Miami Marlins 2024: Catching Prospect Miguel Pena

Catcher Miguel Pena could be an addition to the 2024 Miami Marlins roster.

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 220 of 286.

Miguel Angel Pena is a 6′, 175 lb. catcher and first baseman from Cartagena, Columbia, population 971,592. The town has produced 12 major leaguers throughout history, including pitcher Julio Teheran. Fellow Marlins prospect Elkin Alcala is also from Cartagena.

Pena was born on this date 21 years ago, and signed with the Miami Marlins through international free agency on September 22nd, 2016. He first reported to the rookie-level DSL Marlins in the Dominican Summer League for the 2017 season, and ranked fifth on the club with 56 games played. He slashed .293/.350/.314, with only four extra-base hits (all doubles). His 36 RBI ranked second on the team. The DSL Marlins, who were historically bad the season prior, finished with a 40-29 record in 2017.

2018 would see Pena begin and end the season one level up from DSL, with the rookie-level, Florida-based GCL Marlins in the Gulf Coast League. In between, however, he would ply his trade with the DSL club.

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In Pena’s first game at the GCL level, on June 20th in a 9-6 loss to the GCL Cardinals, he batted eighth and hit a single and a double with a run scored. On June 23rd, back with the DSL Marlins, he  drew a walk and scored in a late inning pinch-hit appearance, as the Marlins topped the DSL Royals1, 11-6.

In 10 of Pena’s 41 combined appearances in 2018, he collected multiple hits. Defensively, he played 77 innings at first base for DSL, earning a .957 fielding percentage over 93 total chances. As a catcher, he fielded at .978 over 183 1/3 innings of work, with four errors in 184 chances. No great shakes on the base paths, Pena has been successful in stealing on four-of-14 attempts through his first two professional seasons.

Pena slashed .242/.313/.265 between the two levels in his second season, showing promise. He is by no means a lock to someday make it to the major leagues. Somewhere on the order of >10 percent get that far when starting in the DSL. Normal progression through the Miami Marlins system would see Pena join the Batavia Muckdogs this season, the Clinton LumberKings in 2020, the Jupiter Hammerheads in 2021, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in 2022, and the Wichita triple-A Marlins affiliate in 2023.

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