A top Marlins prospect returns to form and updates 3 weeks into minor-league season
Could last week have been a turning point for Peyton Burdick?
After seeing his batting average dip as low as .077 two weeks into the minor-league season, Burdick went on a tear for the Double A Pensacola Blue Wahoos during the past six games. Burdick, a 24-year-old outfielder and 12th-ranked prospect in Miami’s system according to MLB Pipeline, went 8 for 25 (.320) with three doubles, a triple, two home runs, five RBI and five runs scored as the Blue Wahoos won five of six games against the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
This included a three-hit night Tuesday, capped by a walk-off double in the 10th inning.
With the successful week, Burdick’s batting average improved from .077 to .172 and his slugging mark went up a staggering 264 points (from .205 to .469).
“Just getting back to doing what I normally do as a hitter and staying the other way with it,” Burdick told MiLB.com. “Seeing the ball and reacting to it. And there is no better feeling than putting the ball on the barrel. I think once you start feeling that more often, then your body naturally syncs up with your swing.”
The Marlins have been optimistic about Burdick ever since they drafted him in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft as a senior out of Wright State University. He quickly impressed in his first professional season, posting a .308 batting average with 11 home runs, 64 RBI and 60 runs scored through 69 games. All of that production, however, came at the lowest levels of the minor leagues — six games in Class A short-season Batavia (New York) and then 63 games with the Marlins’ then-Class A affiliate Clinton (IIowa) Lumberkings.
The promotion to Double A — and skipping Class A Advanced all together — presented Burdick with an elevated level of competition.
It took him a couple weeks to adjust, expected given the classification jump and the fact that he didn’t have a minor-league season last year, but Burdick is once again showing glimpses of his talent.
“Burdick generates well above-average raw power via bat speed and strength and he has the hitting ability to translate it into home runs to all fields in game action,” reads his MLB Pipeline scouting report. “While he takes aggressive cuts from the right side of the plate, he makes plenty of hard contact and will take walks if pitchers refuse to challenge him. He moves well for his size and makes the most of his average speed with good instincts and aggressiveness on the bases.”
More minor-league notables
▪ The obligatory Jesus Sanchez update: He went 10 for 24 (.417) with two doubles, two home runs, four runs scored and three RBI last week. The outfielder and No. 6 overall prospect in the Marlins’ system is hitting .469 overall with a 1.438 on-base-plus-slugging mark, seven home runs and 20 RBI three weeks into the minor-league season.
▪ Another almost obligatory update on the pitchers from the 2020 MLB Draft:
First-round pick Max Meyer threw a career-long 5 2/3 shutout innings on Tuesday for Double A Pensacola. He struck out nine while giving up five hits and a walk. He allowed just two runners to get into scoring position.
Jake Eder also threw another strong five innings for the Blue Wahoos, holding Rocket City to two runs (one earned) on three hits and four walks while striking out seven over five innings on Wednesday.
Zach McCambley had his first rough start of the season, giving up four earned runs — all coming on solo home runs — while striking out six over six innings on Tuesday for Class A Advanced Beloit (Wisconsin).
Kyle Nicolas only went 4 2/3 innings in his start for Beloit on Thursday, but he held the Cedar Rapids Kernels to a pair of earned runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out five.
As for Dax Fulton, he had his best outing of his young pro ball career last week for Class A Jupiter, throwing four innings and giving up just one run while striking out five.
▪ Outfielder Monte Harrison is on a six-game hitting streak with Triple A Jacksonville, with three of his seven hits in that span going for extra bases (two doubles, one home run).
▪ Outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. had two home runs last week for Class A Jupiter, including an inside-the-park home run.
▪ Some under-the-radar names worth mentioning for their performances last week: Infielder Luis Marte had a .316 batting average last week (6 for 19) with one double, one home run and four RBI at Triple A; outfielder Thomas Jones hit .389 (7 for 18) with two doubles, four stolen bases and four runs scored for Class A Advanced Beloit; pitcher M.D. Johnson threw six shutout innings with 10 strikeouts for Class A Jupiter.
This story was originally published May 24, 2021 at 12:02 PM.
.JPG)