Five surprise players for the Miami Marlins in 2017

The Miami Marlins failed to make the playoffs after another sub-.500 season. But that doesn’t mean the year was without standout performers.

Changes are undoubtedly on the way for the Miami Marlins franchise. Derek Jeter eluded to a possible roster overhaul during his introductory press conference multiple times earlier this week. Fortunately, several players stepped up and made a case for their inclusion on the 2018 roster.

Only time will tell the true value of these breakout seasons. If they were a precursor of things to come, the Miami Marlins might be in better shape than we think. If they were an aberration, the overhaul will have to be even more sweeping than originally believed.

All bets are off with new ownership in place, but these players did everything in their power to secure a spot next season.

Adjusting to the level of play in Major League Baseball is extremely difficult. The game is impossibly hard. There is the occasional freakazoid who is able to figure it out right away, but for the most part, there is a steep learning curve.

Several of the players on our list proved they could succeed right off the bat. Some put the pieces together on what was likely their last chance to do so. Some might have done little else but boost their trade value.

Regardless of the the implications of what their success means, here are five players who took a big step forward in 2017.

Disclamer: For the sake of this list, we’ve excluded Giancarlo Stanton. His inclusion would be too obvious, as he likely batted his way to an MVP season.