MLB Draft: Top 3 Candidates for the Marlins to Draft

1. Alex Jackson, C/OF

Age and School: 18, Rancho Bernando HS, California
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 210 lbs.
Position: Catcher/Right Fielder

When I first read the rumor of the Marlins drafting Jackson with the second overall pick, I was not a major fan of the team taking him. However, the more I have studied Jackson, the more I have started to like the idea of the team selecting him.

Alex Jackson is the most talented batter in the 2014 draft and could move a lot faster through the Marlins system than a High School arm would. Most scouts don’t believe that Jackson can stick at catcher long-term, but his bat should carry value at any position a team could play him at.

If Jackson can stick as a catcher, which I believe the Marlins will give him every opportunity possible to try, his value in this draft is higher than any other players. His power would be a major boost to the Marlins future lineup, with or without Giancarlo Stanton.

Jackson could become a .260ish hitter in the majors with the power to slug 30 or more home runs. Like I said, if he sticks at catcher, that is a super star player, even if his defense is just average. As we’ve seen with Stanton, that is also a formula for a star player in right field.

Overall, the Marlins need a bat and Jackson could be the perfect fit for them. Going by the timeline Christian Yelich and Giancarlo Stanton took to get to the majors, Marlins fans could see Jackson hitting bombs at Marlins Park as early as the 2017 season and as late as the 2018 season.