Miami Marlins Top 10 Prospects Heading Into 2012 Season

Throughout the MLB’s Winter Meetings the Marlins have been the team to beat. They got started with some big free agent additions. First, they Marlins acquired former Mets SS, Jose Reyes to a 6-year 106 million dollar deal. The Marlins refused to stop at Reyes and acquired two more pitchers -- Righty Heath Bell, former closer of the San Diego Padres -- Then, the Fish added one of Ozzie Guillen’s former White Sox players, Mark Buehrle.


The Marlins have certainly been more active than ever in Winter Meetings. This, of course, is no surprise as the team moves into their new ball park in Miami and goes through a complete make over from name change to new uniforms, it is certainly a new era in Marlins baseball.

For years the Marlins have been considered a “small market” team - Never really in the running for top-not free agents and without the luxury to keep their home-grown players long term. The future for the Marlins was always “Now” - Now, the Marlins have the ability to be big spenders and let the future be just that - The Future.

This blog is about the Top 10 prospects to keep tabs on during the 2012 season and beyond. In recent years the Marlins have called up and gotten great contributions from guys like Mike Stanton, Logan Morrison, Chris Coghlan on the offensive side of the deal and guys like Chris Volstad, Brad Hand, Steve Cishek on the pitching side. Lets take a look at the Top 10 prospects to look for in what should be a fun filled 2012 for the Miami Marlins.

1. Christian Yelich, 6’4, 189 lbs, OF - Age 20 - Drafted in 2010 with the 23rd pick out of Thousand Oaks California. Thus far, Yelich has been worthy of his draft status coming off a season in the minors at Single-A Greensboro where he hit for a batting average of 312 with an OBP of 388 and 484 slugging percentage. Yelich hit 15 home-runs with 77 RBI’s and added 32 stolen bases for good measure. It is expected for he will be moving to moving to High-A in Jupiter, Florida where he will bep laying in the Florida State League. The Florida State League is considered to be a league with many pitcher-friendly ball-parks, but the same was said when Mike Stanton was coming up through the ranks and we all know the damage he did there.

My expectations for Yelich as far as Major league time goes is for him to get his cup of tea during September call-ups but have no doubts in 2013 he will come into Spring Training with a shot at making this club Opening Day of said season.

2. Jose Fernandez 6’3, 125 lbs, RHP - Age 19 Fernandez, who was the Marlins 2011 1st round draft pick, went all the way to the deadline to sign with the Fish. Born in Cuba, Fernandez went to high school in Tampa, Florida where he pitched very well and was on the national showcase circuit. He got into 2 games, 1 in the GCL, the other in the NYP and showed flashes of brilliance, but also lacked control. Really, not enough here to go on after just 4.1 innings. He’s armed with a 92-94 mph fastball, that could develop further. He’s got 3 off speed pitches that are already average, with room to grow into something special. Solid pick by the Marlins here.

My expectations for this young kid is to move up the Minors fairly quickly and give the Marlins the ability to try him out as either a #2 starter or even as a reliever, particularly as a set-up man but with closer-type stuff.

3. Marcell Ozuna 6’2 190 lbs, OF - Age 21-Ozuna posted a triple slash of .266/.330/.482 in his 1st full-season league of his career in 2011. While with Greensboro of the South Atlantic League he decreased his strikeout rate and improved his walk rate significantly. His stolen bases increased, as well as the rate, stealing 17 in 19 chances. People will be quick to jump on him for his ISoP decline, which stayed over .200, and his HR rate decline, from 21 in 270 at bats in 2010 to 23 in 496 at bats in 2011. However, he did club 5 triples and 28 doubles.

My expectations for Ozuna are for him to join Marlins top prospect Christian Yelich in the Florida State League in 2012. Ozuna’s biggest weakness is plate discipline and he will have to improve upon that to be successful in the FSL. Should Ozuna handle things well in High-A, he could be apart of the big league team as soon as 2014.

4. Matt Dominguez 6’1 205 lbs, IF - Age 22 - A first round pick of the 2007 MLB Draft, Dominguez was set to compete and win the Marlins 3B job for the Marlins out of spring training. Unfortunately, for Dominguez he did not play to well during the spring and got injured giving the job to Donnie Murphy to start the season.

My expectations for Dominugez are for him to spend part of if not the entire season in Double-A Jacksonville. Defensively, he is considered to be major-league ready by scouts - If he can get his offense going, that would just be icing on the cake for the youngster and the Marlins as an organization. During the 2011 season in New Orleans (Triple-A) of the Pacific Coast League, in 87 games, Dominguez hit for .258 in 325 ABs and 356 plate apperances. He scored 47 runs and drove in 55 runs and hit 12 out of the park.

