nearly perfect month of May. Coming into May with an already impressive stat line, Cronin was very impressive despite being limited to two pitches. In 12 ⅔ innings, Cronin allowed two runs including one earned run. He’s one of 19 relievers in Marlins history to pitch at least 10 innings and allow just one earned run in the month of May. Cronin works with a sinker/slider combo that he commands very well low and out of the zone. His ability to get quick outs has allowed him to earn the trust of manager Skip Schumaker. On the year, Cronin has a 61.4% groundball rate, which ranks in the 97th percentile amongst MLB pitchers. His stuff has also been some of the best at limiting barrel contact—his 2.9% barrel rate is in the 94th percentile. Cronin's control has also improved, yielding only nine unintentional walks in 26 ⅔ innings pitched compared to seven in his nine frames of MLB action in 2023. On Friday postgame, Schumaker spoke about how Cronin has impressed him in high-leverage situations. “Today, nobody out, first and third, big part of the order, got ground ball after ground ball,” Schumaker told the media, including Just Baseball’s Ethan Budowsky. “That game could’ve gone away quickly. They could have tied it up quick.” zw7zwu.mp4 Cronin’s game hinges his ability to change eye levels and get swings over the top of the ball. His best pitch is a slider that averages 87 mph and tops at 90. With 38.7 inches of vertical break this season, it’s 3.2% above league average. Similarly with his sinker, Cronin is coming by 29.8 inches of drop. That’s 18% above league average, making it one of the best in baseball. Amongst pitchers who have thrown 100+ sinkers, Cronin’s vertical break profile ranks 15th. “What I love about him is I know I’m gonna get it on the ground,” Schumaker said. “Even the base hits he gives up are on the ground, they just happen to get through. It could be the 5th, the 7th or 8th, because I know it’s gonna be on the ground and we have a chance to turn a double play in a big spot.” With a 1.3 Baseball-Reference WAR already this season, Cronin ranks third amongst Marlins pitchers and second amongst relievers. He and the man who ranks just above him Tanner Scott (1.4 bWAR), just became the third Marlins relief duo in team history to go a combined 20+ IP on just one earned run. Cronin’s effectiveness has started to earn him the same level of trust as Scott. He’s already pitched in high leverage on seven separate occasions this season. Cronin is continuously validating Schumaker’s trust, which Skip says hasn’t wavered since Opening Day when he worked three innings (the 10th through the 12th), yielding just one unearned run. “I trust him," Schumaker said. "We trust him.” With two pitches that fall off the table and generate weak contact on a very consistent basis both from a funky arm angle and the ability to mix in a four seamer that touches 97, Cronin is starting to carve out a very important role in the Marlins’ bullpen. If the aforementioned Scott—rumored to be a trade candidate this summer—is indeed dealt, Cronin could soon play himself into consistent save opportunities. The 26-year-old is currently making the league minimum, not even arbitration eligible until 2027. He is on track to reach free agency in 2030. Bendix's modest waiver claim might turn into a long-term contributor. View full article

Swimming Upstream—Episode #60 Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp play-by-play broadcaster Scott Kornberg joins Alex Carver and Kevin Barral on this episode. Kornberg shares his insight on all of the Miami Marlins' most intriguing Triple-A players and how he approaches his work, plus he revisits the incredible opportunity he had earlier this month to call a Marlins walk-off win at loanDepot park. Players discussed in detail include Max Meyer, Victor Mesa Jr., Otto Lopez, Javier Sanoja, Troy Johnston and Roddery Muñoz. Find Swimming Upstream on the Fish On First YouTube channel, our new-look Apple Podcasts channel and wherever else you get your pods. FOF's audio programming also includes The Offishial Show, Fish Unfiltered, Big Fish Small Pod and more. The Fish On First podcast is now being presented by MPT College Consulting! They pride themselves on helping clients navigate the college application process. This includes preparation for standardized testing, guidance through high school, assistance with essays and applications, and choosing the right college. Visit them today at mptcollegeconsulting.com to learn more about their services and schedule a free consultation. Follow Scott (@ScottKornberg), Alex (@marlinsminors), Kevin (@kevin_barral) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. View full article

