Miami Marlins Season in Review: Reliever Steven Farnworth

Right-handed reliever Steven Farnworth will ply his trade in 2019 in the Miami Marlins farm system, but at which level?

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 215 of 286.

Steven Robert Farnworth is a 6’2″, 180 lb. right-handed pitcher from Newhall, California. Two players have progressed to the majors from Newhall, population 34,669 (according to Newhall Demographics and Statistics). Farnworth would like to join current pitchers Tyler Glasnow and James Shields in baseball’s top level.

Farnworth was born on September 6th, 1993, and attended West Ranch HS in Valencia, CA. He then turned in two seasons of college play, with College of the Canyons JC and Cal Poly Pomona. He started 26 times, and posted a 13-4 record with a 3.26 ERA. In the 2014 MLB Amateur Entry Draft, the Miami Marlins chose him in the 23rd round.

Chosen 677th overall, Farnworth could eventually be the fifth player to make the majors after being selected at the spot. Mark Lemke (1983, Atlanta Braves, 6.1 career WAR) leads players chosen 677th.

After coming to terms with the Miami Marlins, Farnworth was assigned to the short-season-A Batavia Muckdogs in the New York-Penn League. He pitched in 18 games, starting four, and striking out 28 in 37 frames. His 1.35 WHIP was a little high, so the Marlins kept him at the level to begin 2015.

Farnworth posted a 0.75 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP in 2015 with the Muckdogs, with 30 whiffs in 36 innings over 22 games. He made the mid-season NYPL All-Star Team (see above). In 2016, he played most of the year with the Greensboro Grasshoppers, in the single-A South Atlantic League. He started in 16 of his 26 appearances, going 5-5 with a 3.39 ERA and 54 K’s in 95 2/3 innings.

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In 2017, Farnworth had a .333 opposing batting average through his first 19 2/3 innings of play, with a 4.58 ERA with the high-A Jupiter Hammerheads in the Florida State League. He was placed on the DL on May 5th, and didn’t again appear in the system through the rest of the season.

The 2018 season would see Farnworth begin his play with the GCL Marlins, and put up an 8.68 ERA over 9 1/3 innings. In the beginning of August, he pitched in two contests with the Hammerheads, allowing five runs in 2/3 of an inning over two games. Relegated to the Grasshoppers, he finished up the campaign with 10 whiffs in 9 1/3 innings.

Currently rostered in the Midwest League with the single-A Clinton LumberKings, Farnworth has to produce some good numbers to remain a long-range option for the Miami Marlins. If he does eventually reach the majors, it probably won’t be before 2022.

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