Miami Marlins Season in Review: Colby Lusignan

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 46 of 286. Stay tuned.

Colby R. Lusignan is a 6’4″, 230 lb. left-handed hitting first baseman from Sorrento, FL. Born on November 15th, 1992, he was the Miami Marlins 28th round selection in the 2016 draft, with the 833rd overalll choice out of Division II Lander University. In 114 collegiate games, between 41 games with Lander and 73 with Santa Fe Community College, he put up a .328/.425/.528 slashline. You can follow him on Twitter @ColbyLusignan.

Players selected with the 833rd overall selection have been successful at getting to the major league level three times out of 54. Bob Howry (1991, Houston Astros, 10.8 career WAR), Nelson Figueroa (1995, New York Mets, 2.6 WAR), and John Cummings (1988, New York Yankees, -0.9 WAR).

After signing with the Miami Marlins on June 21st, Lusignan reported to the short-season-A Batavia Muckdogs, in the New York-Penn League. Over his first nine games, he went three-for-33 with six RBI and 19 strikeouts. With work still clearly needed, the Marlins sent him down to the rookie-level GCL Marlins in the Gulf Coast League. He hit markedly better at the lower level, slashing .319/.422/.469 in 31 games, with two homers and 17 RBI. In 275 innings of defensive work at first base, he made a pair of errors for a .994 fielding percentage.

Lusignan was reassigned to the single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers to begin the 2017 campaign, and over his 60 contests with the South Atlantic League club slashed out a .243/.315/.414 line, with nine home runs and 49 RBI. He also struck out 117 times, which ranked second on the team despite his limited 337 plate appearance engagement. On April 29th, Lusignan batted fourth and went five-for-five with two doubles, three RBI, and a run scored in a 7-4 win against the Greenville Drive. On June 11th, he was named the SAL Player of the Week after going eight-for-24 with three doubles, two homers, and five RBI. On July 15th, the Marlins front office sent Lusignan to the high-A Jupiter Hammerheads in the Florida State League.

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Lusignan appeared in 46 games for the Sharks, and was named the FSL Player of the Week in two consecutive weeks. From July 24th through August 6th, he hit 21-for-44 with six walks, five doubles, four homers, and 15 RBI in 12 games. He slashed .285/.348/.453 with six home runs and 25 RBI. He made 14 total errors in 904 innings of work at first, for a .986 fielding percentage.

In Spring Training, Lusignan joined the parent club and went 0-for-1 with a walk and an RBI, but started the campaign with the double-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in the Southern League. After 10 games, he had slashed a .200/.273/.267 line with seven RBI. On April 22nd, the Jumbo Shrimp released Lusignan.

Forgive a short editorial opinion here, but Lusignan was a league player of the week once in each of his last full three months in the system. Despite a slow start to the 2018 campaign, there was plenty of time for Lusignan to turn it around. This was a little harsh, and way too quick on the trigger.

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