Marlins call up prospect Amaya, place Segura on IL

WASHINGTON -- Recognizing Jean Segura’s strained left hamstring would sideline the shortstop for more than a couple of days, the Marlins on Saturday promoted infielder Jacob Amaya, their No. 9 prospect per MLB Pipeline, prior to their game against the Nationals. The 24-year-old joined the team amid a flurry of roster moves that also saw Miami place its third starter -- right-hander Edward Cabrera -- on the injured list.

An 11th-round Draft pick of the Dodgers in 2017, Amaya was acquired via a January trade that sent longtime Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas out west. Though he’s known as a glove-first shortstop, Amaya was off to a fine start offensively in his first year in Miami’s system, hitting .278/.346/.472 with nine homers and 21 extra-base hits in 58 games for Triple-A Jacksonville.

“He needed to make a little bit of a swing adjustment for him to be successful up here, so credit to the guys down there for helping Amaya get to where he is right now,” manager Skip Schumaker said. "Defensively, we knew he’d be really good. Making the routine play. But I think the swing adjustment that he made is real, and credit to him that he took advantage of it.”

The part of Amaya’s game that needed less fine-tuning is his glove, which MLB Pipeline assigned a 60 grade to, making it his top tool. He’s played the majority of his Minor League games at shortstop, but is considered athletic enough to be an asset at second or third base, if necessary. Schumaker said Amaya would mostly back up shortstop Joey Wendle, with Jon Berti assuming the bulk of the reps at third base in Segura’s stead.

“He’ll make some spot starts, defensive replacement kind of thing,” Schumaker said.

Amaya credits his fielding ability to the training his father, Robert, instilled in him as a boy growing up in California. Fielding was always a priority. Amaya remembers his father hitting him ground balls to field without a glove -- as to sharpen his hands, instincts, and toughness -- as far back as age 6. Robert was the first person Amaya called to break the news, describing that phone call as “a lot of tears, joy, and excitement for sure.”

Amaya said he considers his promotion a fitting Father’s Day present to Robert, who will be flying to the nation’s capital with a few other family members to attend Sunday’s Father’s Day series finale. It could constitute Amaya’s MLB debut, as he was not in the Marlins’ starting lineup on Saturday.

“Getting that call took me back to all those times when we were at the field, when he would be hard on me,” Amaya said. “Taking ground balls with no glove. Getting beat up with no glove, stuff like that … now coming to a big stadium like this, and having him come and enjoy that, on Father’s Day especially, it’s just a joy.”