I’m torn between which guy I want to fall to Tigers at #5. Probably Vaughn at this point. Bleday power kind of came out of nowhere this year. Not really sure if it’s attainable.
You guys can DH Vaughn, he’s a 1B for us and that’s it. Only negative I can think of. He’d be the shortest starting 1B in MLB
Unfortunately we are stuck with Cabrera as our DH for next 5 years. That’s a good point about his height. He’s listed at 6’. Probably closer to 5’11”
Anybody have a Athletic subscription? https://theathletic.com/982713/2019...-mlb-draft-heres-a-look-at-their-top-choices/
Spoiler The Miami Marlins’ pitching depth was on display all weekend as they swept the Mets at home, their first series sweep since late 2017. On the other hand, though, it’s no secret that the organization’s hitting still has a long way to go to catch up. The Marlins have three of the first 46 picks in the June draft (beginning with the No. 4 selection overall), giving them a huge opportunity to address this need. This draft class has solid options both at the high school and college levels for the Marlins with the fourth pick, but many experts do not see it as a very deep class, making it imperative that they get the best value possible with their first pick. The Marlins would prefer a college bat, which in theory, would have a shorter path to the majors. The top options figure to be Cal’s Andrew Vaughn or Vanderbilt’s J.J. Bleday if they’re available at No. 4. But high school shortstops C.J. Abrams and Bobby Witt Jr. would be tempting targets if they don’t go in the top three. The Athletic takes a look at which players could be the best options as the Marlins look for impactful, power-hitting threats for their lineup of the future. Best college bats available 1B Andrew Vaughn, 6-0, 215, California: The near-consensus is the Orioles will take Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman with the top pick overall. The next-best option figures to be Vaughn, who has followed up a 2018 Golden Spikes Award-winning sophomore season by hitting .385 with a 1.267 OPS and 15 home runs during this regular season. Vaughn also slashed .308/.368/.654 in the Cape Cod League and is considered to have arguably the best raw power of any player in the draft, including Rutschman. Vaughn has shown a solid approach at the plate, drawing 97 walks over the past two seasons at Cal while striking out only 48 times. The Marlins don’t have many first basemen in their organization with power potential outside of Sean Reynolds at Single-A Clinton. Vaughn, however, is undersized for a typical first baseman, which has raised some concerns. According to Baseball America, only four right-handed-hitting first baseman six-feet tall or shorter have played more than 20 games in the majors since 1947. If Vaughn goes in the top four, he’d become the highest drafted first baseman since Pat Burrell in 1996, who went second overall to the Twins. Both Baseball America and (until recently) Jim Callis of MLB.com had Vaughn projected to go to the Marlins. OF J.J. Bleday, 6-3, 205, Vanderbilt: Bleday showed a solid bat during his sophomore season and in the Cape Cod League, but his power (25 home runs entering the SEC Tournament) has emerged this past season. Bleday could provide the Marlins with a combo of power and run production near the middle of the order they desperately need. He also brings more athleticism and defense than Vaughn, despite not having the same raw power. The Marlins have several players in their system that project as athletic center fielders, but Bleday projects as more of a corner outfield option. “I think Bleday has one of the best track records of hitting at the college level in this class,” said Baseball America draft expert Carlos Collazo. “He’s done it in the SEC and in the Cape Cod League with the wood bat. The biggest question was what kind of power would he hit for? After Rutschman and Vaughn, Bleday is clearly the next best college player on the board. “He’s more of a corner outfield guy, so there’s probably not as much defensive impact with a guy like him than a C.J. Abrams could provide. But it’s a much safer bat, and he’s proven it at Vanderbilt.” CF Hunter Bishop, 6-5, 210, Arizona State: While the Sun Devils player the Marlins really want (Spencer Torkelson) will be in next year’s class, his teammate is a power-hitting lefty with plus-plus raw power who would present a nice option if Vaughn is gone and the team isn’t sold on Bleday. Bishop also has plus running ability and a strong arm that could make him attractive to the Marlins, but most have him projected going lower than fourth. SS Bryson Stott, 6-3, 200, UNLV: Stott is a lefty who has slashed .361/.489/.615 with 10 home runs this season and was the starting shortstop for the USA Baseball National Collegiate team. Stott doesn’t offer as much upside defensively as Abrams or Witt at the position, but he has a solid and accurate arm that projects well at shortstop or third base. Top high school options SS Bobby Witt Jr., 6-1, 185, Colleyville, Texas (Heritage High): Witt is likely to follow in the footsteps of his father, who was taken third overall in the 1985 draft and ended up pitching for 16 years in the majors. While it’s unlikely Witt Jr. slips to No. 4, if he does, the Marlins can get the combo of quickness, elite hands and feet and power at the plate from this Oklahoma signee. Baseball America believes Witt’s defensive ability as a shortstop gives him a chance to have a lengthy major-league career. SS C.J. Abrams, 6-2, 185, Roswell, Ga. (Blessed Trinity High): Abrams is almost tailor-made to the Marlins’ specifications for their rebuild. But are the Marlins willing to go the prep route again, which potentially means longer development time? Abrams, a University of Alabama signee, projects as the fastest and arguably most athletic player overall in the draft class with a line-drive-type swing from the left side of the plate. Abrams once went over a whole season without striking out which has most scouts believing he will be a consistent hitter, perhaps a table-setter at the top of a lineup. While he does not have the power of most of the other players projected to be selected this high in the draft, his speed on the bases has been compared to Byron Buxton, and scouts like his consistent approach at the plate. Although he’s played shortstop in high school, Abrams could eventually transition to center