Miami Marlins: What the Fish returned for Dee Gordon

The Miami Marlins fire sale has been rolled out, so pull out your phones Major League Managers. This sale has been implemented by co-owner and future Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter.

He has taken away a big heart of the organization, trading away former All-Star second basemen Dee Gordon to the Seattle Mariners for minor league prospects Robert Dugger, Nick Neidert, and Christopher Torres.

This is the start of a massive overhaul that will reshape the Miami Marlins future moving forward.

The Marlins are looking to undergo a process that will make them competitive in the next two to three years, dependent on how their prospects develop. Gordon was staple of this organization that will not be forgotten, and will be an unbelievable asset for the Mariners.

Now it is time to analyze the new talent received from this trade and how bright their futures look to be with the Marlins:

New Prospects

Christopher Torres

One of the promising prospects picked up in the Dee Gordon trade was shortstop Christopher Torres. From the Dominican Republic, 19-year old Torres has a lot of room to impress scouts with his hitting fundamentals.

Ranked No.18 on MLB.com’s Top 30 International Prospects list, the switch-hitting shortstop is looking to make strides towards the major leagues. In three years, he hit a lowly .238 batting average, but has proven himself defensively with an A+ arm.

He has shown the aptitude to drive the ball to the opposite field and have plate discipline. His above-average speed gives him the potential to become a base stealer.

Robert Dugger

Drafted in the 18th round by the Mariners in 2016, right-handed pitcher Robert Dugger looks to crack the Marlins rotation. He has been moved around quite a lot in the minors, playing for five teams in two years. His overall stats are respectable though, producing a win-loss record of 8-7 with a 3.22 ERA.

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Additionally, batters are hitting an unappealing .235 average, which is due to his broad arsenal of pitches. His arsenal features a slider, curveball, and change-up to go with a 90-94 MPH fastball. His secondary pitches mix in well perfectly, and his poise on the mound allows him to throw these pitches with confidence.

The Mariners projected him as a number four starter, a position that is a huge question mark for the Marlins. Dugger can be the guy to answer the dreadful woes of the Marlins rotation.

Nick Neidert

The most experienced of the bunch, second-round draft pick and right-hander Nick Neidert has shown plenty of pitching success. In the minors he has produced an 11-6 record alongside a 2.87 ERA.  In each of his three years, this young and poised pitcher has continued to display unbelievable command of his pitches and continues to improve his secondary stuff.

Over his three year minor league career, Neidert has demonstrated swift progress in his strikeout rate. Neidert’s rookie season, strikeout totals were 23 strikeouts in 35.1 innings. His second year he had  69 strikeouts in 91 innings pitched.

In 2017, it improved substantially, and he was able to further enhance his four-pitch repertoire, missing bats consistently. This can best be explained by his natural ability to hide the ball during his delivery and still getting the right timing on his pitches. He is also projected to be a fourth starter, which bodes well for a team that was 25th in team ERA.