Mattingly on Miami native Eddy Alvarez: ‘I like the kid.’ Can he crack the Marlins’ roster?
Ask Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly what he likes about Eddy Alvarez, and you’ll get a pretty sizable list.
He’s a switch-hitter. He plays multiple positions on defense. He’s a sound hitter. He’s aggressive on the basepaths.
“I like the kid,” Mattingly concludes. “I think he’s got a chance to help us depending on what happens during this this camp.”
Making it on an MLB roster is the next goal for Alvarez, a 30-year-old Miami native and Columbus High graduate whose athletic resume already includes a 2014 Winter Olympics silver medal in speedskating.
And while there’s no guarantee that he plays for the Marlins this season — he’s a non-roster invitee on a minor-league deal and would need to be added to the 40-man roster to make his big-league debut — the fact that he’s part of the team’s 60-player roster pool and that he’s at Marlins Park is telling about how the Marlins feel about him.
“Obviously he’s a guy that we thought that could help us over the course of the season,” Mattingly said, “or he wouldn’t be on this roster.”
Alvarez made a valuable first impression to the organization in 2019, posting a .323 batting average with 18 doubles, 12 home runs, 43 RBI and 48 runs scored in 66 Triple A games. He was steady during spring training as well before the coronavirus pandemic put the sport on hold for three-plus months.
“We’re pieces of the puzzle,” Alvarez said during spring training. “If I fit in a certain algorithm, then it’ll be time for me to go. It’s tough as a baseball player, it really is, not knowing much, but you just have to play.”
Now, he’s starting to turn heads again. Alvarez has been one of the better hitters since the team began scrimmaging last week. He had a single and drew a walk in two plate appearances on Monday.
“This guy’s a good little player,” Mattingly said.
Marlins taking COVID-19 seriously
South Florida continues to be a hotbed for the novel coronavirus, with Miami-Dade County accounting for 67,713 of the state’s 282,435 confirmed positive cases — or just under 25 percent.
Mattingly said the Marlins understand the gravity of the pandemic and reaffirmed that the organization is taking every possible precaution to ensure the team’s safety.
“It’s a serious situation,” Mattingly said. “We’re taking it serious, but it’s been serious the whole time down here and I feel like we’ve been pretty consistent with it.”
Teams are required to undergo COVID-19 testing every other day. The Marlins have had four players test positive — one during the team’s initial intake screening and three prior to that.
Monday practice observations
After 10 days of stretching, batting practice and abbreviated scrimmages, the Marlins held their first true simulated game on Monday.
Full lineups. Full defense. Full action. Five innings worth of it.
The final score: 0-0. Some players took additional live batting practice afterward.
Some notables from the outing:
▪ The Away Marlins, wearing white, starting lineup was second baseman Isan Diaz, third baseman Brian Anderson, first baseman Jesus Aguilar, catcher Jorge Alfaro, shortstop Miguel Rojas, left fielder Monte Harrison, right fielder Jesus Sanchez, designated hitter Chad Wallach and center fielder Magneuris Sierra. Nick Neidert was the starting pitcher.
The Home Marlins, wearing their spring training blue, had a lineup of center fielder Jonathan Villar, shortstop Jon Berti, left fielder Corey Dickerson, right fielder Harold Ramirez, first baseman Garrett Cooper, catcher Francisco Cervelli, designated hitter Lewin Diaz, third baseman Sean Rodriguez and second baseman Alvarez. Robert Dugger started on the mound. Berti, Rodriguez and Alvarez rotated among their three infield spots during their time in the field.
One quick note: While in no way an official look at the depth chart, the away team had the Marlins’ entire projected infield together. The home team had the left fielder and center fielder in Dickerson and Villar that the Marlins have openly expressed as the likely Opening Day players. They were paired with Ramirez.
▪ Neidert and Dugger each lasted four innings. Neidert gave up three hits and two walks while striking out three. Dugger gave up two hits and struck out two.
▪ Alfaro, Dickerson and Rodriguez each hit a double during the simulated game.
▪ Players were allowed to steal bases for the first time since simulated games began. Both Alfaro and Cervelli sailed their first throws to second attempting to get runners, but Alfaro rebounded in the fourth when he nabbed Dickerson attempting to steal second.
▪ Sterling Sharp and Aaron Northcraft threw the fifth inning of the scrimmage and each worked himself out of a jam. Sharp loaded the bases with two outs on a Rodriguez double, Alvarez walk and Berti walk but got Dickerson to fly out to shallow left-center. Northcraft had Wallach at third base and Sierra at first base. A double-steal attempt ended with Wallach tagged out at home.
▪ Drew Steckenrider, Yimi Garcia, Ryan Cook and Nick Vincent each threw an inning of live batting practice following the scrimmage.
This story was originally published July 13, 2020 at 7:56 PM.
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