Marlins minor-league update: One prospect learns a new position, another hit for the cycle
Jerar Encarnacion’s natural defensive position is right field. He spent the majority of his first four minor-league seasons there, sprinkling time in left field and at designated hitter when the situation called for it.
But in a Miami Marlins organization loaded with outfielder talent at the minor-league level — Encarnacion is one of nine outfielders ranked among the Marlins’ top-30 prospects by MLB Pipeline — there isn’t necessarily a straight path for the slugging Encarnacion to get to the big leagues.
So the Marlins have experimented this year with Encarnacion getting reps at first base, a spot where the club is lacking quality internal depth in the minor leagues. He’s playing there a couple days a week with the Double A Pensacola Blue Wahoos, while generally spending the other four days in left or right field (he has also had three games at designated hitter).
He’s holding his own so far. Encarnacion this season has converted 85 of 87 fielding chances — a .977 fielding percentage — while helping turn 10 double plays in the 10 games he has started at first base this season. Prior to 2020, Encarnacion played four total minor-league games at first base.
“Obviously he’s more comfortable in the outfield, moves around a little bit better and knows the game situations in the outfield,” Blue Wahoos manager Kevin Randel said, “so what we’re trying to do is just give him two games a week over first base just to add another tool in the tool belt for him. Outfield is loaded in Miami. We have a lot of prospects in the outfield, so if you can play one more position and just be a little more versatile for the club .... having those games that are going to build a first base gives Miami another option.”
Right now, all of the Marlins’ MLB-caliber first basemen are with the big-league club in Jesus Aguilar, Lewin Diaz (the club’s No. 6 overall prospect) and Garrett Cooper (on the injured list). Should Encarnacion get comfortable enough at the position, it could create a clearer path for him to make his MLB debut.
Encarnacion is ranked as the No. 21 overall prospect in the organization and behind eight outfielders on the board in JJ Bleday (No. 2), Jesus Sanchez (No. 5), Victor Mesa Jr. (No. 11), Peyton Burdick (No. 12), Monte Harrison (No. 14), Kameron Misner (No. 15), Connor Scott (No. 16) and Griffin Conine (No. 18).
The Marlins value his power potential, which he showcased during a breakout 2019 season during which he led Marlins prospects with 71 RBI and recorded 43 extra-base hits across Class A and Class A Advanced and then put on a solid showing at the Arizona Fall League (including the go-ahead grand slam in the championship game). Encarnacion has been part of big-league spring training each of the past two years and was one of the handful of top prospects who spent 2020 at the team’s alternate training site.
Encarnacion’s strikeout rate is high — 36.4 percent this season and 28.7 percent for his minor-league career — but he has the tools for success.
His .363 batting average on balls in play leads the Blue Wahoos and is 10th among qualified Double A South hitters. His six home runs and 19 RBI rank second on the Blue Wahoos, both only behind Burdick (nine home runs, 20 RBI). Fourteen of Encarnacion’s 35 hits this year — 37.1 percent — have gone for extra bases.
Minor-league cycle
While the Marlins are still waiting for a player to hit the franchise’s first career cycle, one of their prospects accomplished the feat in the minor leagues this week.
Troy Johnston, the Marlins’ 17th-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, went 4 for 6 with six RBI and four runs scored in the Class A Advanced Beloit Snappers’ 15-8 win over the Peoria Chiefs on Saturday. His four hits: a first-inning home run, a second-inning double, a fourth-inning triple and an eighth-inning single.
Johnston, 23, has been an offensive highlight this season. He’s hitting .342 with seven home runs, 12 doubles, 40 RBI and 28 runs scored across 42 games (24 with Class A Jupiter and 18 with Beloit).
More prospect highlights
▪ Infielder Bryson Brigman is a name worth watching. He’s hitting .320 with an .870 on-base-plus-slugging mark for Triple A Jacksonville and has hits in 18 of his past 22 games. This includes three games with at least three hits.
▪ The running stats on the Marlins’ pitchers taken in the 2020 draft: Max Meyer has a 1.42 ERA with 39 strikeouts against 20 walks over 38 innings spanning eight starts in Double A Pensacola. Jake Eder has a 1.08 ERA with a Double A South-leading 62 strikeouts against 17 walks over 41 2/3 innings spanning eight starts. Zach McCambley has a 3.07 ERA with 58 strikeouts against four walks over 44 innings spanning eight starts for Beloit. Kyle Nicolas has a 5.13 ERA with 47 strikeouts against 17 walks over 33 1/3 innings spanning eight starts for Beloit. And Dax Fulton has a 5.63 ERA with 28 strikeouts against 13 walks over 24 innings spanning seven games (six starts) for Jupiter.
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