Marlins: Monte Harrison is this close to making the Opening Day roster

Will the 2020 season begin with the Marlins centerfield prospect Monte Harrison catching fly balls on Opening Day?

As a Marlins fan, how do you really feel about the roster opening out in centerfield? Do you really think Lewis Brinson will be the starter, knowing how poor his last two seasons at the plate have been? To take that question a step further, if you had to choose between Brinson, a two-year veteran in south Florida and the potential of Monte Harrison, wouldn’t you choose the unknown over a commodity that has not produced?

It’s a tougher question to answer than it seems, given the Marlins are committed to giving Brinson, who was the main part of the deal, along with Harrison, Isan Diaz and Jordan Yamamoto to Milwaukee for Christian Yelich, for at least one more season. Or so it seems.

"“Harrison is already on the 40-man roster, so creating roster space for him isn’t an issue. My only concern with Harrison is whether he is completely ready, especially after being limited to 56 games at Triple-A last year,” Joe Frisaro of MLB.com wrote this past week.“He missed time due to a right wrist injury that led to surgery. Still, Harrison performed at Triple-A, hitting .274 with nine home runs and 20 stolen bases.”"

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Harrison’s rise and Brinson’s fall could be one of the headlining stories of Spring Training this offseason. Brinson, who is a south Florida native, tore the cover off the ball last year in camp, giving the Marlins front office and coaching staff hope of things to come.

What came was a player whose confidence suffered and his swing dissipated. He was sent to Triple-A New Orleans where he learned to hit and was consistent and he enjoyed success.
Then he took the trip back to Miami with the Sept. 1 expansion and the training wheels came off again. If this is the last chance for Brinson, who has one more option remaining with the organization, does it come at the expense of another player who could supplant him on the 26-man-roster?

Harrison is the guy who must come in a show he is ready for the next challenge on his way toward the Majors.

"“Even if he doesn’t make the Opening Day roster, Harrison could make his MLB debut at some point early in the season. Harrison is the Marlins’ No. 5 prospect, and No. 83 overall, per MLB Pipeline.,” Frisaro added."

Should Harrison make the team, which was made a bit easier when the Marlins traded Austin Dean late last week, it would mean all four players the team received in the Yelich deal would be on the 26-man roster.