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Miami Marlins Spring Training Preview: The Catchers

ByKevin Kraczkowski|
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 18: Jorge Alfaro #38 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a three run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on September 18, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Mets 5-2. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 18: Jorge Alfaro #38 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a three run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on September 18, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Mets 5-2. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
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Miami Marlins
JUPITER, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 20: Sharif Othman #82 of the Miami Marlins poses for a photo during photo days at Roger Dean Stadium on February 20, 2019 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Sharif Othman

Sharif Othman turns 30 just prior to 2019 Opening Day, and has played in the Miami Marlins system for seven of the past eight seasons (he played in the New York Yankees system in 2017).

Only last season did Othman graduate to the triple-A level, with the New Orleans Baby Cakes in the Pacific Coast League where he went five-for-27. He carries a career .202/.265/.302 slashline, and has thrown out 24.6 percent of runners trying to steal overall.

Miami Marlins
JUPITER, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 20: BJ Lopez #86 of the Miami Marlins poses for a photo during photo days at Roger Dean Stadium on February 20, 2019 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

B.J. Lopez

B.J. Lopez is a seven-year professional baseball veteran. After working in the Arizona Diamondbacks organization for the first six of those years, he caught on with the Miami Marlins in 2018.

Lopez played in 24 games for the short-season-A Greensboro Grasshoppers in the South Atlantic League and in 36 contests at high-A with the Jupiter Hammerheads in the Florida State League. Overall, he hit .185/.269/.206 between the two levels, while throwing out nearly half (34-of-71) trying to steal on him.

Miami Marlins
JUPITER, FL – FEBRUARY 22: Rodrigo Vigil #80 of the Miami Marlins poses for a portrait at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on February 22, 2018 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Rodrigo Vigil

Rodrigo Vigil is entering his 10th season in the Miami Marlins system. Last season, he spent the year with the double-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, in the Southern League, and slashed .245/.289/.343 with five homers and 22 RBI. This is significant only because he collected a grand total of three in his previous eight seasons of ball, over 1256 plate appearances.

Defensively, Vigil has gunned down 39.6 percent of runners trying to steal over his career. It’s not an aberration with numbers padded at lower levels either. Last season with the Shrimp he took out 37.9 percent.

Miami Marlins
JUPITER, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 20: Santiago Chavez #91 of the Miami Marlins poses for a photo during photo days at Roger Dean Stadium on February 20, 2019 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

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Santiago Chavez

Santiago Chavez has been a minor league farmhand for the Oakland Athletics system for the last seven seasons. The Miami Marlins signed him to a minor league deal on November 5th.

Chavez has a career .198/.249/.251 slashline, but in keeping with the trend of great defensive catchers in the system, has cut down 46.4 percent of runners trying to steal through his career.

Verdict

After Alfaro, competition remains stiff for the backup spot. Excepting Alfaro and Othman, the other five catchers are at better than 37 percent at nailing runners, a key component of success as a major league backstop. However, only Vigil projects to a batting average approaching .250.

Thanks for reading. Check back tomorrow for a look inside the Miami Marlins infield.

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