On Monday, the Marlins promoted left-handed pitcher Keyner Benitez to Low-A Jupiter after 57 ⅔ innings pitched in the short-season ranks, including just 12 stateside. As a whole this season, the new Marlins brass hasn’t challenged many minor league players to new levels. That began to change on Monday when the Fish promoted one of their youngest prospects to the full-season ranks. Left-handed pitcher Keyner Benitez got off to a fantastic start in the FCL—his first experience pitching stateside—and has earned the promotion to the Low-A Jupiter Hammerheads. The good news doubled as a late birthday present for Benitez: he entered adulthood when he turned 18 on May 23. At age 16, Benitez was a Marlins international signing as part of the 2022-23 free agent class. He entered the professional ranks in the Dominican Summer League and threw to an impressive 3.74 ERA in a decent sample of 45 ⅔ innings. What stood out immediately was his ability to limit hard contact. The DSL hit just .179 off of him. He also showed solid put-away stuff, tallying 44 strikeouts, though also some control woes including 26 walks and five HBPs. He impressed the organization immediately. Benitez came to spring training this year and was seen pitching against Low-A and High-A hitters. At the culmination of the preseason, Benitez was sent to extended spring training. He would then remain stateside as a member of the FCL Marlins. There, at age 17, Benitez continued to succeed via improvements to his control and command. In three games and 12 innings, he dialed up 19 strikeouts and allowed just two walks. He continued to limit any type of solid contact, allowing hits at just a 17% rate. After that sample, the Marlins had seen enough and deemed him ready for full-season ball. He will join Jupiter this week where the Marlins will continue to develop him as a starter. What Benitez—6’1”, 165—lacks in size, he makes up for with stuff. He already owns a wide arsenal of four pitches. His four-seam fastball sits at 92-94 mph and has been clocked as high as 95. He commands it well to both sides of the plate. Benitez’s best secondary is a slider that sits 82-85. It owns cross-cutting action and he can garner whiffs both in and out of zone when placing it. According to a source, it is his best performing pitch right now. Benitez has made solid strides with the movement profile and usage of his 82-85 mph changeup, according to the same source. His last pitch is a 77-80 mph curveball that he shows good confidence in when behind in counts. Overall, Benitez is described as an “extreme competitor” that is very advanced for his age. When you hear multiple members of the organization say things like they are “really excited” about a player, the ears perk up. When that same player is pushed to full where he will become one of the youngest players in the league, close attention should be paid. Benitez has the ceiling of a mid-rotation starter and the floor of a multiple-inning bullpen arm. He will likely make his first start for Jupiter later this week on either Wednesday or Thursday. View full article

In an early-season blockbuster, the Marlins traded Luis Arraez for a package of prospects. How do we think Miami did in extracting fair value for the two-time batting champion? On Friday night, the Marlins made a huge statement. At 9-24 with already the second-worst offense in baseball, Miami struck a deal to trade arguably the most consistent bat in their lineup, signifying themselves as sellers and kicking off what will likely be their most recent teardown. Reported originally by Jeff Passan, two-time batting champion Luis Arraez departed the Oakland Coliseum for San Diego. Around Minor League Baseball, several prospects in the Padres organization were removed from their games, some amidst confusion. Soon, four players would know their new destination: Miami. It’s painful for the Marlins organization to lose one of their most productive and most well-liked players over the past two seasons. Further contributing to the damaging optics of the deal, the Marlins are paying the overwhelming majority of Arraez's $10.6M salary this season while he pursues postseason contention with another club. However, for a team on pace to lose 100+ games while owning a bottom-tier farm system, there is an obligation to move on from a player with decreasing club control while he is still a viable asset. What exactly did the Marlins get in return for the All-Star infielder and did they maximize value? On Saturday afternoon, Peter Bendix said the deal was “too good for us to walk past”. Here’s a look at why they think so. OF Dillon Head MiLB Career: .253/.342/.384, 2 HR, 7 SB, 44/24 K/BB At 19, Head is the youngest piece in the return for Miami. Peter Bendix describes him as being the furthest away from the majors but the player with the most upside in the package. A first-round pick by the Padres last year out of his Illinois high school, Head has decent size with for his age (6”, 185) and projects to get larger. A lefty-swinging/lefty-throwing outfielder, by far his most polished tool is his speed which is graded at the top of the 20-80 scale by MLB Pipeline. In 2022, Head ran a 6.22 60-yard dash. That high school season, he stole 23 bases in 22 games. Ahead of the draft, Head ran a 6.3 second 60-yard dash. He was a career .485 high school hitter. Head broke into pro ball last in the Arizona Complex League produced some solid initial results, slashing .263/,363/.400 before getting the call to Low-A upon the summation of the ACL schedule. There, he collected 13 more hits in 54 ABs. Back at Low-A this season, Head is off to a .237/.317/.366 start. Looking at his underlying peripherals, a few things stand out about Head at the plate this season: his ground ball rate has decreased significantly and he