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A look back at the Marlins 2011 Top 30 prospects

By Editorial Staff|

Today, we will take a look at the Marlins top 30 prospects for the 2011 season and see how they fared. It is not a deep minor league system and the Marlins have addressed that and plan to rebuild the system going forward.

  1. Matt Dominguez, 3B– After failing to capture the starting third base job for Miami, Dominguez’s 2011 campaign got off to a late start when he fractured his left elbow on the last day of spring training, landing him on the disabled list for over a month.  Once he returned Dominguez did not impress, having a typical Dominguez season, having great defense but being lackluster with the bat. The California native batted .258 in 87 games with Triple-A New Orleans before getting a September call-up. Dominguez played in the Arizona Fall Leauge and didn’t help his cause, batting a dismal .226 in 21 games for the Surprise Saguaros.  With Hanley Ramirez moving to third base, Dominguez will begin 2012 back in New Orleans. That is unless he is traded for a big league starter.
  2. Chad James, LHP– Jame’s 2011 numbers are not bad. He posted a 3.80 ERA in a pitcher-friendly Florida State League. James did not register a win until July and finished the year 5-13 for the Jupiter Hammerheads. He did punch out 124 batters and only walked 51. James, the Marlins’ top pitching prospect, will start 2012 with the Double-A Jacksonville Suns.
  3. Christian Yelich, OF– The 23rd overall pick in the 2010 draft, Yelich had a promising season with Low-AGreensboro. Splitting time between left and center field, Yelich posted a nice .312 clip with 15 bombs. Yelich also showed off his speed, swiping 32 bases while only being caught five times. The left-handed hitting outfielder will move up to High-A Jupiter in 2012
  4. Jhan Mariñez, RHP– Mariñez began 2011 with Double-A Jacksonville and stayed as the setup man for the Suns. In 56 games for the Suns, Mariñez posted a 3.24 ERA with 74 strikeouts in only 58 innings. Marinez was traded to the White Sox at the end of the season as compensation for Ozzie Guillen.
  5. Ozzie Martinez, INF– Marintez split 2011 between Triple-A New Orleans and the big league club. In 80 Triple-A games, Martinez only batted .245 and posted a worse .130 average in 20 big league games. Martinez, along with Mariñez, was shipped to Chicago as compensation for Ozzie Guillen
  6. Brad Hand, LHP– Hand, in all likihood, was suppose to spend most of 2011 with the Jacksonville Suns and, if he did well, earn a promotion to Miami in the latter part of the season. But because of injuries to the Marlins, Hand only made 19 scattered starts for the Suns while helping out the big league club. For the Suns, he did well, posting a 11-4 record with a 3.40 ERA. For the Marlins, however, he struggled, posting a 1-4 record with a 4. 20 ERA and an uninspiring 35/38 BB/K ratio. Hand will, for now, fight it out for the final spot in the Marlins rotation in 2012, but will likely start the season with New Orleans.
  7. Scott Cousins, OF– Cousins began 2011 with the Marlins as a backup outfielder. He missed a majority of the season after injuring his back in mid-June and never returned.  Cousins did make noise in May when he endedGiants’ catcher Bust Posey’s season after a collision at the plate, drawing much criticism from the Giants’ front office and sports media.
  8. Kyle Skipworth, C– The 9th overall pick in 2008, Skipworth surprisingly skipped High-A, likely because the Marlins thought he would get devoured in the pitcher-friendly league. The jump didn’t help as Skipworth only posted a horrific .207 batting average with the Suns. All hope may not be lost, as Skipworth hit .283 in the Arizona Fall League in 16 games. The 22-year-old to be could start 2012 back in Jacksonville or could be “promoted” to Triple-A New Orleans.
  9. Marcell Ozuna, OF– Ozuna has the best raw power in the Marlins system and he showed that with Low-a Greensboro.  The 20-year-old hit 23 bombs and owned a .266 clip for the Grasshoppers. Ozuna will only be 21 next season but will move up to High-A Jupiter along with outfield mate Christian Yelich.
  10. 10. Rob Rasmussen, LHP- The UCLA product broke camp in the High-A Jupiter Hammerheads rotation and stayed there the entire year. The lefty posted a nice 12-10 record with a 3.64 ERA for the Hammerheads. The 2010 second rounder collected 114 strikeouts and will begin 2012 in Double-A and could make it o the Marlins bullpen late in the season
  11. Mike Dunn, LHP– One of the two players the Marlins acquired for Dan Uggla, Dunn was a nice piece of a strong bullpen for the Marlins in 2011. In 72 games, Dunn posted a 3.43 ERA. Dunn will continue to be a big part of the Marlin bullpen for the foreseeable future.
  12. Jose Ceda, RHP– Ceda, for the first time as a Marlin farmhand, put together a healthy season. He started 2011 in Triple-A as the Zephrys’ closer and had a great season. In 36 games, Ceda posted a nice 1.36 ERA with 24 saves and a nice 53/13 K/BB ratio. Ceda did get a callup to the Marlins and showed a 4.43 ERA in 17 games out fo the Marlins’ bullpen. Ceda will have a great chance to crack the Marlins’ bullpen in 2012, but if he doesn’t, he’ll head back to New Orleans to start the season.
