What you need to know about the Miami Marlins’ seven Arizona Fall League players
The Miami Marlins announced Wednesday that starting pitcher Nick Neidert, outfielder Victor Victor Mesa, outfielder Jerar Encarnacion, shortstop Jose Devers and relievers C.J. Carter, Alex Vesia and Vincenzo Aiello will be the team’s representatives in the Arizona Fall League this season.
The seven will play for the Salt River Rafters, which also includes players from the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tampa Bay Rays, Colorado Rockies and Minnesota Twins.
Kevin Johnson, the manager for the Marlins’ Triple A affiliate in New Orleans, will serve as the club’s manager. The Arizona Fall League begins Sept. 18.
Neidert, Mesa, Encarnacion and Devers are among the club’s top prospects. Carter, Vesia and Aiello are a trio of relievers with the Marlins’ Double A affiliate Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
Here’s what you need to know about all seven. Prospect rankings are according to MLBPipeline.
RHP Nick Neidert
The Marlins acquired Neidert, their No. 12 overall prospect, as part of the Dee Gordon trade in December 2017. He was projected as a potential midseason call up this year before a right meniscus injury and subsequent surgery sidelined him for three months. The 22-year-old and former second-round pick rebounded since returning to the Triple A New Orleans rotation on Aug. 4. In five starts, Neidert has given up just eight earned runs over 28 1/3 innings — good for a 2.54 ERA — while striking out 29 batters with 12 walks.
“It was probably neck in neck as to who was closest to making it to the big leagues to start Triple A between [Zac] Gallen and Neidert given their ability to pitch,” Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said. “They’re very similar in their ability to execute a game plan and be successful. The fact that he was injured slowed him down a bit, but he hit the ground running [when he returned].”
Neidert’s scouting report: “Neidert is the most polished pitcher in the [Marlins] organization. He’s not flashy but his 92-95 mph fastball plays up because it has late movement and he commands it well. His plus changeup is his best pitch and his curveball flashes above-average potential. In terms of pure stuff, Neidert profiles as a back-of-the-rotation starter. But his advanced command of his entire repertoire could make him a No. 3 starter.”
OF Victor Victor Mesa
The Marlins signed Mesa and his younger brother Victor Mesa Jr. in October 2018 in the first of what the Marlins plan to be many big moves in the international free agent market under the new ownership group led by Bruce Sherman and Derek Jeter.
Considering Mesa, 23, hadn’t played organized baseball for close to two years before this season, the Marlins didn’t put any set-in-stone goals in place for the outfielder other than to play him as much as possible.
His overall numbers are rough — a .240 batting average with seven doubles, three triples, 29 RBI and 45 runs scored between Class A Advanced Jupiter (89 games) and Double A Jacksonville (25 games) while being sound defensively — but the hope is that Mesa has shaken off the rust and can continue his progression.
An extra month of playing stateside in Arizona should help with that.
Mesa is the Marlins’ No. 14 overall prospect.
OF Jerar Encarnacion
Encarnacion is the lone Marlins ranked prospect going to Arizona who was with the organization prior to the new ownership group. The 21-year-old outfielder signed with the Marlins organization as an international free agent in 2015 and is in the midst of a breakout year.
Encarnacion hit .298 with 10 home runs, 43 RBI and 34 runs in 68 games with Class A Clinton before earning a promotion to Class A Advanced Jupiter after the Midwest League All-Star Break. He continued that success with the Hammerheads, posting a .260 batting average with six homers, 27 RBI and 26 runs scored in 64 games.
“Encarnacion’s standout tool is his immense raw pop to all fields,” reads his scouting report. “His right-handed swing is fairly clean, without much movement, and his power potential rivals Monte Harrison’s as the best in Miami’s system. He’s doing a better job of handling breaking pitches and showing more patience this year, though he still needs more polish at the plate.”
SS Jose Devers
Devers, acquired in the Giancarlo Stanton trade, is the Marlins’ No. 11 overall prospect. The 19-year-old is a defense-first shortstop but MLBPipeline notes he is “one of the best contact hitters in the system and employs an unusually disciplined approach for his age.”
Devers was named a Florida State League All-Star after hitting .325 in 32 games with Jupiter but a forearm strain kept him sidelined for almost three months before he began a rehab assignment with the Marlins’ Gulf Coast League affiliate on Aug. 10.
RHP C.J. Carter
Carter, the Marlins’ 29th-round pick in 2018 out of Troy University, has a 1.51 ERA over 53 2/3 innings out of the bullpen for Clinton (18 games) and Jupiter (17 games). He was promoted to Double A Jacksonville on Tuesday.
LHP Alex Vesia
Vesia, the Marlins’ 17th-round pick in 2018 out of Cal State East Bay, has a 1.81 ERA and a 7-2 record in 37 combined relief appearances for Clinton (19 games), Jupiter (10 games) and Jacksonville (eight games). The 23-year-old lefty has struck out 98 batters in 64 2/3 innings while holding opponents to a .188 batting average.
RHP Vincenzo Aiello
Aiello, the Marlins’ 28th-round pick in the 2017 draft out of Oklahoma, has a collective 2.75 ERA in 36 relief appearances this year for Jupiter (22 games) and Jacksonville (14 games). He has struck out 64 batters while walking 20 in 52 1/3 innings.
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