In an effort to balance their farm system, Marlins prioritize bats early in MLB Draft
The Miami Marlins entered Day 1 of the 2019 MLB Draft with a simple goal: Add position players who can provide pop to their organization and help balance out a farm system top-heavy with pitching prospects.
Consider their first three picks in the 40-round marathon a step in the right direction.
The Marlins began the day by selecting Vanderbilt outfielder JJ Bleday at No. 4 overall and then followed up with Missouri center fielder Kameron Misner with their competitive balance round selection at pick No. 35 and closed the day with Georgia-based prep shortstop Nasim Nunez at No. 46 overall.
Three picks. Three position players. Three prospects who can help the organization in different ways.
Bleday, of course, is the big catch of the night.
He’s a power-hitting lefty who has been a mainstay in the Vanderbilt Commodores’ lineup for three years and has played a vital role in their run toward a potential national title.
The 6-3, 205-pound left-handed hitter from Panama City Beach has belted out an NCAA-leading 26 home runs for Vanderbilt, the No. 2 national seed in the NCAA tournament, while posting a .353 batting average, 68 RBI and 75 runs scored to help the Commodores advance to the super regionals.
After the first three picks were announced — Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman to the Baltimore Orioles, Texas-based prep shortstop Bobby Witt Jr to the Kansas City Royals and Cal first baseman Andrew Vaughn to the Chicago White Sox — a collective cheer erupted from the Marlins’ war room.
“To look up and see JJ was available to us,” Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said, “we couldn’t be happier.”
They added to their wealth by selecting Misner at No. 35. He’s another lefty batter, has the defensive prowess to play center field at the Major League level and has the tools to be an above average hitter. He slid out of the first round due to an inconsistent junior season, one that saw him hit just .286 with 32 RBI and 54 runs scored. Injuries limited an otherwise strong sophomreo year (.360 batting average)
“It’s very very difficult to know how everyone evaluates players and how they want to add to their current system,” Marlins director of amateur scouting D.J. Svilhik said. “Players like Misner, you never know when they’re going to go. We look at Kam’s abilities and his tools and his athleticism and we saw a guy with second-half-of-the-first-round talent. We weren’t surprised that he was there. These things happen a lot. We were really excited to get him.”
If he pans out, though, Misner has the makings of a success story.
Baseball America ranked Misner as the No. 26 overall prospect in the draft, writing that “There’s not a single tool Misner doesn’t posses, as he’s an above-average runner at 6-foot-4, 213 pounds and plays a solid center field with good instincts and an explosive first step. He also has above-average arm strength that should serve him well in right field, where his size likely allows him to fit best, and he has the plus-plus raw power necessary to profile in a corner outfield position. ... There is risk with Misner because of his limited track record, but his tools give him tremendous upside as well.”
Nunez, meanwhile, fits the mold the Marlins have been looking for during their rebuild — defensive-minded, athletic, quick and an above-average contact hitter.
Nunez, an 18-year-old switch-htiter and a Clemson signee, is ranked by MLBPipeline as the No. 51 overall player this draft cycle and is viewed as “a fast-twitch athlete” who “has Gold Glove upside at shortstop and is a slam dunk to stay at the position.”
“Very, very dynamic player,” Svilhik said.
The next step is to see what the Marlins do on Day 2, when Rounds 3-10 take place. The action resumes at 1 p.m. Tuesday.
This story was originally published June 4, 2019 at 12:21 AM.
.JPG)