  13. 13. Tom Koehler, RHP– After anchoring the Suns’ rotation for their second Southern League championship in as many years, Koehler slowed down a bit in 2011. He spent the entire season in Triple-A. In 28 starts, the righty posted a 12-7 record with a 4.97 in a very hitter friendly Pacific Coast League.  Koehler was added to the 40-man roster in the off-season and will begin 2012 back in New Orleans but could good a look sometime during the season if an injury occurs.
  14. Elih Villanueva, RHP– After a nice 2010 season, Villanueva struggled in 2011 with the Zephyrs. In 28 starts, the Miami native went 7-11 with a 5.35 ERA. Due to injuries, the Florida State product did get one start in the majors but only lasted three innings, surrendering eight earned runs. Villanueva will start 2012 back in New Orleans in hopes for better numbers the second time around.
  15. J.T. Realmuto, C– Realmuto has become the Marlins’ top catching prospect in the system. Drafted in the third round in the 2010 draft, Realmuto posted a .287 clip with 12 bombs with Low-A Greensboro and looks to be the Marlins catcher of the future once John Buck’s contract runs out. The 21-year-old will start 2012 with the Jupiter Hammerheads.
  16. Dan Jennings, LHP– Jennings had to finish serving the final 11 games of his PED suspension in 2011. Once that was finished, Jennings returned to Double-A. In 21 games out of the Suns’ bullpen, the Nebraska product posted a 3.16 ERA before being promoted to Triple-A New Orleans. In 24 games, Jennings struggled. He showed an ugly 7.04 ERA in 30 innings for the Zephyrs. In the Arizona Fall League, Jennings appeared in eight games, posting a 4.50 ERA in 12 innings.
  17. Isaac Galloway, OF– After missing most of the 2010 season, the California native found himself back in Low-A Greensboro. He didn’t have a great season, but did post a .241 clip with 16 bombs and 17 stolen bases. Galloway could start 2012 in High-A Jupiter or could jump to Double-A Jacksonville to make up for lost time.
  18. Bryan Petersen, OF– Petersen split 2011 between Triple-A New Orleans and the big leagues. In 67 Triple-A games, The outfielder posted a spectacular .351 clip with 11 homeruns. In the big leagues, Petersen got a shot to start in centerfield with Chris Coghlan going down and no one else stepping up. Petersen will likely be a backup for the Marlins next year unless the Marlins decide to keep Emilio Bonifacio as a super-utility player.
  19. Steve Cishek, RHP– The Marlins’ 2007 fifth rounder started 2011 with Triple-A New Orleans but only appeared in 15 games. He spent most of the season with the Marlins, posting a very nice 2.63 ERA in 45 games. Expect the 6’5’’ Cishek to have a shoe in a bullpen gig for the Marlins in 2012.
  20. Arquimedes Caminero, RHP– Added to the 40-man roster, Caminero only appeared in one game in 2011. In his lone game, June 23, the flamethrower only lasted one inning before being shut down once again.
  21. Sandy Rosario, RHP– Rosario spent 2011 between three levels. He began with Double-A Jacksonville where he appeared in 46 games and flashed a 4.15 ERA. He only appeared in seven games with Triple-A New Orleans before being promoted to the Marlins where he appeared in four games. Rosario will begin 2012 in New Orleans and get a call to the show if an injury presents itself.
  22. Edgar Olmos, LHP– The 2008 third rounder spent 2011 in High-A Jupiter’s rotation. In 28 starts the lefty faired badly, posting a 6.63 ERA and a 4-17 win/loss record. Olmos could start 2012 in Double-A or could get a second taste of the Florida State League.
  23. Omar Poveda, RHP– One of the players acquired for Jorge Cantu in 2010, Poveda  recoverd from Tommy John surgery to own a 4.32 ERA in 27 starts for the Jacksonville Suns. Expect the righty to move up a level to Triple-A to start 2012.
  24. Jake Smolinski, 3B/OF–Acquired from the Nationals for Josh Willingham and Scott Olsen, Smolinski played 2011 with the Jacksonville Suns. The Illinois native played multiple positions for the Suns but only posted a .245 clip. The 22-year-old was not protected on the Marlins’ 40-man roster this off-season but could finally breakout for the Marlins in 2012.
  25. Kevin Cravey, RHP– The Texas A&M product only appeared in nine games for the Jupiter Hammerheads between late June and early July before being shut down once again.
  26. Noah Perio, SS/2B– The 2009 39th rounder improved rapidly in 2011. In 119 games for Low-A Greensboro, Perio posted a .295 average and swiped 15 stolen bases. Perio will move up to High-A Jupiter in 2012 and could be the Marlins’ second baseman of the future.
  27. Ramon Benjamin, LHP-The 24-year-old spent 2011 between Double-A Jacksonville and Triple-A New Orleans. In 43 combined games between the two levels, the lefty posted a 3.75 ERA in 62 innings. The Marlins opted to protect the lefty from the Rule V draft by adding him to the 40-man roster. Benjamin will join Jennings in Triple-A bullpen and could get a look in Miami late in 2012
  28. Robert Morey, RHP– The 2010 fifth rounder spent all 2011 in the Low-A Greensboro starting rotation.  With the Grasshoppers, the righty went 7-7 with a 5.14 ERA. Morey will likely begin 2012 in High-A Jupiter.
  29. Brett Hayes, C- Hayes spent all 2011 as John Buck’s backup. He batted unimpressive .231 average in just 64 games for the Marlins. Expect Hayes to fulfill the same role in 2012.
  30. Joey O’ Gara, RHP– The 6’7’’ O’Gara spent the 2011 season in the Jacksonville Suns’ starting rotation. In 27 games, the Indiana product posted a 7-9 record with a 4.55 ERA. With the amount of starting depth at the Triple-A level, O’Gara could return to Jacksonville to start 2012.
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