is hitting the ball in the air more, but hasn’t been finding the open field. Head has not been unlucky (.313 BABIP), just incapable of consistently hitting the ball very hard thus far. He also has a 24% K rate and has struggled with above-average breaking stuff especially when it's down and away. As Head continues to grow, he will need to avoid trying to force power and instead come by it more naturally while also taking what he can get and letting his speed go to work for him. With good bat speed and plenty of physical projection left, there’s plenty of room for Head to put polish on raw tools as the years go on. In the outfield, Head has a slightly above-average arm and can cover all the ground necessary with ease, but his initial reads off the bat and route-running need some work. How he develops as a center fielder will be equally important to the work he puts in at the plate. Head isn’t a sure-fire star prospect but because of his raw athleticism and the potential for at least four out of five tools when it’s all said and done capitulated by his strong amateur career, he has a lot on his side as he plays in his age-19 season. He will come to the team as a top 5 organizational prospect. OF Jakob Marsee MiLB Career: .256/.405/.410, 20 HR, 73 SB, 146/147 K/BB Marsee is a 2022 Padres sixth-round draftee from Central Michigan who hit .310/.434/.475 with 91 walks and 82 strikeouts in his collegiate career. So far in his pro career, he’s continued the trend of walking more than striking out. Last year between High-A and Double-A, Marsee walked 82 times to his 81 strikeouts. When Marsee did swing the bat, he found consistent success as he slashed .286/.412/.446. His 134 wRC+ ranked third in the Padres organization. After the season was over, Marsee took his talents to the Arizona Fall League where he was named league MVP. This season, Marsee has been horribly unlucky in AA accounting for his low slash numbers so far. His BABIP sits at just .217. Marsee is determined to lift the ball as much as possible. While not necessarily a weakness, pitchers will attack the outer half of the plate when he falls into a pattern of getting too pull-happy. How he adapts to that could spell the difference between him becoming a fourth outfielder or starting outfielder. Marsee owns above-average speed and the ability to handle all three outfield spots. He shouldn’t have an issue sticking in center field. Overall, Marsee’s extremely disciplined plate presence and approach and sneaky solid tools make him a consistent gap-to-gap on-base threat. The 22-year-old lefty could contribute to Miami sooner rather than later. He’s the most polished position player in this return. 1B Nathan Martorella MiLB Career: .269/.373/.446, 24 HR, 8 SB, 139/114 K/BB Another lefty with gaudy on-base numbers, Martorella is a solid mix of power, patience and offensive projection. A three-year collegiate draftee out of California, Martorella broke into pro ball alongside Marsee. The pair have followed each other through the levels and know each other well both as teammates and roommates. A quick riser through the Padres system, Martorella made only a brief stop in Low-A in 2022 before being promoted to A+ last year. After a .259/.371/.450 campaign with Fort Wayne, Martorella made it up to AA to end 2023. He’s off to an extremely solid start to the year with San Antonio this season, slashing .292/.393/.427. Though he is defensively limited and will likely spend most of his career at first base—he hasn’t played any other position yet this season—there is a lot to like about his offensive make-up. Like Marsee, Martorella sees pitchers from both sides extremely well and works counts very well. Always a tough guy to whiff at every level he’s played at so far, Martorella has a simplistic approach and swing; he doesn’t overdo it at the plate and exhibits natural fluid motions and an extremely quick swing that allows him to see the ball deep into zone and to fight off tough pitches, lengthening his at-bats. A guy who doesn’t waste his opportunities, his make-up as a contact-oriented lefty hitter with solid patience is similar to Troy Johnston. 0899f8d7-bd83-4ec5-b00c-7066595787dc.mp4 One area of improvement for Martorella as he continues in the upper minors will be his ability to put the ball in the air. Last season, he had a 50% ground ball rate which wasted some of his solid quality of contact. If Martorella can stay away from hitting the top of the baseball and come by more launch, it will close the gap between his sub-40 grade game power and 55 grade power. Martorella is defensively limited. He can fake it in the corner outfield spots, but most of his career moving forward will likely be spent at first base or DH. The timeline for his possible MLB call-up will hinge heavily on what he does at the plate. If he finds more loft and continues to show patience in the upper minors, he could contribute to the Marlins by 2025. RHP Woo-Suk Go MiLB Career: 12.1 IP, 4.38 ERA, 1.459 WHIP, 15/4 K/BB The oldest piece of the return, Go signed with the Padres out of the KBO for a lucrative $4.5 million in January. Go joined San Diego after a seven-year tenure with the LG Twins. There, he was one of his league’s most consistent relievers, compiling a 3.28 