Mr. Inside-Outside, the Derek Dietrich Miami Marlins 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 119 of 286. For the first 100, click here.

Derek Richard Dietrich is a 6′, 205 lb. utility player from Cleveland, Ohio. Born on July 18th, 1989, he was initially chosen in the third round of the 2007 MLB Amateur Draft out of St. Ignatius HS by the Houston Astros.

Instead of signing, Dietrich joined Georgia Technical College, where he played three seasons of Division I ball for the YellowJackets. In 182 contests, he slashed out a .331/.432/.586 line, with 41 home runs and 181 RBI.

The Tampa Bay Rays spent a second round pick on Dietrich in 2010, 79th overall, and this time it stuck. He signed for a $283,500 bonus, and started working through their system.

During the 2012 offseason, the Rays traded Dietrich to the Miami Marlins for Yunel Escobar.

Dietrich appeared in 459 contests for the Miami Marlins in the five seasons following the trade. He slashed out a .250/.337/.422 line, with 44 round-trippers and 159 RBI. He drew 115 walks and struck out 341 times, stealing three bases in six tries. He was also above league average in three of those seasons going by OPS+, turning in a five-year mark of 108. He was also a noted HBP specialist, getting to first base 72 times, including a league leading 24 in 2016.

In 2018, Dietrich was slotted as the Miami Marlins left fielder, despite his background as an infielder. He didn’t embarrass himself at any rate, totaling one error in 705 2/3 innings of work for a .993 fielding percentage, eight points above the National League average.

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Offensively in 2018, Dietrich set a lot of career-highs, including 149 games played, 551 plate appearances, 499 at bats, 72 runs, 132 hits, 26 doubles, 16 home runs, 210 total bases, and two stolen bases. He slashed .265/.330/.421, totaling a 112 OPS+ and 21 more HBP.

Dietrich had 33 multi-hit games through the season, including nine in which he collected three or more. On June 24th, in an 8-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies, Dietrich hit two singles, a double, and a home run with two RBI. On July 20th, he hit a single and two home runs for four RBI in a 6-5 win against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Earlier this week Dietrich was designated for assignment, leaving all-world catcher J.T. Realmuto as the Miami Marlins longest currently tenured player. As of this moment, he’s still technically part of the organization.

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