Miami Marlins select Joe Dunand with 51st selection

The Miami Marlins had a busy first day of the MLB Draft. After electing twice already on the night, the Fish ended the evening with a selection at the hot corner.

There is some intrigue in this pick for the Miami Marlins. Joe Dunand fell to the Marlins at 51st overall, but could have easily made his way into the first round. He packs a punch in his bat and plays excellent defense.

Not to mention he is the nephew of All-Star and Miami native Alex Roderiguez. Coming out of NC State, the Marlins love his potential power, but will need to work with him on making better contact.

Dunand has the ability to play shortstop at the Major League level. Something that might interest the team in the future.

There is little doubt about Dunand’s ability to hit the long ball. According to Michael Cook at Minor League Ball, Dunand could very well be one of the most underrated bats in the draft this year. He belted 18 home runs as a junior as a member of the Wolf Pack.

What concerns scouts most are his big swing and miss numbers. The power is definitely there, but with 45 strikeouts and only 19 walks this past season, he has work to do. As the competition takes a jump at the next level, he’ll need to develop a better understanding of the strike zone.

With Major League coaching and diligent effort, that can be accomplished. He hit .287 in his last season in college. That number would have been significantly higher if he hadn’t chased the ball out of the zone so frequently.

What it means for the future

Dunand offers the Marlins some flexibility on the infield for the future. The biggest learning curve will be at the plate for him. He needs to learn how to recognize pitches faster and become more disciplined. The sooner that happens, the sooner we’ll see him in a Miami Marlins uniform.

He has the ability to play either third base or shortstop at any level. He has a strong arm and is slick with the leather. The Marlins currently have Martin Prado signed to a three year contract at third base. Behind him in the minor leagues is Brain Anderson.

Anderson has been having a breakout year and has the organization looking at him as a potential long-term solution.

That leaves shortstop as a probable landing spot for Dunand. Of course, this is projecting several years into the future, and the outlook could change significantly in that time.

Next: Miami Marlins select Brian Miller with 36th pick in draft

The Marlins rounded out their night with another solid pick. There were no surprises here, and they came away with a good haul. Combining their selection of Trevor Rogers, and Brian Miller earlier in the draft, the future is bright.