Marlins' youngsters prove 'future is here now'

MIAMI -- “The future is here now.”

Marlins veteran shortstop Miguel Rojas laid it out there after Friday night’s 10-3 victory over the Phillies at loanDepot park, where the organization was given a glimpse of a trio around which it can build. Jazz Chisholm Jr. sparked a seven-run rally with a leadoff triple -- during which he reached a sprint speed of 31.3 feet/second, faster than his season average of 29.0 ft/sec and Statcast's "elite" threshold of 30.0 ft/sec -- Jesús Sánchez knocked a three-run homer and Jesús Luzardo was solid on the mound.

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The series opener marked one month before the 2021 season comes to an end. This campaign hasn’t gone as planned for the last-place Marlins, who were coming off their first playoff berth in 17 years. While the record has been disappointing, as have injuries to various players like Brian Anderson and Sixto Sánchez, this final stretch will allow Miami to evaluate what it has for 2022 and beyond.

“Before, I used to talk to you guys about how the future was in the Minors and how we develop players in Double-A, in Triple-A, and you're seeing these guys getting an opportunity, getting a shot to show what they can do,” said Rojas, who recorded three RBIs.

Chisholm roped a ground-rule double in the first, and Sánchez went deep three batters later for the third consecutive home game to give the Marlins a 3-1 lead. Aside from a month-long stretch on the injured list, Sánchez has been able to get daily reps since the organization dealt away veteran Corey Dickerson.

Miami's Opening Day starting outfield is no longer with the club. The organization has 10 outfielders among its Top 30 prospects list, including rookie Bryan De La Cruz (bases-loaded walk). Sánchez recently graduated from it.

If the Marlins want to be legitimate contenders in 2022, they will need to find more production in the outfield. Sánchez and De La Cruz are putting up strong auditions, but at least one proven veteran bat would be crucial to success next season.

“I think you see Jazz and what he's been able to do and the growth that he's having,” manager Don Mattingly said. “I think Sanchy is another one. He's a big, strong, physical dude that I talked about continuing to shorten the route, close the holes. The more he tightens the swing up, this guy's got a chance to be a monster, because he is physical, he doesn't really miss in the strike zone much. The tighter it gets, the better it's going to get. He's going to be some kind of dangerous. He's dangerous now, but this guy is some kind of strong, and when he hits them, they stay hit.”

Acquired in the Starling Marte trade, Luzardo opened his Marlins career with the second-worst ERA (9.67) through a player's first five starts in franchise history (minimum 15 innings). But has since given up a combined three runs across 11 2/3 innings in his last two starts.

Those outings have come against postseason hopefuls in the Reds and Phillies, which also coincided with his return to wearing glasses instead of contact lenses. Luzardo is looking more like the former top prospect he once was, and he points to his renewed faith in his stuff in the strike zone.

Though shortstop Freddy Galvis hit a leadoff homer, and center fielder Matt Vierling produced a run-scoring triple in the second and a two-out RBI double in the sixth, Luzardo induced double plays off the bat of NL MVP Award candidate Bryce Harper in each of Harper’s first two at-bats. The local kid didn’t shy away from showing emotion following the big outs.

“It was a huge moment. Obviously a tight spot and a great hitter up there, a guy without a lot of holes, so being able to get him to ground out, getting that double play is huge,” Luzardo said. “I think we all want to win, and that's what I'm out there for. So when I'm able to do that and keep us in a position to get a win, I think it's huge, and I show emotion sometimes.”

This entire organizational reset has been built around starting pitching. Next season’s rotation could include any variation of All-Stars Sandy Alcantara and Trevor Rogers, Pablo López, Luzardo, Elieser Hernandez as well as top 100 prospects Edward Cabrera and Sixto Sánchez.

“This is kind of what we envisioned for Jesús,” Mattingly said. “This is kind of in the vision of trying to get this guy on a path that's consistent, that he's working on something, we can stay with it.”