The Continuing Adventures of Scott Van Slyke: A Miami Marlins Story

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

Scott T. Van Slyke is a 6’4″, 215 lb. outfielder from Chesterfield, Missouri, and baseball royalty. After father Andy collected 41.3 WAR over a 13-season major league career, big things were expected of the younger Van Slyke.

Born on July 24th, 1986, Van Slyke was eventually drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 14th round of the 2005 MLB Amateur Draft. Chosen 436th overall, Van Slyke is one of eight chosen at the position to make the majors. His 4.2 career WAR is tied for first in the “436 club,” with Bubba Trammell (1992, Baltimore Orioles). Walker Buehler (2012, Pittsburgh Pirates, 3.3 WAR) is next.

Van Slyke worked his way up through the minors in the Dodgers’ system, with stops for the GCL Dodgers, the Ogden Raptors, the Great Lakes Loons, the Inland Empire 66ers, the Albuquerque Isotopes, and the Chattanooga Lookouts over the next eight seasons. He finally made his major league debut for L.A. in 2012, going nine-for-54 from the plate. Follow him on Twitter @ScottVanSlick.

From 2012 through 2017, Van Slyke spent a plurality of his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers, with a roughly equal amount of time spent in their minor leagues. In 355 overall games, he slashed out a .242/.326/.417 line with 29 home runs and 95 RBI. At the 2017 trading deadline, the Dodgers traded Van Slyke with Hendrik Clementina to the Cincinnati Reds for Tony Cingrani.

After joining the Cincinnati system, Van Slyke hit seven-for-48 with their triple-A International League affiliate, the Louisville Bats. After the season, he refused a minor league assignment, and declared free agency. The Miami Marlins signed him to a minor league deal on January 13th, 2018.

Van Slyke started out pretty well for the Marlins, hitting two home runs in his first Spring Training game. He ended up with a .277/.346/.553 line in 52 ST plate appearances, with 11 RBI and seven extra-base hits in 27 games. The Miami Marlins sent him down to the triple-A New Orleans Baby Cakes, in the Pacific Coast League to open the season.

More from Marlins News

• Miami Marlins news: Another target gone
• Why didn’t the Miami Marlins sign JDM?
• Miami Marlins rejected Boston‘s trade offer
• Miami Marlins are pursuing Michael Conforto
• Miami Marlins need to spend to win

For New Orleans, Van Slyke hit 34-for-137 in 45 games, with eight home runs and 28 RBI. He drew 21 walks and struck out 43 times in 161 plate appearances. In 27 defensive games at first base, he put up a .987 fielding percentage in 235 innings of work. He also handled 11 outfield chances without an error. On June 19th, Van Slyke batted fifth and hit a two-run homer in the second inning, an RBI-single in the fifth, drew a walk and scored in the eighth, and closed the day with a walkoff RBI-sacrifice fly in a 9-8 win against the Sacramento RiverCats. On June 26th, the Marlins waived Van Slyke.

Scott signed a deal to play with the Doosan Bears in the Korean Baseball Organization soon afterward, but hit .128/.209/.231 in 12 games before getting released from them as well. Currently a free agent, he could accept a non-roster Spring Training invitation from any club in the next two months or so.

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