The Miami Marlins let the kids play in spring training opener. They held their own.
The Miami Marlins’ spring training opener against the New York Mets on Saturday served as a chance for the team’s youngsters to get extended reps with most of the team’s veterans not making the short road trip.
And there were highlights from the up-and-coming prospects in the Marlins’ 5-3 win at Port St. Lucie’s Clover Park to begin their Grapefruit League schedule.
The “kids” combined for six of the Marlins’ 10 hits on Saturday.
“It’s that time in camp,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “You get a chance to see a lot of your guys getting on the field in this environment. It’s good for them, good for us.”
The results came from all over the field.
Like JJ Bleday. The Marlins’ first-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft and the team’s No. 2 overall prospect according to MLBPipeline laced a full-count single into right field on his first at-bat Saturday.
Bleday admitted there were nerves when he first stepped up to the plate in the second inning, even if they weren’t noticeable.
“To me, that’s normal,” said Bleday, who started in right field. “Even in college, I’d be a little nervous, but I was also excited. It’s fun to get out there.”
Like Monte Harrison. The Marlins’ No. 5 overall prospect had Miami’s first hit of the game, a single through the right side that came on a full count in the first inning. Harrison followed by stealing both second and third base in one at-bat and scored on Garrett Cooper’s single to center field.
“Once I got on base, I was locked in,” said Harrison, who added that stealing bases are “a big part” of his game because “they can change the game. It’s a lost art in the game. Everybody is looking for home runs, but just like you can hit home runs, you can steal bases and score runs at the same time.”
Like Jazz Chisholm. The 22-year-old shortstop and Marlins’ No. 4 overall prospect who was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks last season went 2 for 2 and stole third base in the eighth inning.
Like Lewin Diaz. His RBI single up the middle in the eighth inning scored Chisholm for the eventual go-ahead run. The Marlins are high on Diaz’s defensive abilities and hope he can tap into his power potential at the plate. He is their No. 12 overall prospect.
Like Jerar Encarnacion. The Marlins’ No. 17 overall prospect took a 2-0 pitch from Ryder Ryan in the ninth and deposited it over the fence in right-center field for a solo home run.
Like Jose Devers. The 20-year-old second baseman and Miami’s No. 10 overall prospect went 0-for-2 at the plate but came up big defensively in the fourth. With the Mets having runners on the corners and one out, he instinctively ran toward the third-base line during a run-down and tagged out Jake Marisnick. Adam Conley got Max Moroff to fly out one batter later to end the inning.
“I’m going to keep on repeating it,” Chisholm said. “These guys are great. I’m seeing it coming.”
More Marlins notables
▪ Harold Ramirez hit a solo home run to left field against Chasen Shreve to lead off the second inning. Ramirez is among a slew of outfielders competing for roster spots this spring.
▪ Cooper, competing for reps at either first base or right field, went 2 for 2 with an RBI on Saturday.
▪ Jordan Yamamoto gave up three runs (two earned) over his two innings as the Marlins’ starter. He struggled in the first, giving up all three of those runs on three hits, a fielding error and a sacrifice fly. He responded well in the second, striking out Jarrett Parker and Max Moroff before working his way back from a 2-0 count against Jeff McNeil to induce a weak groundout on a full count. He threw 38 pitches, 22 of which went for strikes.
“It definitely started out rough in the first inning, but at the end of the day, it is the first outing,” Yamamoto said. “I came out healthy. My arm felt good. That’s the main key right now.
▪ Really solid showing from the bullpen. Adam Conley and Robert Dugger each threw a pair of scoreless innings. Yimi Garcia had a clean seventh. Ryne Stanek had a scoreless eighth, and Stephen Tarpley earned the save with a scoreless ninth. Combined, the five relievers gave up just two hits and a walk while striking out six.
▪ Among the players who were not part of the travel roster on Saturday: first baseman Jesus Aguilar; third baseman/right fielder Brian Anderson; shortstop Miguel Rojas; catchers Alfaro and Francisco Cervelli; outfielders Corey Dickerson, Matt Joyce and Matt Kemp; and versatile infielder/potential starting center fielder Jonathan Villar. Expect to see some, if not all, of them in the lineup in some fashion on Sunday when the Marlins host the Washington Nationals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.
This story was originally published February 22, 2020 at 4:43 PM.
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