Miami Marlins Prospect Watch: Spotlight on Isael Soto

Isael Soto’s grand slam home run was the difference in the Grasshoppers 7-2 win over the Kannapolis Intimidators. The Miami Marlins weren’t the only ones busy in the system on Sunday.

Slashing .228/.301/.415 in 83 games this year for Greensboro, Soto’s 10th homer this season ranks second on the team, behind Marcos Rivera‘s 12. Soto’s 58 RBI leads the club by a wide margin.

Soto, a 6’ 190 lb. right Fiedler from Bani, DR, is a lefty-batting product of the Gulf Coast League. The Miami Marlins signed him as an undrafted amateur free agent during the 2013 signing period for a $310,000 bonus. In 50 games for the GCL Marlins in 2014, Soto hit .251/.302/.426 with a GCL-second seven home runs and 23 RBI.

In 2015, Soto, who was still 18-years-old at the time and ranked as Miami’s number seven prospect by Baseball America, spent time with GCL, the Batavia Muckdogs and the Greensboro Grasshoppers. Limited by injury, he hit just .171/.231/.243 in 29 games across the three levels.

In 2016, Soto was ranked ninth by Baseball America and eighth by the MLB Pipeline. He played in 113 games for the Grasshoppers, and put up a .247/.320/.399 slashline, with nine round-trippers and 38 RBI. He also drew 43 walks and struck out 115 times. Soto missed the entire 2017 campaign due to a fractured foot suffered in Spring Training.

Soto has run into a snag in his progression through the ranks, now in his fifth season in the organization. He should be at double-A Jacksonville by now. Since he’s not, and the Miami Marlins still want to see what they have in him, expect him in Jupiter with the Hammerheads in 2019 and with the Jumbo Shrimp in 2020. Soto should open major league Spring Training with the Miami Marlins in 2021, assuming he resumes normal progression.

More of Miami’s Best in the Minor Leagues on Sunday

Daniel Castano (JUP)

Castano started Jupiter’s 10-inning loss to the Bradenton Marauders. He pitched seven shutout innings, earning a 63 GameScore and placing 68-of-99 pitches in the strikezone. Castano walked two, allowed five hits, and struck out three, facing 26 batters.

Davis Bradshaw (BAT)

The Muckdogs topped the Auburn Doubledays, 4-2. Bradshaw, who was recently promoted to the level, went five-for-five with a run and an RBI. Bradshaw is hitting .438 in his first four games with Batavia.

Nestor Bautista (GSO)

Bautista earned a four-inning save for the Grasshoppers, allowing one hit and striking out seven. The only hit was a solo homer to Tate Blackman, and Bautista also didn’t walk anyone.

Omar Lebron (GCL)

Batting third for the GCL Marlins, Lebron was one-for-five with a solo homer, a walk, and two runs. The homer was his sixth of the season.

Trevor Rogers (GSO)

Rogers started and earned a win for the Grasshoppers, if not a Quality Start. Over five innings he gave up one run on three hits and two walks, striking out two. He’s now 2-5 with a 5.06 ERA.

Sandy Alcantara (NO)

Alcantara earned no-decision and a 46 GameScore in the Nashville Sounds eventual 5-4 win over the Baby Cakes. Alcantara allowed four earned runs in seven innings, striking out four and allowing eight hits and zero walks.

Joe Dunand (JAX)

Dunand, batting fifth for the Jumbo Shrimp, hit a solo home run for his seventh of the season to put Jacksonville on the board in the seventh. Jacksonville eventually lost, 6-3 to the Birmingham Barons.

Stone Garrett (JUP)

Garrett went three-for-five with a double, a run, and an RBI for the Hammerheads, batting cleanup.

Christopher Torres (GSO)

Torres batted leadoff for the Hoppers and was one-for-three with a walk and two runs. He also stole second base, his second swipe of the season.

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