Trio of Marlins headed to Futures Game
MIAMI -- The Marlins are building for a brighter future, and the accumulation of talent acquired in some of their biggest trades is getting noticed. Three of Miami's top prospects will be taking a global stage, representing the organization at the 2019 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game.
MLB released its Futures Game rosters on Friday, and right-hander Sixto Sanchez, outfielder Monte Harrison and second baseman Isan Diaz have been selected to the National League roster for the July 7 game at Progressive Field in Cleveland.
Sanchez is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Marlins’ top prospect, and he’s rated 22nd on the Top 100 list. The 20-year-old was acquired from the Phillies in the J.T. Realmuto trade. Harrison is the organization’s second-ranked prospect, and 85th overall. Diaz is ranked sixth.
“Obviously, good for them, going to be participating in that,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “It’s obviously a nice honor.”
Harrison and Diaz were dealt to the Marlins from the Brewers after the 2017 season as part of the Christian Yelich trade.
After 20 years of pitting U.S. and World teams against each other, the Futures Game will switch to American League vs. National League. The annual prospect showcase also has been shortened from nine to seven innings for the first time since the inaugural 1999 contest.
MLB Network will exclusively televise and MLB.com will live stream the Futures Game at 7 p.m. ET. Greg Amsinger, Harold Reynolds and Jim Callis will call the action, with Heidi Watney providing reporting from both dugouts. The game also will be available to SiriusXM subscribers.
“Usually, those guys are pretty close,” Mattingly said. “It’s more of the upper-level prospects that are right around the corner. Good for them.”
Sanchez, who turns 21 on July 21, is 3-3 with a 2.77 ERA in nine starts at Double-A Jacksonville.
Harrison, 23, and Diaz, 23, are currently at Triple-A New Orleans. In 50 games, Harrison is hitting .284/.372/.479 with nine home runs, 22 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. He has missed some time due to a hamstring injury. Harrison currently is dealing with a sore wrist, and his status is day to day.
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Diaz, regarded as the second baseman of the future, has been heating up at New Orleans -- hitting .287/.374/.533 with 16 home runs and 47 RBIs.
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The Marlins are one of five teams with three players participating in the Futures Game, joining the Tigers, Mariners, Padres and Rays.
Sanchez is a hard-throwing right-hander the Marlins have been closely monitoring, largely because he missed time in 2018 due to right elbow inflammation. He has logged 52 innings at Jacksonville and 63 innings total, counting two starts at Class A Jupiter.
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The Marlins feel Sanchez will be a top-of-the-rotation candidate.
“We were able to do some cleanup with his delivery, and keep him healthy,” Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said. “I think that’s paramount right now, to keep him healthy, to allow him to be consistent and let his stuff play.”
A year ago, he threw 46 2/3 innings at Class A Advanced Clearwater before being shut down.
If Sanchez is promoted to Triple-A, it is expected to be after the Futures Game.
“When you evaluate him strictly on stuff, it’s three well-above-average pitches,” Hill said. “It’s a matter of building up the endurance and the stamina in what you’re going to need, ultimately over a 162-game season. From a guy in our rotation, you’re hopeful of 30-plus starts. That’s what we’re building toward with Sixto.”
Worth noting
• Before facing the Phillies on Friday night, the Marlins reinstated catcher Jorge Alfaro from the seven-day concussion injured list. Catcher Wilkin Castillo was optioned to New Orleans. Right-handed reliever Tayron Guerrero (right middle finger blister) was placed on the 10-day injured list, and right-hander Jeff Brigham was recalled from New Orleans.
• Left-hander Caleb Smith (left hip inflammation) will make a rehab assignment start for Double-A Jacksonville on Sunday. Infielder Jon Berti (left oblique strain) will begin a rehab stint on Saturday. And right-hander Pablo Lopez (right shoulder strain) has begun his throwing progression.