ERA and 139 saves over 368 ⅓ innings. Go was optioned to AA after struggling in spring training. Listed at 5’11”, 198 lbs. at age 25, Go anchors his arsenal with a power fastball that sits between 93-95 mph and can hit as high as 98. The biggest question mark for Go has been the development of his secondaries. He can throw a a good 12-6 curve that dips into the high 70s and a slider in the high 80s, giving him a solid velo mix and the potential to change eye levels. He also started to throw a changeup in 2023. However, since 2022, Go has largely strayed away from all of those pitches in favor of his cutter which sits in the low 90s. The consistency and confidence Go has in his breaking stuff will be the deciding factor in how far he can go in Major League Baseball. As he continues to break into MiLB with the Marlins, he will likely be used as a middle reliever. Grade: C The Marlins traded away their highest-producing offensive Major League Baseball player and paid his contract down to the minimum for four prospects, none of whom (right now) are a Top 100 talent league-wide. If the Marlins committed to shopping Arraez sooner, say during the offseason or spring training, this return could have been more lucrative. The same could be said for shopping Arraez to contenders at the trade deadline. While the timing of the trade is intriguing considering Miami thought this is the best they were going to do for Arraez’s services, they did acquire a very young player capable of reaching Top 100 status soon, two players performing well with the bat in the upper minors who could contribute to the big league club shortly, and a highly heralded arm from the international ranks. It’s a quantity over true quality return for a team that needs to address a true lack of minor league assets, especially on the offensive side of the baseball. View full article

Following a consistently impressive minor league career, South Florida native Anthony Maldonado is being called up to the big leagues. Here’s what you can expect from him. It’s finally Anthony Maldonado’s turn. After an impressive 2023 season and an equally impressive spring training, his number has been called. As first reported by Kevin Barral, Maldonado has been recalled by the Marlins and will be joining their active roster in advance of Friday's game. Drafted by Miami in 2019, Maldonado rose quickly through the minors. After the missed 2020 COVID season, Maldonado climbed four levels in his first full MiLB season, ending 2021 with the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos. By 2022, Maldonado was pitching for the Triple-A Jumbo Shrimp. This past season, Maldonado spent the entire year with Jacksonville, pitching to a 1.62 ERA with a 78/21 K/BB in 37 games. He was well in line to be a September call-up if not for suffering a hip injury in July that cost him nearly two months. Maldonado came to spring training with the Marlins this year as a member of the 40-man roster. There, he continued to turn heads. In seven games and six innings, he allowed one earned run and held down an 8/4 K/BB. Skip Schumaker lauded Maldonado’s best pitch, his slider, calling it “as good as anybody’s." At the wrap of spring training, Maldonado believed he did enough to make the Opening Day roster. “My minor league success wasn't a fluke. I think I've shown that so far,” Maldonado said at the end of spring training. “I thought I did well.” Though Maldonado did not make the roster over Declan Cronin and newcomer Burch Smith—who the Marlins had not yet even seen throw a pitch live—Maldonado went back to AAA and remained focused, continuing to turn in results. In eight games this year, he has a 2.31 ERA in 11 ⅔ innings. He’s struck out 10 and walked four. Maldonado, a 1-2 inning reliever who is accustomed to high leverage, owns three pitches including the aforementioned slider that breaks late both ways. Even when not placing it perfectly, minor league hitters have been baffled. He can also throw it with purpose outside of the strike zone and garner whiffs. Ultimately, Maldonado hasn’t had to challenge much with the pitch inside the zone to stay effective. Recently, Maldonado has tinkered with his fastball. Originally a traditional four-seamer, since this spring, he’s now throwing the pitch with a modified grip and the action of a sinker. It sits between 92-94. So far, it’s produced good results. How Maldonado continues to adjust to that new grip will be a key aspect to watch as he comes to the majors. Maldonado’s third pitch is a mix-in changeup that he has historically struggled to command. With the influence of Mel Stottlemyre Jr, don’t rule out Maldonado developing that pitch further and becoming even more effective. Historically, Maldonado has also shown off a cutter that sits in the low 90s. Maldonado, who was born in Wellington and went to college in Daytona Beach at Bethune Cookman, takes pride in his Florida roots. “I grew up going to Roger Dean (Chevrolet Stadium) and going to spring training games with my dad,” Maldonado said. “It’s a dream come true. I’m blessed to be a home town boy. Just like (Jesús) Luzardo, just like (Xavier) Edwards, I grew up playing with those guys and it’s really cool we have a chance to play in the big leagues together.” Maldonado gets that chance against the Nationals, starting on Friday in place of the injured Jesús Luzardo. View full article

