With minor-league season underway, these Marlins prospects have gotten off to fast starts
The minor-league baseball season is underway, with each of the Miami Marlins’ four full-season affiliates having played two series apiece. The Triple A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are 12 games into their season, while the other three teams — Double A Pensacola Blue Wahoos, High A Beloit Sky Carp and Single A Jupiter Hammerheads — have played nine games each.
Here’s a look at some early standouts from each of the four affiliates. All rankings are from MLB Pipeline unless otherwise noted.
Triple A: Max Meyer
Meyer, the Marlins’ first-round pick in 2020 and the No. 34 prospect in all of baseball, has been dominant through his first two starts of the 2022 season.
The 23-year-old righty has given up just two runs on two hits and a walk while striking out 13 batters through nine innings. On Tuesday, he threw five perfect innings with eight strikeouts before being removed as a precaution with right calf cramps.
“I was feeling really good, was rolling, and then my calf on the first warmup pitch of the sixth, it just was like a charley horse,” Meyer said after the game according to MLB.com. “I kind of stretched it for a second, threw another one, and it was the same exact [feeling].”
Meyer said he does not expect the calf cramps to produce any setbacks.
Outside of the inning count to this point, everything has been solid for Meyer through his first two starts in Triple A as he continues on his path to an MLB debut that could arrive at some point this season. He’s utilizing all three of his pitches — a fastball that hits in the upper 90s, a swing-and-miss slider and an improving changeup. He impressed the Marlins’ coaching staff during spring training, as well.
“We’ll see what happens,” Meyer said at the end of spring training, “but I think I’m ready.”
More early Triple A notables: catcher/designated hitter Lorenzo Quintana (.375 batting average, 10 RBI, three home runs, eight runs scored in nine games); outfielder Peyton Burdick (three home runs, 10 walks, 16 runs scored in 11 games); first baseman Lewin Diaz (two home runs, 10 RBI, nine runs scored in 11 games); right-handed pitcher Zach Pop (eight innings pitched, 0.00 ERA, seven strikeouts against three walks in eight innings)
Double A: Paul McIntosh
One of the big surprises early among Marlins prospects has been McIntosh.
The 24-year-old catcher/designated hitter leads the Blue Wahoos with a .500 batting average (14 for 28) and 1.505 on-base-plus-slugging mark. Half of his 14 hits have gone for extra bases (four doubles, one triple and two home runs) and he has shown some speed on the basepaths with a pair of stolen bases as well.
McIntosh isn’t one of the Marlins’ top-30 prospects, but he is a player the front office has liked as a sleeper inside the organization.
More Double A notables: Right-handed pitcher Bryan Hoeing (0.00 ERA with 16 strikeouts against two walks in 13 innings over two starts); right-handed pitcher Eury Perez (6.75 ERA with 11 strikeouts against four walks in eight innings over two starts); outfielder/first baseman Jerar Encarnacion (.300 batting average, two home runs, seven runs scored)
High A: Tanner Allen
Allen, the No. 23 prospect in Miami’s system, has hits in five of his first seven starts for the Sky Carp, including two multi-hit outings. Three of his seven hits are doubles and he has struck out just four times through his first 25 plate appearances.
The early signs are good after the 23-year-old outfielder had a shaky start to pro ball, hitting just .183 in 33 combined games between the rookie-level Florida Complex League and Single A Jupiter after being selected in the fourth round out of Mississippi State.
More High A notables: Left-handed pitcher Zach King (0.90 ERA with 16 strikeouts against eight walks in 10 innings after two starts)
Single A: Kahlil Watson
Watson is quickly showing why he is the Marlins’ top prospect and the No. 25 prospect in all of baseball.
Through eight games played in Jupiter, Watson a .333 batting average (10 for 30), with four home runs, four doubles, 12 RBI and nine runs scored. He has three multi-hit games in this span as well.
One area of concern: He has 15 strikeouts through his first 33 plate appearances.
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