Miami Marlins 2020 MLB draft picks soak in moment of first spring training
Their first attempt at making their professional baseball debuts was put on hold last year, halted and altered by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
But their opportunity is now here.
Four of the Miami Marlins’ 2020 draft picks were invited to spring training: first-round pick Max Meyer, competitive balance pick Kyle Nicolas, third-round pick Zach McCambley and fourth-round pick Jake Eder. All threw bullpen sessions on Saturday, their first of camp. Dax Fulton, the team’s second-round pick last summer, is the only one not with the club in Jupiter. Kyle Hunt, their fifth-round pick, was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers along with Alex Vesia as part of the Dylan Floro trade.
Each is among the Marlins’ top-30 prospects, according to Baseball America: Meyer is third and 44th among all of baseball; Fulton is 12th, Nicolas 17th, McCambley 23rd and Eder 29th.
In about two months, when the lower levels of the minor leagues are slated to begin their seasons, their professional careers will officially get underway.
They all understand where things stand in the present. They’re the new guys. This first trip to camp is more about evaluation than any chance to crack the Opening Day roster.
In the meantime, they’re soaking in the moment of their first big-league camp, the opportunity to learn from the Marlins coaching staff and veterans on the roster before heading to their eventual minor-league teams.
“I don’t really have many expectations for myself going into this,” McCambley said. “I’m just very thankful to have gotten the invite to come here. I’m going to keep an open mind and keep learning from all these guys. ... I’m going to come out here and do what I’ve got to do. I know what I’m capable of and I’m just going to continue to keep learning.”
They also already have a good rapport. They worked out together regularly during the Marlins’ month-long instructional league last fall and have kept in touch regularly during the offseason.
“Those are my guys,” McCambley said. “... We kind of stick together.”
“We all have kind of gone through the same thing,” Nicolas added. “We were drafted out of college and then kind of just waiting at home, not really knowing when we were going to go anywhere. We kind of came in and had a similar experience. That kind of bonded us right away.”
For the most part, the group is staying in the background. They are honing their crafts — Meyer, Nicolas and McCambley all mentioned improving their changeups, while Meyer and Nicolas are also tweaking their fastballs — and listening to what the veterans around them and the coaches have to say.
“It’s good to have the young guys that we haven’t seen from the draft,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “Our development group really likes the guys. They haven’t had much of a chance to pitch, but they like the way they worked and the way they get after it and their stuff. Looking forward to getting eyes on all these young guys.”
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