Swimming Upstream—Episode #59 Alex Carver and Kevin Barral empty the notebook from Friday's Marlins minor league games. Featured prospects include Thomas White, Yiddi Cappe, Jacob Berry, Javier Sanoja, Joe Mack and Cody Morissette. Find Swimming Upstream on the Fish On First YouTube channel, our new-look Apple Podcasts channel and wherever else you get your pods. FOF's audio programming also includes The Offishial Show, Fish Unfiltered, Big Fish Small Pod and more. The Fish On First podcast is now being presented by MPT College Consulting! They pride themselves on helping clients navigate the college application process. This includes preparation for standardized testing, guidance through high school, assistance with essays and applications, and choosing the right college. Visit them today at mptcollegeconsulting.com to learn more about their services and schedule a free consultation. Here are all of Friday's Marlins MiLB box scores. Fish On First has also created the ultimate guide to Marlins minor league affiliates. Follow Alex (@marlinsminors), Kevin (@kevin_barral) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. View full article

Despite a very impressive spring in which he was one of the Marlins' most productive bats while playing multiple positions, Dane Myers was optioned to Triple-A on Friday. Why and how soon may we see Myers back in the big leagues? Dane Myers has grown a lot since joining the Marlins last season. A converted pitcher who started playing third base in 2019 and the outfield in 2021, Myers joined Miami in December 2022 via the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft. Upon his signing, Myers was assigned to Double-A Pensacola. There, with the Blue Wahoos, Myers hit a robust .291/.395/.489. His .895 OPS in those 49 games was some the best and most sustained success Myers had ever come by in his career at the plate. A promotion to Triple-A Jacksonville led to even more success for Myers. There, he hit .339/.417/.516. In between his two AAA stints, Myers received his first two big league call ups. In 22 games with Miami, he hit .269/.286/.358. He ended the year as a member of the big league team. Myers came to Marlins camp this spring needing to impress to have a chance of being back in the big league outfield to start 2024. He did. Receiving regular playing time (17 games), Myers went 14-for-34 with three home runs, including a walk off home run. He also added two doubles. Some of the established MLB hurlers Myers was able to have success against included José Quintana and Hunter Harvey. Despite getting a long look and impressing while doing so, Myers fell victim to a numbers crunch and will start 2024 in the minors. The Marlins announced on Friday afternoon that Myers had been optioned to AAA Jacksonville. Main reasons for Myers' exclusion include new acquisitions Nick Gordon and Vidal Brujan, both of whom are out of options. With the rest of the outfield healthy, seemingly Myers' only way onto the roster would have been if they optioned Bryan De La Cruz who has a longer track record of MLB success. According to manager Skip Schumaker, Myers showed the necessary results to make the team and under different circumstances, he would have. "This was the toughest decision of anybody in camp. He played his tail off and he did it the right way; he competed and honestly deserved to make the team. There's no sugarcoating it," Schumaker said. "The way the roster is right now, he was just unfortunately the guy that couldn't make the team." Schumaker, whose transparency is one of the many reasons he has earned the respect of the Marlins' clubhouse, stated the conversation was difficult due to limited reasons he was able to provide Myers for the roster move. "Usually, you have something to say to these guys when they get sent down for whatever they did in spring or why they didn't make it. I didn't really have too much other than we just didn't have a spot for him. And that's a tough thing to hear because he did everything he could." As far as how soon we may see Myers back with the Marlins, Schumaker said Myers has earned the right to be the "next man up." "He will be the first guy called up no matter what because he's so valuable in the flexibility of the outfield," Schumaker said. "He has played some infield, the at-bats have been so good, baserunning, the whole deal." In receiving the news, Myers was disappointed, but has no doubt that he belongs in the majors. "It was just kind of the way the roster worked out, there wasn't a spot for me, which I understand, but I think I deserve to be on the team," Myers said. "I think if you don't think that way, you're not thinking the right way. I'll just keep doing my work, keep pressing the door down and try to make it back up soon." "I would like to think something that adds value to me is playing on the infield and the outfield. So I've still worked on all the positions and I hope throughout the year, I can play them all." Myers turned 28 on March 8. He projects to see everyday playing time with the Jumbo Shrimp, primarily as the team's starting center fielder. View full article