Marlin Rising: Alberto Guerrero’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 127 of 286. For the first 100, click here.

Alberto Jesus Guerrero is a 6’3″, 192 lb. right-handed pitcher from Pacora, Panama. Born on December 13th, 1997, the Miami Marlins signed him through free agency in 2014 for a $300,000 bonus.

Guerrero started his professional career before his 18th birthday with the rookie-level DSL Marlins in the Dominican Summer League. In his debut on May 30th, 2015, he held the DSL Braves scoreless on five hits and two walks over four innings, striking out four in a 4-0, seven-inning rain-shortened contest. On June 13th, he struck out eight in five innings, then got promoted to the GCL Marlins, in the rookie-level Florida-based Gulf Coast League 10 days later.

After joining the GCL Marlins, Guerrero pitched in six more games, starting five times. On July 18th, he started and defeated the GCL Mets, 8-2 by holding them to one run on three hits over six innings. In total, he struck out 33 in 41 1/3 innings, registering a 1.234 WHIP and a 3.70 ERA.

2016 would begin and end for Guerrero on the GCL Marlins’ roster. He pitched in 11 games, starting four, and struck out 32 in 41 innings. Opponents collected 1.220 WHIP and a 2.63 ERA, while hitting .211/.298/.316 over 172 plate appearances. He was exceptional in July, allowing just 11 hits over 21 innings. In his best outing of the campaign, he started and earned a 3-0 victory against the GCL Astros on August 1st by striking out three and allowing just three hits over five scoreless innings.

In 2017, Guerrero started the campaign with the short-season-A Batavia Muckdogs, in the New York-Penn League. After giving up eight hits and four walks over five innings in his first three appearances, the Miami Marlins sent him back to the GCL club.

Back in the Gulf Coast League for a third season, Guerrero pitched to a 1.55 ERA over 40 2/3 innings. He struck out 29 and earned a 1.057 WHIP. On August 22nd, he struck out seven in six innings in a 4-2 win against the GCL Nationals. He allowed no earned runs on four hits and a walk. Promoted back to Batavia to end the season, he struck out five and gave up two hits over three innings over three games.

Guerrero pitched in 15 games for the Muckdogs in 2018, leading the team with 69 2/3 innings pitched and with 63 strikeouts. He was 3-6 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.191 WHIP. Guerrero held the opposition to a .233/.299/.363 line.

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On July 13th, Guerrero started and earned no decision in a 2-1 loss to the Connecticut Tigers, striking out five and allowing three hits over five scoreless innings. On August 26th, in a 3-2 win against the State College Spikes, Guerrero started and won by whiffing five over six shutout four-hit innings. The Muckdogs ended the season with a 36-40 record, in third place in the Pinckney Division, 6.5 games behind the division winning Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

After four seasons at the short-season levels, Guerrero is still on the Muckdogs roster, and yet ineligible for the rule 5 draft. His 2018 performance should be sufficient grounds for promotion to the single-A Clinton LumberKings in the Midwest League to start the 2019 season. His best case scenario would see him getting to the major leagues around 2022.

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