2018 Miami Marlins Season Review: Boo Vazquez

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

Nicholas Herminio Vazquez, better known as “Boo,” is a 6’4″, 220 lb. outfielder from Youngstown, Ohio. 19 major leaguers have come out of Youngstown, most famously Deacon McGuire, who enjoyed a 29-season major league career around the turn of last century.

Vazquez, born on April 4th, 1993, was chosen in the 38th round of the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft out of Cardinal Mooney HS, but instead chose college. He played a full four seasons with the University of Pittsburgh, slashing .299/.375/.433 in 191 games, with 14 homers and 118 RBI.

Vazquez was not drafted a second time, and after graduating with the Class of 2015 he signed a contract to play for the Lake Erie Crushers, in the independent Frontier League. He hit .287 in 41 games, with five homers and 27 RBI.

2016 would start with Vazquez still in independent ball, with the Joliet Slammers, also a FL team. After hitting .324 in 38 contests, with 11 round-trippers and 39 RBI, a major league team finally took notice. The Kansas City Royals signed him to a minor league deal, and sent him to the rookie-level Burlington Royals, in the Appalachian League.

In his first affiliated action, Vazquez slashed .255/.317/.422 in 44 games, hitting 11 doubles, five triples, and two home runs with 29 RBI. Not bad, but the Royals released him on December 21st.

After the turn of the new year, the Miami Marlins signed Vazquez to a minor league contract. He started the 2017 season with the single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers, in the South Atlantic League.

Through the first half of the season, Vazquez hit .281/.362/.446 in 67 contests for Greensboro. He scored 31 times and hit 16 doubles, three triples, and six home runs for 32 RBI. He also drew 27 walks and struck out 72 times, getting caught stealing five times without a successful steal. He displayed a lot of value in the field, taking 86 chances in 427 2/3 innings in the outfield and posting a .988 fielding percentage.

Vazquez’ hard work paid off with a mid-season promotion to the high-A Jupiter Hammerheads in the Florida State League. In 295 innings of work at the higher level, he made 62 putouts without an error, mostly playing left field. Offensively, Vazquez hit .270/.313/.382 in 41 games, with a homer and 18 RBI.

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

At the start of the 2018 campaign, Vazquez remained in Jupiter, and over 20 games went 15-for-67 with six doubles, two triples, and a home run, totaling six RBI. He scored eight times and drew nine walks while striking out 20 times. He continued his flawless work in the outfield, making 22 putouts in 113 1/3 innings.

Vazquez had three multi-hit games for the Hammerheads in 2018, including on May 3rd. In that game, he batted seventh and played designated hitter, hitting two doubles, a triple, scoring twice and knocking two runs in. The Miami Marlins released him seven days later.

Vazquez is currently a free agent, and is free to sign with any interested major league team.

Thanks for reading. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to our daily newsletter to keep up with the Miami Marlins.