Will Catcher J.T. Realmuto Stay with the Miami Marlins?

After the best season of his career, will Miami Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto remain in South Florida as the centerpiece of the franchise?

Now that the Miami Marlins have concluded a 63-98 season under the watchful eye of new team owner Derek Jeter, the organization now must answer its biggest question this offseason. Will catcher J.T. Realmuto be dealt or will he remain in Miami as the centerpiece of a young ballclub?

The talk before the start of the season and leading up to the MLB Trade Deadline was that Realmuto, 27, was the subject of trade talks which fizzled when the Washington Nationals were not able to come to an agreement with Miami.

There also has been some talk that the organization would like to sign Realmuto to a long-term deal which could mean he retires as a Marlins player and helps shape a roster of young, energetic pitchers.

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Now, the clock is ticking as there are four months until training camp and a world of time to get something done.

Realmuto was outspoken prior to the season when Miami was trading away core players for prospects.

Since then, it seems the first-time All-Star has bought into the blueprint and sipped the Koolaid the franchise has offered in its rebuild of a losing organization.

"“Marlins CEO Derek Jeter has said he wants Realmuto around long term, and it’s expected the team will present a contract extension to the catcher in the offseason,” writes Wells Dusenbury of sun-sentinel.com “Will the offer be high enough? If the Marlins don’t believe they can keep him, then they’ll likely entertain trade offers.”"

Realmuto is hitting his prime as a player both offensively and behind the dish. Not every team in the Majors has a backstop who can hit for power and tutor a young staff at the same time. Realmuto has been tasked with leading by example both on the field and in the dugout.

The Marlins traded Dee Gordon, Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna prior to the start of the 2018 season.

First baseman Justin Bour was traded after the MLB Trade Deadline. Realmuto was considered the final “core” player on the team’s roster. The desire by this organization to get younger and build a core nucleus of cornerstone players made the veterans expendable.

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For the season, Realmuto led the team with 21 home runs and 74 RBI while batting .277. He is one of the few power sources in the middle of Miami’s lineup.

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