Which Marlins prospect is nearing Hershiser territory?

With Spring Training shut down and the start of the regular season delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak, MLB.com will periodically place a spotlight on a player still in big league camp. Today’s focus: Left-handed reliever Alex Vesia.

MIAMI -- What Marlins prospect Alex Vesia is doing isn’t quite at Orel Hershiser's level, but the left-handed reliever has quietly strung together a scoreless-innings streak that’s worthy of attention.

Spanning four levels, Vesia has a string of 41 1/3 innings without allowing a run that dates back to last July.

For historical context, in 1988, Hershiser set the MLB record of 59 consecutive innings without giving up a run.

The Marlins' franchise high is 29 straight innings, by Javier Vázquez in 2011. Among relievers, Luis Aquino in 1994 holds the franchise mark with 26 1/3 innings.

“My mom always told me, ‘You’re a man on a mission,’” Vesia said after his last Spring Training appearance on March 11. “I truly believe that. It’s cool to see hard work pay off.”

Ranked by MLB Pipeline as Miami's No. 27 prospect, Vesia has been an under-the-radar performer who has put himself in position to reach the big leagues in 2020, whenever the season starts.

“I’m not a big stats guy,” Vesia said. “I don’t look at all that stuff. I don’t really talk about it. I just try to keep it simple. Putting up a zero.”

You have to go back to July 13, 2019, to find the last time Vesia gave up a run. It was when he was at Class A Advanced Jupiter.

Since then, Vesia had nine straight scoreless innings at Jupiter, then he was promoted to Double-A Jacksonville, where he kept teams from scoring in 16 1/3 innings.

The lefty was invited to the Arizona Fall League, where he turned in 10 1/3 scoreless innings.

Vesia kept the streak rolling in his first big league camp -- logging six more shutout innings in Grapefruit League games.

“I keep things simple,” Vesia said. “In high school, my freshman year, my parents, when I did well, were like, ‘You have this ERA. You have this many strikeouts.’ Over the course of that period, towards the end of that season, I was like, ‘Don’t tell me that.'”

Vesia told his mom that when he was on the mound, he would think about it. If he gave up a hit or a walk, he would keep track in his head.

“That’s a big thing of mine,” Vesia said. “I don’t look at any of that stuff. I don’t look at my stats. I don’t look at my ERA, strikeouts, walks. I don’t even really look at any other stuff.”

A non-roster invitee, the southpaw was a 17th-round Draft pick from Cal State East Bay in 2018.

Before being drafted, Cal State East Bay coach Mike Cummins spoke with Vesia about his professional future.

“He sat me down in his office,” Vesia said. “He was like, ‘You’re not going to make your money out of the Draft. But you’re going to make your money in the big leagues.’”

Vesia signed for $25,000. Now, he’s in position to either break camp with the big league club or start off at Triple-A Wichita.

Armed with a 94 mph fastball and a deceptive delivery, Vesia started 2019 at Class A Clinton and pitched at three Minor League levels, finishing up at Jacksonville, where he struck out 25 with one walk in 16 1/3 innings.

“I just wanted the opportunity,” Vesia said. “That’s what I told every single scout. 'Give me the opportunity, and I’m going to run with it.' That’s basically what I do, day in, day out. I’m running with it.”