Starting in Left Field, Michael Donadio: Miami Marlins 2021

New York native Michael Donadio put up a .348 OBP last season with the Batavia Muckdogs.

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 239 of 286.

Michael Joseph Donadio is a 6′, 195 lb. left-fielder from Port Jefferson, New York, population 7,898. Despite its diminutive size, the town has produced three major leaguers through history, most recently Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Keith Osik.

Born on April 23rd, 1995 along with twin Mark, Donadio attended Mount Sinai HS in the town of the same name in New York state. In 2014, he joined St. John’s University, and played four seasons of Division I ball with the Red Storm. Through his career, he hit .323/.433/.463 over 211 contests, playing mostly in the outfield. In each of his four seasons with St. John’s, Donadio was named to the Big East Conference All-Conference Team. Follow him on Twitter @MichsDonadio.

After the 2017 season, Donadio was chosen in the 30th round of the MLB Amateur Entry Draft by the Miami Marlins. Chosen 899th overall, if Donadio makes the majors, he’ll be the third to advance that far from the “899 Club.” He would join Marcus Thames (1996, New York Yankees, 1.9 career WAR) and Jabari Blash (2007, Chicago White Sox, -1.0 WAR).

After coming to terms with the Miami Marlins, Donadio was assigned to the GCL Marlins, in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League. He played in 31 games in total, starting 15 in left and three times each in center and in right. Donadio was perfect in the field, taking 29 total chances without an error, with two assists. At the plate, he was 27-for-97 with six doubles, a triple, a homer, and 13 RBI, along with two stolen bases in three tries. He also drew 16 walks in 118 plate appearances for a .407 OBP. The club finished 32-23, good for second in the GCL East.

In 2018, Donadio started the season with a very brief high-A debut with the Jupiter Hammerheads in the Florida State League. On April 29th, he entered a game against the Bradenton Marauders in the bottom of the ninth as a pinch runner for Boo Vazquez, then scored the game-tying run in an eventual 2-1 victory.

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Donadio was reassigned to the short-season-A Batavia Muckdogs, in the New York-Penn League without another high-A appearance. He was 54-for-197 at the plate with 12 doubles, a triple, and five long-balls for 26 RBI. He stole eight bases in 10 attempts, and slashed .274/.348/.421 in 226 trips to the plate. Donadio started 20 times in left and nine times in right, racking up a .985 fielding percentage with one error in 243 innings. The Muckdogs finished at 36-40, third in the NYPL Pinckney Division.

Donadio totaled 13 multi-hit games, including four times in which he collected three. On July 15th, he hit a single, a double, and a solo home run in a 6-2 loss to the Lowell Spinners. For the week ending July 29th, he was the Marlin Maniac Player of the Week:

"Donadio raised his overall average from .271 to .305 by going 10-for-22 with two walks, three doubles, two homers, seven RBI, and a stolen base while left-fielding for the Muckdogs. – Marlin Maniac"

Here’s Donadio with the Muckdogs this season, courtesy of MILB.COM’s You Tube page.

Donadio’s never been highly regarded, but his solid performance in the outfield bears a longer look at higher levels. Look for him to make a splash this season with either the single-A Clinton LumberKings in the Midwest League or with the Hammerheads. Long range projection would see him competing for a spot on the Miami Marlins parent club in 2021.

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