With so many outfielders to watch, this Marlins prospect could be flying under the radar
Look past the top tier of outfielder prospects in the Miami Marlins’ system — beyond the likes of JJ Bleday, Monte Harrison and Jesus Sanchez — and you will unearth a potential gem.
Keep going beyond Kameron Misner, Victor Victor Mesa and Connor Scott, too.
A little more than midway down the Marlins’ list of top 30 prospects, at No. 17 if you go by MLBPipeline’s metrics, is Jerar Encarnacion.
The 22-year-old is heading into his fifth season in the Marlins organization, a rare holdover from the previous regime among the club’s top up-and-comers.
And if last season was any indication, Encarnacion has the potential to turn heads and compete with the group of outfielder prospects ahead of him on the club’s pecking order.
“This guy has a chance to be an impact player at the Major Leagues,” said Dick Scott, the Marlins’ director of player development. “We’re really excited about him. He was kind of a guy as a staff we talked as a guy last spring training as the pick to click. He even runs well for a big guy. He has a plus arm, plus power. ... His confidence is really growing. When you talk to him now, instead of being quiet and shy, he’s much more approachable and confident in what he’s saying.”
Scott’s confidence in Encarnacion comes after the outfielder hit .276 last season with 16 home runs, 26 doubles, 71 RBI and 61 runs scored over 135 games between Class A Clinton (Iowa) and Class A Advanced Jupiter. Prior to 2019, Encarnacion had played just 16 games above short-season Class A.
“No matter what happened during the season, he was always raking,” said catcher Will Banfield, Encarnacion’s teammate in Clinton during the first half of the minor-league season.
Encarnacion, who signed with the Marlins as an international free agent in 2015 for $78,000, said Tuesday that he still feels surprised sometimes that he has the opportunity to play professional baseball.
A power hitter by nature who is beginning to hit for average as well, Encarnacion said he looked up to Albert Pujols growing up because of his combination of power hitting and work ethic.
He put in extra work at home in the Dominican Republic this offseason with the hope that it would reflect in his production this season.
“I kept it rolling,” Encarnacion said through a translator.
It’s finally paying off.
And it showed up the most at the Arizona Fall League. He competed against some of the top prospects baseball had to offer and more than held his own.
He finished the monthlong fall league hitting .271 with four home runs, 20 RBI and 11 runs scored over 70 at-bats.
His final hit was the biggest: A grand slam that lifted the Salt River Rafters to a 5-1 win over the Surprise Saguaros in the AFL championship game.
Even though the competition was amplified in Arizona, Encarnacion said he tried to keep his approach simple.
“Just do what I do best,” Encarnacion said through a translator. “Play the game. Be normal.”
Encarnacion’s scouting report from MLBPipeline points to “his immense raw pop to all fields” as his biggest strength.
“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,” the scouting report continues. “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.”
Scott projects Encarnacion as a potential 25 to 30 home run-hitter should he keep his production up. He will likely start the season in Jupiter with an opportunity to make his way to Double A Jacksonville at some point in 2020.
“He has a good tempo and a good pace to everything he does offensively,” Scott said. “... [He] just needs to play more. Needs more reps, but he’s a good player.”
Another reliever on 40-man roster
The Marlins continued their bullpen overhaul by trading for New York Yankees left-handed pitcher Stephen Tarpley on Wednesday. They sent infielder James Nelson to New York in return and designated relief pitcher Brian Moran for assignment to make room for Tarpley on the 40-man roster.
Tarpley, 26, posted a 5-1 record with a 3.13 ERA in 18 appearances in Triple A last year. He has made 31 career MLB appearances, mostly out of the bullpen. He went 1-0 with a 5.88 ERA, two saves and 41 strikeouts over 33.2 innings. The Yankees designated him for assignment on Saturday to make room for outfielder Brett Gardner.
Nelson, 22, spent 2019 with Class A Advanced Jupiter, batting .228 (98 for 429) with 36 runs, 13 doubles and 36 RBI in 121 games. Nelson, the Marlins’ 15th-round pick in 2016, has hit .259 with 14 home runs and 147 RBI in 328 games.
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