Another Miami Marlins prospect made his MLB debut. What to know about Jordan Groshans
The list of Miami Marlins prospects making their MLB debut has grown.
The latest: Infielder Jordan Groshans, the No. 12 prospect in Miami’s system according to MLB Pipeline. He started at third base and went 0 for 3 at the plate with a flyout, lineout and sharp groundout on Tuesday in the Marlins’ 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at loanDepot park to begin a three-game series.
He joins the likes of JJ Bleday, Jerar Encarnacion, Charles Leblanc and Peyton Burdick as position-player prospects who the organization is trying to evaluate at the big-league level at the end of a losing season.
His sample size will be smaller than the others — there are about three weeks left in the regular season — but Groshans still thinks he has enough time to give the front office a glimpse of what he can offer them.
“I’m just going to play the game,” Groshans said. “I know how to play and play hard and that’s what you’re going to get.”
The Marlins acquired Groshans, 22, from the Toronto Blue Jays at the Aug. 2 trade deadline in exchange for relievers Zach Pop and Anthony Bass along with lower-level catcher prospect Edward Duran to Toronto. Groshans was the 12th overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, one spot ahead of when the Marlins selected that year (Miami ended up drafting outfielder Connor Scott, who was eventually used in a trade package for catcher Jacob Stallings).
Marlins general manager Kim Ng said at the time of the trade that the organization wanted to get a look at Groshans in the minor leagues before making a decision about whether to give him a callup. At the time he was acquired, Groshans was hitting .250 with a .644 on-base-plus-slugging mark, eight doubles, one home run, 24 RBI and 30 runs scored in 67 games for Toronto’s Triple A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons.
In 31 games with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, Miami’s Triple A affiliate? Groshans hit .301 with an .814 OPS, seven doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI, 14 runs scored and 19 walks against 19 strikeouts. He had multiple hits in 11 of 31 games.
“I think it was more self-evaluation,” said Groshans, who calls his plate discipline his best hitting attribute. “I’ve focused for a long time on being a good hitter and that’s what’s really important to me. So now getting up here, it’s time to start getting into the ball and producing some damage.”
MLB Pipeline’s scouting report for him is as follows: “Projected as a power-over-hit guy coming out of the Draft, Groshans has seen his profile flip the last two seasons,” reads his scouting report from MLB Pipeline. “He continues to make regular contact to all fields while controlling the strike zone. But his right-handed swing seems slower and he’s not hitting the ball as hard as he used to or doing any damage against left-handers.”
Defensively, Groshans said he is most comfortable playing shortstop but the Marlins will likely use him all over the infield. With Jacksonville, he played 12 games at third base, 10 at shortstop and nine at second base.
“Definitely want to get him in the mix,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “It may cut down a little bit on some other guys who may need rest or whatever. ... Nobody’s forcing me to say ‘Put him in the lineup every day’ or anything like that, but I’m assuming we do want to see him.”
Marlins roster moves
The Marlins placed Avisail Garcia on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain to make room for Groshans on the active roster. Garcia left Saturday’s game against the Mets with the hamstring issue.
Miami also recalled left-handed relief pitcher Andrew Nardi and optioned left-handed starting pitcher Braxton Garrett to Triple A Jacksonville.
This story was originally published September 13, 2022 at 5:56 PM.
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