Miami Marlins sign veteran Mike Aviles to minor league contract

The Miami Marlins need for depth in the infield led to the signing of veteran Mike Aviles. What kind of spark can we expect from the 36 year old utility player?

Signs continue to point to Martin Prado missing an extended period of time from the Miami Marlins Major League club. After leaving the game early on Sunday with tightness in his hamstring, he will be undergoing an MRI to determine the extent of the damage. The team has not wasted time in attempting to round out the teams depth in the infield.

On Monday, the Miami Marlins signed Mike Aviles to a minor league contract. What does this mean for the team? Will we be seeing Aviles join the pro-level club anytime soon? The answers are: security, and probably not, respectively.

Aviles’ contract likely means he will be spending the bulk of his time at the MiLB level. With J.T. Riddle no longer an option, the Marlins needed to fill his spot, and are hoping Aviles will be able to do that. The only realistic scenario in which Aviles is called to the highest level is as a result of further injuries.

Even if he were to start lighting it up in AAA, Aviles likely wouldn’t receive the call. With 11 years of pro experience, there have been plenty of chances for him to stake his claim as a legitimate member of a 25 man roster. He has failed to do so, slashing .262/.295/.378 over his career, and posting 6.2 WAR.

Last season was the worst of his career to date, and he showed signs of slowing down while playing as a member of the Detroit Tigers. Aviles hit a paltry .210 in 68 games before being packaged off to the Braves. The Braves released him a few days later, and he hasn’t been able to get back with a team again since.

Value on defense

What Aviles does provide, though, is plus defense at a number of positions. He has the ability to play anywhere on the diamond, and has seen the bulk of his action at shortstop. He has also logged well over 700 innings of time in the outfield as a big leaguer.

For his career, Aviles has .970 fielding percentage, but a lot of that is skewed by down year in 2016 with Detroit. Much like his performance at the plate, Aviles never looked comfortable with the Tigers, and his overall performance suffered. The Marlins are hoping it was just a fluke, and they are able to get back a player reminiscent of what utility great Andy Fox used to do for them.

Aviles will be starting the season in extended spring training in the Miami Marlins farm system. With his last competitive baseball coming in the WBC this offseason, he’ll have some work to do before he is able to get back up to speed.

Next: Miami Marlins: The silver lining in all these injuries

The Marlins made a low-cost roster move, with the potential for significant upside. If Aviles is able to put the pieces together and have a career year, both sides will benefit immensely. The Marlins would love the additional production as they push for a Wild Card spot down the stretch, and Aviles might earn himself a better contract in the offseason.