A Minor Review of 2015: Miami Marlins

Welcome to the annual series: ‘A Minor (League) Review of 2015.” This series is a great way to receive a quick recap of the ’15 minor league season for your favorite club(s), while also receiving a brief look toward the 2016 season and beyond. It can also be a handy feature for fantasy baseball players in keeper and Dynasty leagues.

Previous Reviews:
Baltimore Orioles
Atlanta Braves
Boston Red Sox
Washington Nationals
New York Yankees
Philadelphia Phillies
Tampa Bay Rays

A Minor Review of 2015: Marlins

The Graduate: Justin Bour, 1B: Talk about coming out of nowhere. Bour wasn’t expected to be much of a contributor in 2015 but he ended up slugging more than 20 homers for The Fish. His OPS of .809 was third on the team and he led with 71 RBI. Miami popped prep first baseman Josh Naylor in the first round of the 2015 draft but he’s at least four years away from The Show so Bour has some time to keep the position warm if he continues to produce like he did in ’15 (at a low cost).

The Riser: Jarlin Garcia, LHP: I advocated for a team to take a flyer on Garcia as a Rule 5 pick at the 2014 Winter Meetings but he went unclaimed. He opened the 2015 season in High-A ball and shifted to Double-A later in the year. His stock rose significantly throughout the year and looks like a potential mid-rotation starter if everything continues to click. The southpaw, with his four-pitch repertoire, could see the Majors in the second half of 2016.

The Tumbler: Justin Twine, SS: A multi-sport star in high school, Twine was selected by the Marlins in the second round of the 2014 draft but struggled mightily in his first taste of full-season ball in 2015. The infielder hit just .206 with a .545 OPS thanks in part to a 39-108 BB-K rate. Like many young infielders, he also struggled in the field and made 29 errors at shortstop. His raw athleticism gives him a chance but Twine is going to be a long-term project for the Marlins.

The ’15 Draft Pick: Josh Naylor, 1B: As mentioned above, Naylor is the Marlins first baseman of the future but he faces a fairly long road to The Show. The Canadian didn’t turn 18 until after the draft and has faced significantly less skilled talent in the past than most amateurs in baseball hotbeds like Florida, California, Texas, etc. The slugger struck out just 11 times in 98 at-bats but also walked just four times. He has a good eye but an aggressive approach that will need to be tempered as he moves up through the system if he’s going to realize his full potential.

The Lottery Ticket: Isael Soto, OF: The Marlins had high hopes for Soto in 2015 but his season was interrupted by a knee injury and he appeared in just 29 games. Only 18, he was pushed to open the year in full-season ball after slugging seven home runs as a 17 year old in Rookie ball the year prior. The outfielder has outstanding bat speed and could eventually hit 20+ home runs if he can make more consistent contact (He struck out 49 times in 111 at-bats this year).