Miami Marlins pleased with their draft class. Now, the players have to produce
DJ Svihlik can finally take a step back and breathe.
After three days and 41 picks, the Miami Marlins’ 2019 MLB Draft class — the first under Svihlik director as the Marlins’ director of amateur scouting — is complete.
“While it’s a long process and a long year, there’s nothing like draft day” Svihlik said Wednesday after the 30-round final day concluded. “I really appreciate all the work from the scouts.”
And while the draft class’ success won’t be determined for at least a few years, the early takeaway from a pair of national analysts is that the Marlins had a solid three days.
National analyst Jim Bowden wrote on Twitter as the draft neared its end on Wednesday that the Marlins had the best draft of all 30 teams, while MLB Network’s Jon Heyman ranked the Marlins as No. 3 based on their first 10 rounds.
“When you go into the draft, you try to do the best job you can,” Svihlik said. “We’re proud every year of the players that we select. This being my first draft and the first draft with this group of scouts, I’m really proud of it. ... These players now have to come in and they have to do what we thing they can do.”
Regardless, there are a few noticeable takeaways.
▪ The Marlins valued experience while taking a best-player-available approach this year.
Of the Marlins’ 41 picks, 33 were taken from either four-year universities or junior colleges. Eleven of those 33 players competed in either the Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference or Pac-12.
Quality offensive players were a priority, too, with the Marlins taking 25 position players overall and 13 in their first 22 picks.
“It just fell that way,” Svihlik said. “After we took JJ Bleday [at No. 4 overall], we just tried to take the most impactful players. It tended to fall college, but there were a lot of high school players that we liked as well. Things just didn’t quite fall right.”
A couple notable players from Day 3: Air Force third baseman Nic Ready and Alvin (Texas) community college center fielder Javeon Cody.
Ready, the Marlins’ 23rd-round pick, posted a career .327 batting average with 50 home runs. He tallied at least 50 RBI each of his four years and is a guy Svihlik said “has serious juice.” He is available to the Marlins this summer and then they will have to work through his military commitments.
Cody, the Marlins’ 15th-round pick, hit .349 with nine home runs, 37 RBI and 52 runs scored as a sophomore in 2019. Svihlik said he is someone “player development will love.”
“This guy is in the cross-hairs of impact tools,” Svihlik said. “He can absolutely fly and he’s an elite athlete.”
▪ On the pitching side, Svihlik made a point to highlight Chris Mokma, the team’s 12th-round pick out of Holland Christian High in Michigan. Momka, a Michigan State signee, was ranked as Baseball America’s No. 477 overall prospect this draft cycle. “He sits 90-93 mph with solid control for his age and he’s shown some feel for spinning a breaking ball,” according to his Baseball America scouting report.
▪ The Marlins also had an opportunity to add some local flair to their draft class on Day 3 by selecting three South Florida natives.
Bethune-Cookman right-handed pitcher Anthony Maldonado (West Palm Beach) was first in the 11th round, followed by FIU outfielder Lorenzo Hampton (Miami Lakes native and Monsignor Pace alumnus) in the 28th round and Vanderbilt first baseman Julian Infante (Miami native and Westminster Christian alumnus) in the 36th round.
Marlins Day 3 picks
Round 11: Bethune-Cookman RHP Anthony Maldonado
Round 12: Holland (Mich.) High RHP Chris Mokma
Round 13: Vanderbilt LHP Zach King
Round 14: Pepperdine LHP Easton Lucas
Round 15: Alvin (Texas) Community College OF Javeon Cody
Round 16: Arizona LHP Andrew Nardi
Round 17: Gonzaga OF Troy Johnston
Round 18: Mississippi State C Dustin Skelton
Round 19: Legacy (Texas) High C Nate Rombach
Round 20: UC Santa Barbara C Thomas Rowan
Round 21: Western Oklahoma State SS Jhonny Felix
Round 22: Loyola Marymount RHP Codie Paiva
Round 23: Air Force 3B Nic Ready
Round 24: Illinois State RHP Jeff Lindgren
Round 25: Creighton SS Jack Strunc
Round 26: California OF Brandon McIlwain
Round 27: East Texas Baptist C Casey Combs
Round 28: FIU OF Lorenzo Hampton
Round 29: Ball State RHP John Baker
Round 30: University of San Francisco RHP Joey Steele
Round 31: Farragut (Tenn.) High 3B Parker Noland
Round 32: Columbia LHP Josh Simpson
Round 33: Eastern Michigan 3B Zachary Owings
Round 34: Alabama RHP Brock Love
Round 35: Lake Washington High 1B Torin Montgomery
Round 36: Vanderbilt 1B Julian Infante
Round 37: Nation Ford (S.C.) High SS Tyler Causey
Round 38: Gahr (Calif.) High SS Tyrese Turner
Round 39: North Carolina State LHP Evan Justice
Round 40: Grand Canyon RHP Kade Mechals
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