What to expect from Sixto Sánchez in bigs

After introducing one Top 100 prospect named Sánchez to their lineup on Friday night, the Marlins are poised to debut another in their rotation tonight against the Nationals.

Right-hander Sixto Sánchez (No. 24 on the Top 100) is set to make his first big league appearance on Saturday, 18 months after Miami acquired him as the centerpiece of a trade that sent All-Star J.T. Realmuto to the Phillies. Unrelated to Marlins outfielder Jesus Sánchez, he has the upside to become the franchise's best starter since the late Jose Fernandez.

Philadelphia stumbled upon Sánchez while attending a workout for a Cuban catcher in the Dominican Republic in February, 2015 and signed him for $35,000. He topped the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in ERA (0.50) and opponent average (.181) in his U.S. debut a year later, then blossomed into one of the game's top pitching prospects in '17.

Though elbow inflammation limited him to eight starts in 2018, he was healthy last year and worked a career-high 114 innings in his first season in Miami's system. He has drawn comparisons to Pedro Martinez because he's a 6-foot right-hander with an impressive combination of stuff and pitchability, though he now carries a much heftier build (234 pounds) than the Hall of Famer did.

In 68 games (59 starts) in the Minors, the 22-year-old Sánchez has compiled a 23-18 record with a 2.58 ERA, .223 opponent average and 294/64 K/BB ratio in 335 1/3 innings. If there's a knock on him, it's that his whiff rate (7.9 per nine innings) is lower than would be expected based on the quality of his pitches.

Here's our breakdown of Sánchez's tools on the 20-80 scouting scale, where 50 represents big league average ability:

Fastball (70): Sánchez utilizes both two-seam and four-seam fastballs, usually ranging from 95-99 mph. His two-seamers features power sink and his four-seamer can climb into triple-digit territory. With the game trending toward more four-seamers missing bats up in the strike zone, that could be his path to more strikeouts.

Slider (55): Sánchez's slider is his worst pitch -- yet it's still a consistently solid offering that grades as plus at its best. It sits in the mid-80s and tends to feature more horizontal than vertical break, though he does show the aptitude to manipulate its shape. His slider is tough on right-handers, who have managed just two homers against him during his three years in full-season ball.

Changeup (60): There are games when Sánchez's changeup is his most effective weapon. He generally gets 8-10 mph separation from his fastball while throwing it with the same arm speed, and it bottoms out when it arrives at the plate. It works against both lefties and righties, and he locates it well despite its dancing movement.

Control (60): With an easy, repeatable delivery, Sánchez has pounded the strike zone throughout his pro career. He has averaged just 1.7 walks per nine innings and commands the bottom of the zone. He has logged a 1.4 groundout/airout ratio and has a miniscule home run rate (0.2 per nine innings).