Marlins to keep watchful eye on prospects

MIAMI -- While Major League camp came to a close on Monday for the Marlins, the organization's Minor Leaguers reported to Jupiter, Fla., to prepare for their 2021 campaign. It will be a pivotal year for the farm system, which was recently ranked fourth by MLB Pipeline, after the '20 season was lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite no Minor League games, the Marlins were able to work through the challenge like the other 29 player-development systems.

According to Geoffrey DeGroot, Marlins director of Minor League operations, the organization strategically invited certain prospects to the alternate training site as part of the 60-player pool in 2020. Those not participating there or at the Dominican Republic Academy relied on virtual development. Coaches contacted players weekly to check in on them. Pitchers threw live throughout the year from their homes. Video of those sessions was sent back and forth for critique. As a result, more than 50 players were ready for instructional league in the fall, when the Marlins competed against the Nationals and held intersquad contests. A development camp also took place in the D.R.

"I think we made the best of the situation, and it's a huge credit to our coaches and the hard work that they put in throughout the year to stay in contact with our players, keep an eye on our players and do everything they can to continue their development, despite the difficult circumstances," DeGroot said in a Zoom call.

DeGroot expects a "pretty close to normal year of development for our Minor League players" in 2021. Though the Minor League season is delayed by a month, with Opening Day set for May 4, the schedule will extend into September and include playoffs. The alternate training site will return, this time in Jacksonville, Fla., home to Miami's Triple-A affiliate. Those players in Jacksonville are the only ones who can be called up during the first month of the MLB season. A few others will be part of the taxi squad when the Marlins go on road trips.

How the prospects respond to a year away from consistent game action will be something Miami keys in on, particularly early in camp.

"You can only get so much through video and phone calls and everything," DeGroot said. "I don't think everybody's going to be in the same place, and it's going to be interesting to see how all of our players show up. I'm sure some will be ahead, some will be behind [and] some will be right on track. And it's something that we're really going to have to keep our eyes on and monitor throughout the course of Minor League camp and make sure that we're making the right decisions with these guys individually. This will be a big month for us in terms of keeping an eye on guys."

Aside from the logistics of last year and what's to come, DeGroot mentioned a handful of non-roster invitees who appeared in big league camp this spring:

OF JJ Bleday
MLB Pipeline's No. 20 overall prospect
Second big league camp
2021 slash line: .231/.364/.615 with a .979 OPS in 33 plate appearances (19 games)
Of note: Both of Bleday's spring homers went to the opposite field

"I thought he swung the bat very well throughout the course of camp," DeGroot said.

SS Nasim Nunez
Marlins' No. 15 prospect
First big league camp
2021 slash line: .000/.333/.000 with three walks and one stolen base in nine plate appearances (seven games)
Of note: At 20 years old, one of the youngest players in MLB camp

"A really young guy got to get some experience in Major League games and played really well and showed his skill set," DeGroot said.

OF Peyton Burdick
Marlins' No. 14 prospect
First big league camp
2021 slash line: .100/.357/.400 with a .757 OPS in 14 plate appearances (12 games)
Of note: Recorded a 102.4 mph exit velocity in spring; homered off Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty

OF Kameron Misner
Marlins' No. 17 prospect
First big league camp
2021 slash line: .222/.364/.697 in 11 plate appearances (eight games)
Of note: Doubled off Nationals breakout reliever Kyle Finnegan; had one spring at-bat in 2020

OF Connor Scott
Marlins' No. 18 prospect
2021 slash line: .400/.333/.800 with four RBIs in six plate appearances (five games)
Of note: Hit RBI triple off Cardinals right-hander Giovanny Gallegos

"All those guys had some good swings and some competitive at-bats," DeGroot said.

Twenty-three of Miami's 30 top prospects were in big league camp and saw varying levels of activity in Spring Training. For example, right-hander Max Meyer (MLB Pipeline's No. 28 overall prospect) did not pitch in a Grapefruit League game. Neither did the other three college pitchers taken in last summer's MLB Draft.

• Glimpse into the future: Meyer faces Bleday

"It was a great showing, and I mean, just the pure athleticism and bodies on the field," DeGroot said. "You match them up against the other reserves that were coming in for other teams, guys that nobody anticipated to make the club, and I thought our guys had a great showing.

"From start to finish, I thought it was a great camp for our guys, and they did a really nice job. I think that'll not only prepare them for this season, but when they do end up making it to the big leagues, this is a good experience for them to draw on."