5. Mason Hope 6’3 190 lbs, RHP - Age 19- Hope was drafted in the 5th round of the 2011 draft by the Fish out out of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma same place that produced one Josh Johnson. Hope has a repertoire that consist of three pitches : fastball, curve and change-up. His strength is the ability to keep hitters off-balanced at the plate with his repertoire. He posted a K/9 ratio of 10.21 and a BB/9 of 2.30. Command and the ability to keep pitchers off -balanced could help this youngster work his way up through the Marlins system a lot quicker than most 19 year old pitchers.

My expections for young Mason are that he will be pitching in the South Atlant League in 2012 there is where we will get a good idea of what this kid could bring to the table for the Fish one day. The sky is the limit with this kid, if he continues at this rate he projects as a front-line pitcher - But, realistically, would be a solid number three starter on a 5-man rotation. 


6. Chad James 6’3 185 lbs, LHP - Age 20 - Chad James is a promising pitcher for the Marlins, whose numbers might tell you otherwise. James, posted a record of 5-14 with a decent ERA of 3.80. The young lefty posted a 124/51 K/BB ratio. His best pitches is a fastball and is in the process of developing three secondary pitches. The Marlins hope his command improves so that he could make the jump to Double-A.

My expectations for James are, for him to improve on his command while developing secondary pitches - If he does this, he would move in the ranks of Marlins prospects. At this point, James is best suited as a number three starter with room to grow into a number 2, and could be given his cup of tea with the Marlins in September but look to see more from him at some point in 2013.

7. J.T. Realmuto 6’1 190 lbs, C - Age 20 -Realmuto hit .287/347/.454 with 12 long balls and 13 stolen-bases in 2011 at Single - A Greensboro. He is another position player ready to debut in the Florida State League in 2012 for the Marlins. He is said to have a great arm behind the plate, catching nearly half of would-be base-stealers.

The Marlins, not always the best at finding catchers (i.e. Kyle Skipworth), the Marlins drafted Realmuto in the third-round of the 2010 draft just a couple of seasons removed of drafting the previously mentioned Skipworth. The Marlins feel Realmuto can be Charles Johnson-like who can steal bases at the same rate he hits homeruns; think of him as a potential 20/20 candidate as a catcher. However, Reaulmuto does lack speed and pop. Marlins fans can expect young Realmuto to be a good defensive catcher, with the ability to handle a pitching staff - And, they will then just accept whatever he brings to the table offensively.

8. Rob Rasmussen 5’10 155 lbs, LHP - Age 22 - Despite being among one of the smallest pitching prospects, he is among the best in the Marlins system. He went 12-10 with an ERA of 3.64, with a 7.16 K/9 ratio and a 4.31 BB/9 ratio in the Florida State League for 2011. He has a fastball that he often throws for 93 MPH but can reach up to 95 - He has a 12-6 tight curveball to compliment it as well. His slider is still developing and is a below average offering.

My expectations for Rasmussen are though few at his height ever succeed at the major league level, he does have good stuff to make up for it. He is capable of being a third or fourth starter in the majors. He might make his way up quickly, initially out of the bullpen though. He should see a great deal of time in Double - A during the 2012 campaign.

9. Charlie Lowell, 6’4 235 lbs, LHP - Age 21 - The tall left was taken in the 6th round of the 2011 draft, but was projected as being able to go as high as the 2nd round. He needs to add to his sample size of a resume for us to see what his true potential really is.

My expectations for Lowell, though he may not have electric stuff in comparison to most others in the Marlins organization, he is very consistent and has what it takes to continue to work his way up the latter as a starting pitcher. He has the three pitches necessary to be a starter, a good fastball, an above-average slider, and a very solid changeup. He’s got the body type and arm action to be an innings-eater. He is expected to debut in Greensboro in 2012.

10. Kyle Jensen 6’4 230 lbs, OF - Age 23 -Some might label this placement as aggressive. I call it rewarding consistent performance. Jensen had a triple slash of .299/.373/.524 with an ISoP of .225. 22 of his 27 home runs came with Jupiter of the pitcher friendly FSL. He also cut his strikeouts down to 24%, which we will take.

My expectations for Jensen, is for him to get a look in Spring Training but will more than likely get his cup of tea in late September - Expect him to compete for a starting job as early as 2013.


Other Marlins prospects to watch: Tom Koehler RHP ; Jose Ceda RHP ; Noah Perlo 2B

This has been a preview of Marlins prospects to keep an eye on heading into the 2012 season. Check back periodically throughout the season on this post, and throughout the season, and see how these prospects are doing based on this preview. Enjoy the season Marlins fans - This team has a great mix of proven veterans, who were already on the team, other added through free agency and trades - Young rising stars like Mike Stanton and Logan Morrison - And, of course, these 10 and many other prospects down in the minors.

The present time has never been brighter for the Marlins, but the future is even brighter.

Go Fish!

By Paolo Torres