Miami Marlins Futures: John Norwood's 2018 Season Review

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 105 of 286. For the first 100, click here.

John Lindsay Norwood is a 6’1″, 185 lb. right fielder from Peapack, New Jersey. Born on September 24th, 1992, he was chosen in the 12th round of the 2011 Amateur Entry Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, 379th overall out of Seton Hall Prep.

Norwood didn’t sign with Canada’s only MLB team, instead electing the collegiate route with Vanderbilt. In three seasons in the Commodore outfield, Norwood threw down a .284/.358/.391 slashline, with five home runs and 49 RBI.

One of those five home runs proved to be a game-winner, in game three of the College World Series final.

Omaha, NE – JUNE 23: Center fielder John Norwood #10 of the Vanderbilt Commodores flips his bat, as he walks and drives in another run against the Virginia Cavaliers in the third inning during game one of the College World Series Championship on June 23, 2014 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /

For some reason, Norwood didn’t get picked during the 2014 draft. On August 5th, he signed up when the Miami Marlins came calling, for a $275,000 bonus. You can follow Norwood on Twitter @Norwood_10.

In 20 games for the short-season-A Batavia Muckdogs that year in the New York-Penn League, Norwood went 20-for-78 with six RBI. He provided a much better sample-size in 2015 for the single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers in the South Atlantic League.

In 120 games for Greensboro, Norwood slashed .233/.304/.392 with 16 homers, 55 RBI, and a team-best 34 stolen bases in 48 tries. In 1004 innings of work in the outfield, mostly in right, Norwood made only one error and dished out 15 assists. He was named to the Miami Marlins MILB.COM organizational all-star team for his role through the season.

In 2016, Norwood graduated to the high-A Jupiter Hammerheads in the Florida State League. He played in 127 games, slashed .271/.347/.397, mashed nine homers with 50 RBI, and led the team with 49 walks, 68 runs, 24 doubles and 186 total bases. He earned a selection to the FSL midseason all-star team.

Norwood put it all together for the double-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in the Southern League in 2017. He led the team with 59 walks, 19 homers, 62 RBI, 217 total bases, and 135 games. A .285/.367/.459 slashline put him on the Miami Marlins prospect map, at number 28, and he was named to both the SL midseason all-star team and the postseason MILB.COM organizational all-star team.

This year, Norwood remained with the Shrimp for another campaign. He played 90 games in right field and seven in left, earning a .974 fielding percentage in 787 2/3 innings. Offensively, he took a step back, slashing .242/.313/.351 with seven round-trippers and 32 RBI in 123 games. He also stole 14 bases in 23 attempts. On July 11th, in an 8-1 victory against the Chattanooga Lookouts, Norwood went four-for-five with two homers and three RBI.

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I live in southern Alabama, and don’t get to see many games. Usually, between four and five times a year, I’ll go to see the Jumbo Shrimp when they visit the Montgomery Biscuits or the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Such was the case this season when I got to a Biscuits game this July. As the Shrimp players left the field, Max Duval stopped by to sign a baseball for my daughter. I called to a few of the others by name to tell them, “Good game!” I told John the same, and he turned around and gave me a game-used bat. All this time, I’d been trying to catch a ball! Of course the bat, like the Duval-signed ball, now belongs to my daughter.

Although Norwood languished for a season at double-A, he offers an interesting depth option in the outfield for the Miami Marlins. He’s not currently on the 40-man roster, and hasn’t been released. If Norwood is not protected he could wind up a rule 5 candidate for some team desperate for a serviceable bat and glove. You already know I’m a Norwood fan, and would hate to see him go, but that’s all in someone else’s hands.

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Miami Marlins Futures: John Norwood’s 2018 Review

By Kevin Kraczkowski | Nov 17, 2018

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 105 of 286. For the first 100, click here.

More from Marlins Prospects