Five story lines to watch as the Miami Marlins begin the 2019 season

The Miami Marlins open the 2019 season with the four-game series against the Colorado Rockies at 4:10 p.m. Thursday. It marks the second season of the Derek Jeter era, one in which they hope a young core will help them improve on 2018’s National League-worst 63-98 finish.

Here are five storylines to pay attention to as the season gets underway:

Can Brian Anderson become a premier third baseman?

Anderson was a bright spot for the Marlins last season. finishing fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting while hitting .273 with 11 home runs and 65 RBI in 156 games while splitting time between third base and right field. He will be a full-time third baseman this year, and the Marlins believe he has the makeup to excel at the hot corner. He looked good there in spring.

Will Lewis Brinson improve in Year 2?

While Anderson took off right away as a rookie, Brinson had his struggles. He hit just .199 in 106 games and spent time on the disabled list with a right hip injury. He’s sound defensively, and he had a better approach with his swing throughout spring training. Can it carry over into the regular season?

Which prospects will we see in 2019?

A handful of prospects impressed in spring training, and a few that will start the season in Triple A New Orleans should get call-ups at some point this season. Zac Gallen and Nick Neidert, the Marlins’ No. 19 and No. 4 prospects respectively according to MLBPipeline, lead the way among the pitchers. Middle infielder Isan Diaz, the club’s No. 7 prospect, could make his big-league debut as well. Austin Dean, who played for the Marlins when big-league rosters expanded in September last year, will be one of the first outfielders called up.

Will Jorge Alfaro hold his own?

The Marlins liked what they saw out of catcher Jorge Alfaro when they got him from the Philadelphia Phillies in the J.T. Realmuto trade. There was some work to do, but there was promise. The one problem: Alfaro only played in five games during spring training after injuring his right knee in the first game and re-injuring it two days into his return. He got time with the pitchers in bullpens and meeting, but how will that hold up early in the season when he’s catching some in live games for the first time?

Can the Marlins go a full season without a traditional closer?

Manager Don Mattingly isn’t going with a single closer this year. Rather, his plan is to have three members of his eight-man bullpen — specifically Sergio Romo, Adam Conley and Drew Steckenrider — handle the high-leverage situations that arise at given points of the game and will choose from the three based on availability and matchups. It’s an interesting plan and could work out if played correctly.

This story was originally published March 27, 2019 at 11:31 AM.

Jordan McPherson

Miami Herald

305-376-2129

Jordan McPherson covers the Miami Hurricanes and Florida Panthers for the Miami Herald. He attended the University of Florida and covered the Gators athletic program for five years before joining the Herald staff in December 2017.