Anderson, Neidert non-tendered by Marlins

MIAMI -- The Marlins tendered contracts for the 2023 season to all but two of their arbitration-eligible players ahead of Friday night's deadline: third baseman/outfielder Brian Anderson and right-hander Nick Neidert. In addition, high-leverage reliever Dylan Floro agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth $3.9 million to avoid arbitration, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.

A third-round selection by Miami in the 2014 MLB Draft, Anderson once was considered an extension candidate. But he was limited to 165 games over the past two seasons due to injuries, primarily left shoulder trouble. During that span, the 29-year-old posted just a .657 OPS after compiling an .811 OPS from '19-20.

The signs began pointing in this direction for Anderson, who was arbitration-eligible for the final time, when the Marlins experimented with him in left and center field during Spring Training to improve his versatility. As then-manager Don Mattingly often described it, Miami hoped Anderson could fill a Kris Bryant-type role. It continued when Anderson's stretch of four Opening Day starts at third base was snapped, with Joey Wendle getting the nod in his place as Miami sent out lineups with what it hoped were favorable matchups based on analytics.

As the season wound down, the Marlins moved Anderson to right field, where he could show off his strong arm and avoid risk to his shoulder while diving in the infield. But that was only possible with Avisaíl García sidelined.

According to Cot's Baseball Contracts, Anderson would've been due around $6.75 million in arbitration. He proved expendable with Wendle, Jon Berti, Jordan Groshans and Charles Leblanc among the club's third-base options and García, Jorge Soler, Jesús Sánchez, Bryan De La Cruz, JJ Bleday, Jerar Encarnacion and Peyton Burdick true corner outfielders on the 40-man roster.

Here's a breakdown of Miami's nine other arbitration-eligible players and their projected 2023 salaries:

First year
LHP Jesús Luzardo (Super Two, $2 million)
RHP JT Chargois ($1.5 million)
UTL Jon Berti ($2.45 million)

Second year
RHP Pablo López ($5.25 million)
C Jacob Stallings ($3.75 million)
LHP Tanner Scott ($2 million)

Third year
INF Joey Wendle ($7 million)
RHP Dylan Floro (agreed to $3.9 million)
1B/DH Garrett Cooper ($3.25 million)

The Marlins previously designated for assignment arbitration-eligible Elieser Hernandez and Jeff Brigham, whom the Mets acquired in a trade for High-A pitcher Franklin Sánchez on Friday. Miami also declined Wendle's $6.6 million mutual option earlier this month. Neidert was designated for assignment on Tuesday. Floro, meanwhile, is a late-inning option with closing experience in a weak and pricey relief market.

López and Stallings couldn't avoid arbitration in 2022, and both lost their cases. The former has been the subject of trade rumors since this summer, and that's likely to pick up ahead of next month's Winter Meetings.