A look at how some of the Marlins’ top prospects are faring a month into the season
The first month of the 2019 minor-league baseball season is nearing its conclusion, and some of the Miami Marlins’ top prospects are still off to hot starts.
Here’s the latest updates on some of the Marlins’ top prospects
Triple A New Orleans
▪ Right-handed pitcher Zac Gallen put up two more impressive starts this week, throwing 6 2/3 shutout innings with six strikeouts against the Omaha Storm Chasers and then eight innings with two earned runs (both off solo home runs) and seven strikeouts against the Round Rock Express. The 23-year-old is now 3-1 with a 0.81 ERA (second in the Pacific Coast League) and 38 strikeouts (first in PCL) over five starts.
▪ While Gallen is getting the bulk of the praise among the pitching staff, Eliser Hernandez is also having a strong start to the 2019 season. The 23-year-old righty has given up just four runs (two earned) over 18 2/3 innings spanning four starts with 24 strikeouts to just seven walks. His 0.96 ERA is third in the PCL.
▪ The good with outfielder Monte Harrison: He has now safely reached base in 15 consecutive games and hit home runs in two of his last four games. The bad this week: He only went 4 for 20 (.200) at the plate with four walks and 12 strikeouts, including three three-strikeout games. For the season, he is slashing .306/.411/.581.
▪ Outfielder Harold Ramirez is batting .410 with eight runs scored over his last 10 games, which include six multi-hit outings.
Double A Jacksonville
▪ After a slow start to the year, right-handed pitcher Robert Dugger had his best start of the year on Saturday, throwing seven shutout innings with just two hits and two walks while striking out seven. He lowered his ERA from 6.60 to 4.50 with the outing and picked up his first win of the season.
▪ Shortstop Joe Dunand has multi-hit games in three of his past four outings and has improved his batting average from .197 to .244 over that stretch. He has driven in seven runs and struck out just twice over those four games
▪ Outfielder Magneuris Sierra is hitting a team-best .337 and is coming off a 4-for-4 performance on Sunday.
Class A Advanced Jupiter
▪ Victor Victor Mesa still has a lot of room to grow, but he is showing his potential in spurts. The speedy outfielder and the Marlins’ No. 2 overall prospect is hitting .225 with four RBI, six runs scored and five stolen bases through 19 games after more than a year and a half away from organized baseball. The main positive: He has only struck out in 10 of his 84 plate appearances (11.9 percent).
▪ The Jupiter starting rotation has been a bright spot in the Marlins’ minor-league system this year, and Trevor Rogers needs some recognition here. Through four starts, the Marlins’ 2017 first-round pick who was limited early in his career due to Tommy John surgery, has a 2.01 ERA and has thrown seven shutout innings in back-to-back starts.
▪ Shortstop Jose Devers is leading the team with a .339 batting average, is on a nine-game hitting streak and has recorded multiple hits in five of those nine games.
Class A Clinton, Iowa
▪ Another week, another round of praise for Jerar Encarnacion. His numbers have regressed to the mean slightly, but he is still hitting .352 (third in the Midwest League) with six doubles, five home runs and 21 RBI.
▪ After batting .043 to open the year, catcher Will Banfield has recorded hits in seven of his last nine games with three multi-hit outings to boost his average up to .180. He has six RBI in that nine-game stretch.
This story was originally published April 29, 2019 at 11:10 AM.
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