After 2 years with the Marlins’ organization, Monte Harrison is ‘coming to win a job’
Monte Harrison takes one look around at his fellow outfielders and is already licking his chops.
Sitting next to him in the Miami Marlins’ spring training clubhouse is 14-year MLB veteran and three-time All-Star Matt Kemp. Down the far side of the room are Corey Dickerson and Matt Joyce, who have a combined 20 seasons and two All-Star appearances between them.
“It gives me a chance to showcase my skills,” Harrison said, “and show what the young guy can do.”
The “young guy” isn’t far off from having his opportunity to play at the Major League level. Harrison, 24 years old and the Marlins’ No. 5 overall prospect according to MLBPipeline, has an outside shot to break camp as part of the Marlins’ 26-man roster when they open the season on March 26 against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Even if he doesn’t, it’s only a matter of time before Harrison gets the call.
“He’s coming to win a job,” said Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill, who called Harrison “maybe one of the physically gifted players that I’ve ever seen.”
He has the next five weeks to leave his mark.
And Harrison, the only player acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in the Christian Yelich trade in January 2018 yet to make his MLB debut (Lewis Brinson, Isan Diaz and Jordan Yamamoto are the others), has given the team a lot to think about after his first two seasons in the organization.
Harrison made strides in 2019, posting a .274 batting average with nine home runs, 41 runs scored and 20 stolen bases over 56 games for the Triple A New Orleans Baby Cakes. He cut his strikeout rate from 36.9 percent in 2018 at the Double A level to 30 percent in Triple A, still high but a noticeable improvement in his plate discipline.
The one downside to an otherwise strong season: Injuries.
Harrison missed the start of the season then had to sit out two months late in the year with separate wrist injuries, the latter of which required surgery.
The surgery cost him a potential late-season call up to the big-league club.
“I don’t see it as a setback personally,” Harrison said. “People might say that, but it’s a learning process. I went through some things off the field and baseball wise that taught me a lot. All growing pains.”
The wrist healed quick enough for Harrison to play in the Baby Cakes’ final six games and for him to play in the Puerto Rican Winter League, where he admitted he “was kind of alone by myself out there. I had to know myself as a hitter to be able to perform out there.”
The response: Harrison posted a .300 batting average over 16 games.
“I think Monte has a lot better feel for himself since coming over from Milwaukee,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “He knows what we expect. Monte has been around. He’s a lot closer and putting himself in position to make the club. I’m sure Monte’s feeling the same way. I don’t think he would be thinking any other way.”
The job isn’t going to be handed to him, though.
Harrison is competing with a slew of players for maybe a handful of roster spots. Dickerson is expected to be the Marlins’ starting left fielder. Harrison, Brinson, Jonathan Villar, Magneuris Sierra and Jon Berti are the main contenders to play center field.
Garrett Cooper, Harold Ramirez and Kemp are also in the mix to play in the outfield either as starters or coming off the bench. Brian Anderson can also play right field if he isn’t starting at third base.
And while he knows the chance of playing at the MLB level is within reach, Harrison said he is trying not to let that be a distraction as he works through the grind of spring training.
“Just get better every single day,” Harrison said. “I know it’s a process and it’s going to take time to get to where I want to be. Take it day by day. If I do that, I’ll be in position I want to be in.”
This story was originally published February 18, 2020 at 3:39 PM.
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