field. He does have the fielding skills to be an everyday middle-of-the-infield player, however. Abrams is the type of player the Marlins love. But he may not be the type they need most. That said, they could try to obtain max value and go for more power options with their later picks. OF Riley Greene, 6-2, 190, Oviedo, Fla. (Hagerty High): Greene’s defense has been questioned by some scouts, but he could be one of the best pure hitters in this year’s class and compares to Bleday. Baseball America writes about Greene, a University of Florida signee, that he has “a small hitch in his swing, but he has plenty of bat speed — more than enough to prevent it from being a potential red flag. He has a patient approach, and while there is some swing-and-miss in his game, Greene does a good job of working the count until he gets a pitch he can drive.” Options beyond the top pick Beyond No. 4 overall, the Marlins pick at No. 35 in the Competitive Balance Round A and at No. 46 in the second round. Here’s a look at some options for those later picks if they slip out of the first round. Missouri outfielder Kameron Misner has struggled recently in the SEC Tournament hitting .222, but his physique and overall tools should keep him from slipping beyond the late first round. But, if he were to drop out of the first round, Misner would be a steal for the Marlins with the 35th pick. He’s an above-average runner who can play center field, according to Baseball America. Misner was drafted out of high school by the Royals in the 33rd round in 2016. Tulane’s Kody Hoese, a 6-4, 200-pound third baseman, is projected by both Baseball America and MLB.com to go to the Yankees with the 30th overall pick. But Hoese would be a pretty good steal for the Marlins at No. 35 if he slips that far. Hoese is right up there with Bleday among the NCAA leaders in home runs, but there are some questions about his defense. If the Marlins should go after pitching with either of their final Day 1 picks, Jacksonville Bolles lefty Hunter Barco, who has some two-way potential, could be an option.
A six-pack of Marlins notes on a Tuesday: ▪ Less than a year after signing Victor Victor Mesa and his brother Victor Mesa Jr., the Marlins are poised to make another splash in the international market. Don’t be surprised to see the Marlins sign at least three talented players from Latin America: Venezuelan shortstops Jose Salas and Junior Sanchez and Bahamian infielder Ian Lewis. All three are 16. Sanchez, a 6-0 left-handed hitter, is rated 24th on MLB.com’s international prospect. MLB.com says Sanchez “shows plus bat speed with good timing, rhythm and a mature approach when he’s in the batter’s box. He has a gift for barreling up balls and has a strike zone awareness that’s beyond his teenage years. He hits line drives to all fields, and his power is starting to show. “On defense, he has a chance to stay at shortstop because he shows good actions at the position, soft hands and good footwork. He’s been praised for his work ethic along with his good makeup, and the team that signs him will likely envision him as an everyday middle infielder in the big leagues one day.” Lewis, a 5-10 switch-hitter, has impressed scouts who have watched him in the Bahamas. This Marlins ownership group has made it a priority to land some of the top young talent from Latin America. ▪ How do you explain Brian Anderson going from .273 last season to .227 this season? Anderson said pitchers “are trying to get me to chase out of the zone more.” Marlins people believe he has been hurt by not having J.T. Realmuto in the lineup around him. “Maybe that’s a factor,” Anderson conceded. “Sometimes, I try to do too much.” He said Marlins CEO Derek Jeter cautioned him during his struggles that “this is part of the game. Learn to go through it.” Don Mattingly’s theory:” I think you see a lot more respect [from pitchers]. I think a lot of teams last year as the season went on, they knew this guy was swinging really good and was a good player. In general, he’s really trying hard. He’s a kid who’s tough on himself and wants to be good. He’s frustrated when he’s not going good.” Though he has been needed in right field at times this season, Anderson said the Marlins have told him they see him at third base long-term. ▪ Though the Marlins have been cautious with top prospect Sixto Sanchez because of past arm problems, Marlins president/baseball operations Michael Hill said there won’t be an innings limit on him. “We should be able to allow him to pitch every five days and have a normal progression for him,” Hill said. “It’s an exciting time. We took the time to start from scratch with the delivery work. His delivery is considerably better. Hopefully that will keep him healthy.” Sanchez if 0-3 with a 3.74 ERA in four starts, two in Jupiter and two in Jacksonville. He was dominant with six scoreless innings in his first start at Jacksonville, but allowed 11 hits and three runs in 4 2/3 innings of his second start. ▪ Right-hander Jordan Yamamoto, the fourth player acquired in the Christian Yelich trade, pitched seven hitless innings and struck out four for Double A Jacksonville on Monday. He has a 1.80 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 25 innings in May. ▪ Though Jorge Guzman is just 1-4 at Double A Jacksonville (giving him a 1-13 record in 29 starts since being sent to the Marlins in the Giancarlo Stanton trade), the reports have been good. He has a 3.27 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 44 innings. “He’s developing into a pitcher,” Hill said. “We firmly believe he’s a future major-league starting pitcher. He’s another pitcher who needs to be more consistent and repeat his pitches more consistently and understand how to attack lineups. That’s what the minor leagues are about. From a pure stuff standpoint, it’s front-of-the-rotation stuff when you put Guzman and Sixto, when you talk about their stuff.” ▪ The Jupiter rotation continues to thrive with Braxton Garrett (3.10 ERA in six starts with 40 strikeouts in 29 innings), Edward Cabrera (2.17 ERA in six starts with 16 hits allowing in 29 innings and 42 strikeouts), Trevor Rogers (2.58 ERA in seven starts) and Jordan Holloway (1.50 ERA in seven starts, with 11 hits allowed in 30 innings and 39 strikeouts). All are legitimate prospects. Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/...y-jackson/article229733714.html#storylink=cpy