Interview with Miami Marlins Prospect Jake Marisnick

Feb 22, 2013; Jupiter, FL, USA; Miami Marlins player Jake Marisnick (77) poses for a picture during photo day at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Last month, when the Jacksonville Suns were in Birmingham to take on the Barons, I was lucky enough to score media credentials from the Barons for the series. While I was attending the series, I was fortunate enough to nab interviews with some of the Suns players, including Logan Morrison (link) and Nathan Eovaldi (link), who were both on rehabiltion stints with the team at the time.

Both of those players are now back with the Marlins, and joining them today will be Jake Marisnick, another Suns player I was lucky enough to have a chance to interview last month.

Marisnick enjoyed a nice 10-for-22 series at the plate in the Suns five-game series with the Barons, including two home runs, one of which cleared the scoreboard clock in deep left field. Marisnick in one of the games was just a double shy of the cycle, but ultimately came up short in his bid for that.

I asked him if he was tempted to go for a double on his single in his second to last at bat to complete the cycle, he said, ” I thought about it, but with the Suns ahead comfortably, there was no need for that.”

When asked what helped him have a big series against the Barons, Marisnick told me, “I was just being patient, waiting for a good pitch to hit and putting a good swing on it. Just trying to avoid doing too much.”

Marisnick told me that the trade that landed him in Miami caught him off-guard and that he was playing in the Arizona Fall League when he got the call that he was traded to Miami. He told me, “at first I was really shocked, but once I got over that, I was really excited about my opporuntity to make an impact in Miami.”

Marlins top prospect Christian Yelich and Marisnick have held a special relationship since Marisnick’s arrival with the Fish. Marisnick told me that while it’s not really a competition, they do however push each other to be better. He mentioned that when one of them does something, the other always tries to top that, and they have a friendly back-and-forth in that.

It is very interesting that the Marlins decided to promote the duo together. Hopefully the two of them can show that chemistry that worked so well in Jacksonville, where both players strived.

Marisnick also opened up about the kind of impact Logan Morrison had on the Suns clubhouse, telling me that “Morrison was always approachable by the younger guys seeking advise and had a great way of keeping the lockerroom loose during different situations that arose.”

Finally, I asked him about his chances of playing in the majors in 2013, he told me “I have no control over that, I am just going to go out and do my best, and hopefully the team feels I am worthy of a promotion.

Marisnick was worthy indeed, as he posted a slash line of .294/.358/.502 with a .390 wOBA. He had 12 homers and 11 stolen bases at the time of his promotion and had shown some progression at plate discpline, by lowering his strikeout rate from 30% in May to just over 22% before his promotion.

Overall, Marisnick impressed me watching him play live, as well as with the kind of demenaor he had about the game. Although we may not see it right away on a consistent basis, he has a very bright future as a major leaguer. I am extremely excited to see how he performs in the majors leagues. One thing is for sure even if his offense is not up to par, Marlins fans will enjoy watching this kid play center field.