As May comes to an end, a look at which Marlins prospects shined and who struggled this month
.jpg "Griffin Conine hits a home run for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Sunday, May, 29, 2022.")
The second month of the minor-league season is just about over.
And the Miami Marlins had quite a few prospects who had a successful May — and a few prospects who are looking forward to what they hope will be a better June.
Here is a look at 10 Marlins prospects who shined this month and three top prospects who underachieved.
All stats are updated through games played Sunday, and all rankings are from MLB Pipeline.
The standout hitters
▪ Griffin Conine: The Marlins’ 24th-ranked prospect showed off his power potential, belting out five home runs while hitting .300 (18 for 60) with 17 RBI and 10 runs scored in 17 games in May for the Double A Pensacola Blue Wahoos. His 1.025 OPS this month leads all Marlins prospects.
▪ Troy Johnston: Conine isn’t the only Blue Wahoos hitter enjoying a successful month. Johnston, the 25th-ranked prospect in the Marlins’ system, is hitting .291 with 11 RBI and 10 runs scored over 19 games. Johnston is currently on a 12-game hit streak dating back to May 8. In that stretch, he is hitting .373 (19 for 51) with five doubles, eight RBI and eight runs scored. He has recorded multiple hits in each of his last four games.
▪ Jerar Encarnacion: The Marlins’ 22nd-ranked prospect hit .303 (27 for 89) with five home runs, 12 RBI and 14 runs scored in 23 games split between Pensacola and Triple A Jacksonville.
▪ Nasim Nunez: The speedy, defense-first Nunez is finding some success at the plate with the High A Beloit Sky Carp. Nunez, ranked as Miami’s No. 18 overall prospect, is hitting .279 with 11 stolen bases, seven RBI and 12 runs scored in May. This past week, Nunez had a .364 batting average with five stolen bases and five runs scored.
▪ Cody Morissette: After a sluggish April (.188 average), the Marlins’ 2021 second-round pick has posted a .828 on-base-plus-slugging mark with four home runs, 16 RBI and 14 run in 23 games this month. Morrissette, Miami’s 16th-ranked prospect, leads the Sky Carp in home runs (six), RBI (24) and runs scored (22).
▪ Brady Allen: Miami’s fifth-round pick in 2021 leads the Single A Jupiter Hammerheads this month in batting average (.268), home runs (four) and RBI (19).
Standout pitchers
▪ Eury Perez: The Marlins’ third-ranked prospect and the No. 33 overall prospect in baseball posted a 2.12 ERA in May, allowed four earned runs on 10 hits and four walks with 20 strikeouts in 17 innings throughout his three starts this month. Perez recorded his first career quality start as a professional baseball player on Wednesday: Six scoreless innings with five strikeouts while allowed just three hits and one walk. And, as a reminder, he’s only 19 years old.
▪ Zach McCambley: The Marlins’ 15th-ranked prospect has given up just one earned run over 17 innings for a 0.53 ERA with 20 strikeouts against six walks in three May starts.
▪ Bryan Hoeing: A pleasant surprise in the Marlins’ system this year, Hoeing capped his May with his best performance of the season: Eight shutout innings with seven strikeouts while scattering four hits and a walk for Triple A Jacksonville. In five starts this month (one with Double A Pensacola, four with Triple A Jacksonville), Hoeing has a 3.38 ERA with 26 strikeouts against 12 walks over 32 innings.
▪ Dax Fulton: The ERA isn’t necessarily eye-popping (3.26), but what is eye-popping from Fulton this month: His 30 strikeouts against just four walks over 19 1/3 innings.
Who’s struggling?
▪ Kahlil Watson: The Marlins’ 2021 first-round pick and top-ranked prospect had a strong April (.941 OPS, 18 RBI, 5 home runs). His May? It hasn’t been great. Watson is hitting just .170 (15 for 88) with 39 strikeouts and just three extra-base hits (two doubles, one home run). One of the few positives about Watson’s offensive production: He has six stolen bases.
▪ JJ Bleday and Peyton Burdick: The two have nearly identical batting averages this month, Burdick hitting .228 (18 for 79) and Bleday .227 (17 for 75). Bleday has a respectable .856 OPS this month thanks to five home runs and 19 walks, but expectations are high for both of these outfielders.
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