Miami Marlins Minor League Spotlight: Friday's 20 Best Prospects

The Miami Marlins started off the second half of their season with a victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. Their seven minor league affiliates were also in play.

Although as an organization, the minors went 1-6 on Friday, there were bright spots.

20. James Nelson (Jupiter Hammerheads)

Nelson started out his day with a two-out first-inning walk for the Jupiter Hammerheads. Although the team eventually dropped a 6-2 decision to the Charlotte Stone Crabs, some players had their moments. Nelson had an RBI-groundout in the third and an RBI-single in the fifth, accounting for all the Hammerheads RBI in the game.

19. Alex Vesia (Batavia Muckdogs)

Vesia, who is a recent draftee and an even more recent promotee within the Miami Marlins system, pitched two innings of relief in Batavia’s 5-4 loss to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. He struck out three batters and gave up just a single. In 10 1/3 career professional innings, he has yet to allow a run.

18. Christhian Adames (New Orleans Baby Cakes)

Adames batted fifth for the Baby Cakes in their visit to play the Iowa Cubs. He reached on an error in the third inning and later scored to give the Cakes a 4-1 lead. He later singled and scored in the seventh and hit a leadoff double in the ninth before the Cubs shut New Orleans down by a 10-8 final.

17. Ynmanol Marinez (DSL Marlins)

Below the major league level, the DSL Marlins were the only club to earn a win on Friday for Miami. Marinez, who was recently ranked as the #14 International Prospect, was one-for-three with a walk, a stolen base, and an RBI.

16. Isaac Galloway (NOLA)

Galloway batted fourth for New Orleans in their 10-8 loss to Iowa, and reached in the first inning on an error. He then stole second but got stranded. In the third, he hit an RBI-single to break a 1-1 tie, then scored on a wild pitch.

15. Ethan Clark (JUP)

Ethan Clark started and took the loss for Jupiter, and also didn’t quite earn a quality start. In five innings of work, he allowed three runs on seven hits and a pair of walks, striking out four. He earned a 41 GameScore and got 57-of-92 pitches in the zone.

14. Jarlin Garcia (NOLA)

Garcia started for the Baby Cakes on Friday, and lasted five innings. He allowed two runs on seven hits and zero walks, striking out three. Although he earned no decision and failed to complete a quality start, he did post a respectable 53 GameScore and got 61-of-90 pitches in the strike zone.

13. Osiris Johnson (GCL Marlins)

Miami’s second round pick last month, 17-year-old Johnson increased his average to .296 with a three-for-five game. In a 12-4 loss to the GCL Cardinals, Johnson also collected an RBI, but all three hits were singles. He did steal his fifth base of the season.

12. Ronal Reynoso (GCL)

The GCL Marlins got a three-for-four day out of their number nine hitter on Friday. Reynoso hit a single and two doubles, scoring and collecting an RBI.

11. Brandon Miller (Greensboro Grasshoppers)

Brandon Miller did not start for the Grasshoppers. He relieved Colton Hock in the fifth inning. Miller whiffed four over two near-perfect 2 1/3 frames, allowing a pair of singles and keeping the Delmarva Shorebirds off the board. The Hoppers eventually lost, 3-2.

10. Alvaro Montero (DSL)

Montero batted leadoff for DSL, and went two-for-three with a walk, two runs, and a stolen base.

9. Christopher Torres (BAT)

Torres batted second for the Muckdogs, and collected a single, a triple, a walk, an RBI, and a run scored.

8. Isan Diaz (NOLA)

Isan Diaz batted second for the Baby Cakes in Iowa. He hit a one-out triple in the first inning, later scoring the game’s first run on a Tomas Telis single. In the third, he added a one-out double and scored again for the Cakes. Later on, he drew a walk in the sixth inning.

7. JB Shuck (NOLA)

JB Shuck finished his day in Iowa with four hits, a trick he turned twice while playing with the Miami Marlins. He led off the second with a single, hit a two-out RBI-double in the third, and added a one out double in the seventh. He scored two batters later on Peter Mooney’s grand slam, but more on that later. Shuck added another single in the ninth.

6. Jerar Encarnacion (BAT)

Jerar Encarnacion, who last season went by “Yeral,” was one-for-three on the day. That one was his first home run since joining the Muckdogs, a solo shot in the first inning. to give the Dogs an early lead.

5. Connor Scott (GCL)

Miami’s first overall choice from the 2018 draft, Scott batted second and hit a single and a triple, drawing a walk, scoring a run, stealing a base, and collecting one RBI (not in that order).

4. Dalvy Rosario (DSL)

Rosario, who frequently darkens our doorstep for top performing minor leaguers, was two-for-four with a run scored, a triple, two RBI, and a stolen base for DSL. The baby Marlins earned a 4-0 win over the DSL Red Sox1.

3. Peter Mooney (NOLA)

Mooney‘s day really was largely forgettable for the New Orleans Baby Cakes. That is, until he turned a 5-4 deficit into an 8-5 advantage with his second tater of the year, a grand slam in the seventh. Unfortunately, the Cubs scored five in the eighth to take the game.

2. Luis Palacios (DSL)

More from Marlins Prospects

Despite ranking second on this list to Robert Dugger (below), Palacios had arguably the best game of any Miami pitcher on Friday. He earned a win to push his record to 3-0, allowing no runs on one hit and one walk over five innings. He struck out four and earned a 70 GameScore. Palacios has a 1.22 ERA for the season, and has allowed only eight hits over his last 23 1/3 innings.

1. Robert Dugger (Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp)

If you’ve been reading carefully, you’ll have already noticed the dearth of any member of the Shrimp. Dugger represents the only Crustacean and the player with the highest daily FanDuel score in the entire system.

Dugger earned the loss despite a quality start. He racked up seven strikeouts in six innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits and a pair of walks. He posted a 59 GameScore and got 62-of-97 pitches in the strike zone.

Next: Spotlight on Christopher Torres

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Friday’s 20 Best: Miami Marlins Minor League Wrap

By Kevin Kraczkowski | Jul 21, 2018