Jerar Encarnacion’s first MLB hit: A go-ahead grand slam in Marlins’ win over Mets

Jerar Encarnacion couldn’t hold back his emotions as the game ended.

The outfielder had just finished his MLB debut with the Miami Marlins — one in which he hit a go-ahead grand slam, recorded and outfield assist and stole a base en route to scoring an insurance run in a 6-2 win over the New York Mets on Sunday at Citi Field.

Just outside the Marlins’ dugout, he embraced his cousin Randy. Tears flooded.

“We were raised together,” said Encarnacion, the No. 20 overall prospect in the Marlins’ system, according to MLB Pipeline. “He’s like a brother to me.”

Family has been one of Encarnacion’s biggest motivating factors over the past since signing as an international free agent with the Marlins in 2015. His home run ball, which was retrieved from a fan and that he tucked into his backpack, is going to his mom Carmela, who was watching from home.

He plays in honor of his late brother Anderson, who died in a motorcycle accident four years ago at 27 years old and was one of Encarnacion’s biggest supporters while growing up in the Dominican Republic.

“He always told me I was going to make it to the Major League level,” Encarnacion said. “That was something that helped me out.”

On Sunday, close to seven years since signing a professional contract, Encarnacion’s journey finally reached the major leagues.

Game 1 was a success.

“Top of the list,” Encarnacion, 24, said. “Best day of my life.”

Jerar Encarnacion’s path to his MLB debut

Encarnacion, 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, has been on the Marlins front office’s radar for some time now.

It took circumstance and a bounce-back season in the minor leagues for him to finally get his opportunity to make his MLB debut on Sunday.

Encarnacion was added to the Marlins’ active roster on Friday after both Jesus Sanchez and Jesus Aguilar were placed on the COVID-19-related injured list prior to Miami’s series opener against the Mets. It’s undetermined when Sanchez and Aguilar will return, but Encarnacion’s spot on the roster appears secure at least until when the duo returns.

His power at the plate is one of his biggest strength, evidenced by his 124 career extra-base hits in the minor leagues.

He jumped up in the Marlins’ prospect rankings after a breakout 2019 season when he hit 16 home runs and had 71 RBI over 131 games at the lower levels of the minor leagues. He capped that season with an impressive showing at the Arizona Fall League, during which he hit the game-winning grand slam in the league’s championship game.

A canceled 2020 minor-league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and an injury-filled 2021 season delayed his development before returning to form this year. Encarnacion had 13 home runs in the minor leagues this season and a .313 batting average and .903 on-base-plus slugging percentage in 57 games across time with the Double A Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Triple A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp before his call-up.

READ MORE: After two rocky years, Marlins prospect Jerar Encarnacion ready to ‘keep working ahead’

But while his production at the plate gets most of the recognition, Encarnacion is capable of making big plays from the corner outfield spots. He has 41 career outfield assists in the minor leagues.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly compared Encarnacion to Vald Guerrero Sr.

“[Guerrero] ran good, threw good, played the outfield well,” Mattingly said. “That’s what you see out of Jerar is that big body but it’s surprisingly athletic movements.”

Shortstop Miguel Rojas, meanwhile, gave a more local comparison.

“It reminds me a little bit of Giancarlo Stanton when I saw him out there with his physique and his arm and big bat,” Rojas said. “Imagine if he can actually follow those steps. It would be huge.”

The grand slam

For at least one day, all of Encarnacion’s talents showed up at the highest level.

The grand slam, of course, will get the most attention.

Encarnacion walked up to the plate with the bases loaded in the seventh inning and the Marlins trailing the Mets by a run. A well-placed ball into the outfield at the minimum ties the game. That’s all Encarnacion was trying to do as he battled his nerves.

“I don’t think it’s possible to stay calm in that situation,” Encarnacion said.

He had a quick conversation with hitting coach Marcus Thames as the Mets made a pitching change, bringing in reliever Seth Lugo.

He did more than that.

Encarnacion took an elevated curveball, swung at an elevated and inside fastball, and then kept his bat on his shoulder for three more pitches (two balls, one strike) to work the count full.

And then, on the sixth pitch of his third at-bat, Encarnacion lifted a 93.3 mph sinker that was near the middle of the strike zone toward right field.

It appeared to be deep enough for at least a game-tying sacrifice fly.

And then the ball carried. And carried. And carried a little more.

Finally, Mets right fielder Starling Marte finally stopped running and watched as the ball landed in the Citi Field seats.

Grand slam.

Encarnacion slapped his right leg and pointed to the sky as he rounded first base on a nearly 23-second trot and clapped his hands as he stepped on home plate where Rojas, Jacob Stallings and Bryan De La Cruz were waiting to celebrate with him.

Encarnacion is the first Dominican-born player to hit a grand slam in his MLB debut and the second player in Marlins history to do so, joining Jeremy Hermida (Aug. 31, 2005).

“When I embraced him at home plate, it felt like it was meant to be,” said Rojas, who remembered watching Encarnacion during a rehab assignment in 2019 and acknowledging the outfielder’s potential almost instantly. “He’s been here for a long time. ... He’s here. That’s your goal as a player and as teammates to see guys realize their dreams as well.”

Encarnacion also recorded his first outfield assist as a big-leaguer in the third inning when he threw out Tomas Nido, who was trying to leg out a leadoff double on a ball hit to right field. Encarnacion’s throw to second base was clocked at 91.6 mph.

And, for good measure, he stole second base in the ninth inning after reaching on a Mets fielding error before scoring on a Jazz Chisholm Jr. double that just stayed fair down the left-field line.

He is the first player since at least 1901 to hit a grand slam, record an outfield assist and steal a base in his MLB debut.

“He showed the whole package today,” Mattingly said.

Helping a familiar face

Even before the Marlins signed Encarnacion for $78,000 in the 2015 international free agent cycle, starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara had an inkling Encarnacion would be a talented player.

The two crossed paths in the Dominican Republic, played at the same parks and even shared a house at one point in San Isidro in 2014.

“He was still big at the time,” Alcantara said. “The only thing I think that has changed is his weight. He’s a little bigger now.”

Just over two years after Encarnacion signed with Miami, the Marlins acquired Alcantara from the St. Louis Cardinals as part of the Marcell Ozuna trade. The two shared time together during spring training. When the season began, however, Alcantara was with the big-league club, morphing into the Marlins’ ace. Encarnacion was biding his time in the minor leagues, waiting for the moment to arrive.

READ MORE: The makings of an ace: How Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara is becoming one of MLB’s top pitchers

On the bus ride back to the hotel Friday, Alcantara made Encarnacion a bet: If Encarnacion got a hit in his debut Alcantara would buy Encarnacion something. The exact purchase was unclear, but clothing — a suit, specifically — was in discussion.

But after hitting a go-ahead grand slam — one that gave the Marlins more than enough run support to back up Alcantara’s latest gem (two earned runs allowed over eight innings) — does Alcantara need to up the ante?

“I can buy him a house if he wants,” Alcantara said with a laugh.

Encarnacion, however, isn’t going to take it that far.

“Let’s go buy clothes,” Encarnacion said.

This story was originally published June 19, 2022 at 4:44 PM.

Jordan McPherson

Miami Herald

305-376-2129

Jordan McPherson covers the Miami Hurricanes and Florida Panthers for the Miami Herald. He attended the University of Florida and covered the Gators athletic program for five years before joining the Herald staff in December 2017.