Miami Marlins History: All-Time Top 10 K/9

7) Josh Beckett (8.97)

Josh Beckett was a 6’5″, 230 lb. native of Spring, TX, and the Florida Marlins first round pick in 1999. Second overall off the board, he was a two-time first-team High School All-American.

Working his way up through the ranks, in 2001 he was a Baseball America first team minor league all-star and the Florida Marlins Minor League Player of the Year. He also made his major league debut that season, striking out 24 in as many innings while allowing just four earned runs.

In 2002, Beckett turned in a 6-7 season and a 4.10 ERA. He managed to strike out 113 in 107 2/3 innings, with a 1.272 WHIP and a 3.69 FIP that said maybe he really was that good. Beckett ranked second on the team with his strikeout total, despite ranking sixth in innings pitched. Opponents slashed .232/.307/.389 against him.

In 2003, Beckett went 9-8 with a 3.04 ERA and an even lower 2.94 FIP. He struck out over a batter per inning, whiffing a team-best 152 in 142 frames, and earned a 1.324 WHIP. It’s important to realize here that Beckett also ranked fifth in the rotation in innings pitched, by a wide margin. That makes his leading the team in strikeouts more impressive.

Beckett would go on to win the World Series MVP for his performance against the New York Yankees in the Fall Classic. In total through the postseason for the Marlins, he started five times and came off the bench once, going 2-2 with a 2.11 ERA, a 0.796 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings.

In 2004 and 2005, Beckett would start in 55 more games for the Florida Marlins. He won 24 and lost 17, striking out 318 in 335 1/3 innings. In total for the Marlins, he was 41-34 with a 3.46 ERA and 607 strikeouts. He went on to make three all-star teams over seven seasons with the Boston Red Sox, later playing three seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers.