How Marlins prospect Nasim Nunez is balancing keeping mind ‘free’ and giving ‘110 percent’
Nasim Nunez’s end goal hasn’t changed.
But the way Nunez is approaching getting to that end goal? That has changed.
Making it to the big leagues is still the dream for Nunez, the Miami Marlins’ speedy and defensively gifted shortstop prospect drafted 46th overall in the 2019 MLB Draft.
But unlike earlier in his pro career, Nunez has learned to let things come on their own terms. He’s freeing up his headspace when he’s not on the field, doing what he can to balance the priorities of staying prepared but also not letting that preparation burn him out.
“The biggest thing is not overanalyzing everything, not harping so much on what had already happened or what could happen,” Nunez said in a phone interview last weekend from the Arizona Fall League. “Once you’re in the moment, you don’t think about any of that stuff, and that’s how it needs to be. I’m finding time to let my mind be baseball free.”
Nunez, the No. 17 overall prospect in Miami’s system according to MLB Pipeline, has learned to appreciate the value of downtime, of rest and recovery. Spending every moment of every day focused on baseball has taken a toll on him, so he appreciates the chance every now and then to stop and relax.
But business is business. Nunez gets that, too.
“Whenever I’m at the field, whenever I’m doing my work or I decide to think about baseball, it gets 110 percent out of me,” Nunez, 23, said, “but you’ve got to also find that time for yourself. Don’t drive yourself crazy. That 110 percent [mentality can] slowly start to get to you.”
So far, that mind-set appears to be working. Nunez’s Gold Glove caliber-defense at shortstop has been on display ever since the Marlins drafted him. So has his elite speed and baserunning, evidenced by his 183 total stolen bases, 122 of which have come over the past two seasons.
But his offensive production, the main question mark in his game, is where Nunez is putting in the most work.
In 163 career games at Double A Pensacola (38 games in 2022, 125 games in 2023), Nunez has hit .233 but has an on-base percentage of .348 in large part due to a nearly 15 percent walk rate. While not a power hitter, 24 of his 147 hits at Pensacola have gone for extra bases — 17 doubles, two triples and five home runs, with all of the home runs coming last season.
He was one of two Marlins prospects selected to participate in the MLB All-Star Futures Game, and won MVP honors for that game after hitting a three-run double, stealing a base and helping turn the game-ending double play.
“My biggest growth was finding things that helped me be great on the field,” Nunez said. “Something big for me was competing ... just trying to win every single pitch, every single play, preparing my mind and trying to be 10 steps ahead.”
He’s continuing to embrace that plan even after his season has ended. Nunez is one of eight Marlins prospects participating in the Arizona Fall League, along with catcher Paul McIntosh, infielder Jacob Berry, and pitchers Gabe Bierman, Ike Buxton, Zach McCambley, Dale Stanavich and Evan Taylor.
Through games played Wednesday, Nunez is tied for third with eight stolen bases while hitting .275 (11 for 40) with three doubles, 10 RBI and 10 runs scored.
Nunez admits that he “didn’t really know how to feel” about participating in the Arizona Fall League at first.
But in the end, an opportunity to get extra reps is something he doesn’t want to turn away. Plus, when combining his minor-league season with the month in Arizona, it works out to essentially playing a full 162-game season, a grind that he’ll have to get used to if he does make it to the big leagues.
“Right now,” Nunez said, “it’s about seeing what I can do throughout a whole season — maintaining, staying healthy and working.”
One step closer to the end goal.
This story was originally published October 19, 2023 at 10:17 PM.
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