Miami Marlins Season in Review: Joe Strzelecki

Throughout the 2018/2019 offseason, Marlin Maniac will devote one article each for every player who appeared in the Miami Marlins system for the 2018 season. Every. Single. Player. This is Part 42 of 286.

Joe Peter Strzelecki is a 6’4″, 220 lb. right-handed relief pitcher from Long Island, NY. Born on March 16th, 1996, the Miami Marlins chose him in the 34th round of the 2018 draft, with the 1,017th pick off the board out of Division II Nova Southeastern University.

Strzelecki attended high school at Santaluces in Lantana, FL, the same school as major leaguers Josh Bell, Tony Cruz, and Darin Downs. As you may expect, the 1,017th pick in the draft hasn’t had a great deal of success at the major league level. Only one-of-54 have made it that far, Brian Dallimore (1995, Florida Marlins, 0.1 career WAR).

After signing with the Miami Marlins for a $1,000 bonus on June 20th,    Strzelecki was assigned to the rookie-level GCL Marlins, in the Gulf Coast League on June 27th.

In four seasons of college ball, two with Polk State Junior College, then one each with Old Dominion and Nova, Strzelecki totaled an 8-7 record and a 4.05 ERA over 61 appearances. He started 20 games, and struck out 119 in 142 innings in total. He closed his collegiate career with a 1.38 WHIP.

Any player selectedd in the later rounds, as Strzelecki was, is a low-risk, high-reward gamble. The Miami Marlins are not expecting a top prospect out of Strzelecki, but would for sure like to be surprised.

More from Marlins Prospects

• Miami Marlins: Checking in on prospects from the 2022 Arizona Fall League
• Miami Marlins: How top 2022 MLB Draft picks performed this season
• What’s wrong with Kahlil Watson?
• Miami Marlins: Farm System rankings part 2
• Miami Marlins: Farm System rankings part 1

After joining the GCL Marlins, Strzelecki posted a 1-2 record and a 6.60 ERA over 15 innings. In 11 relief appearances, he struck out 12 and walked eight, allowing 15 hits for a 1.53 WHIP in his first taste of professional ball. Strzelecki’s best outing was inarguably on August 17th, when he pitched two perfect innings and struck out two in a combined one-hitter as the GCL Marlins defeated the GCL Nationals, 2-0. This iteration of the Marlins posted a 25-31 record, finishing in third place in the GCL East Division.

Strzelecki did enough to stick around for another season, if the Marlins will have him. Expect to see him with the Batavia Muckdogs in the short-season-A New York-Penn League when they take the field in mid-June. Provided he works his way through the minor league system at an average pace, he’ll get a chance to make the Miami Marlins out of Spring Training in 2023.

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