The Miami Marlins select ‘one of the best pure hitters’ at No. 4 in MLB Draft
A collective cheer erupted from the Miami Marlins’ war room on Monday as they prepared to make their first pick of the 2019 MLB Draft.
With the way the first three picks unfolded, the Marlins knew they got their guy.
The Marlins selected Vanderbilt outfielder JJ Bleday, a power-hitting left-handed hitter, with the No. 4 overall pick.
“To look up and see JJ was available to us,” Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said, “we couldn’t be happier.”
Bleday is just the second college position player the the Marlins have drafted in the first round this century. The other: North Carolina third baseman Colin Moran with the No. 6 overall pick in 2013.
“You grow up waiting for this moment,” Bleday said. “To have it actually happen with your loved ones around, it’s an awesome opportunity and an awesome experience. It’s just a fun, fun event.”
Bleday’s power stroke — an enticing facet of his game for the Marlins considering their farm system is filled with players who rely more on contact than power — has been on full display during his junior season with the Commodores.
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 and keep their national title hopes alive. Half of his home runs this year have come against the always difficult Southeastern Conference. He has a .327 career batting average in college. Bleday is one of four finalists for the Golden Spikes Award, given annually to the best amateur baseball player.
“You talk about the complete package,” Hill said. “It goes beyond the field. Obviously this is a left-handed bat, which we covet. We’re very right-handed when you look at position players in the organization. But it’s not just the power profile. It’s hit first. That’s something we think translates well to professional baseball.”
Bleday’s selection adds even more young outfield depth to the Marlins’ farm system. Of the Marlins’ 15 position players ranked among their top 30 prospects heading into the draft, seven are outfielders.Bleday’s scouting grades, per MLB Pipeline
Baseball America and MLBPipeline both ranked Bleday as the No. 5 overall prospect in this year’s draft.
“One of the best pure hitters in the college ranks, he has a quick left-handed swing, controls the strike zone well and hammers line drives to all fields,” MLBPipeline’s scouting report continues. “He has started to translate the bat speed, strength and leverage in his 6-foot-3 frame into at least solid power.”
He had a five-hit game during an 11-1 win over Auburn in the SEC Tournament on the day that Marlins part-owner and CEO Derek Jeter and a brass of Marlins executives scouting him in person in Hoover, Alabama.
Bleday said he found out late that the Marlins were watching him play, but he did not speak with them at the time.
“One of my teammates patted me on the butt and said ‘Hey man, Jeter’s watching you,’“ Bleday said. “But I kind of just shrugged it off and kept on playing. ... I was too focused on the game.”
The Baltimore Orioles selected Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman with the No. 1 overall pick. The Kansas City Royals took Texas-based prep shortstop Bobby Witt Jr at No. 2, and the Chicago White Sox took Cal first baseman Andrew Vaughn at No. 3 before the Marlins made their selection.
“We were hopeful that this was how it would go down,” Hill said.
However, the Marlins’ ties to Bleday indirectly go back to his high school days. D.J. Svihlik, the Marlins’ director of amateur scouting, was a hitting coach and recruiting coordinator at Vanderbilt before joining the Marlins organization in November 2017.
“To have that come full circle around is a great experience,” Bleday said. “It’s just cool to have.”
While Svihlik said the Marlins had a group of players they would have been happy to select with the No. 4 overall pick, he was quick to note that the Marlins identified Bleday early as one of the players who would be at the top of their draft board.
“Oh gosh, I don’t know where to start,” Svihlik said. “Given my track record with Vanderbilt and my history with JJ, and as a first-year scouting director, that was a special pick. He’s an extremely talented player. He’s always been a talented hitter. I’ve seen him grow over the years and to select a premium college bat that’s as talented as him is pretty exciting for both myself personally and more importantly for this organization.”
This story was originally published June 3, 2019 at 7:35 PM.
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