Miami Marlins Spring Training: Around-the-Diamond Preview

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MIAMI, FL – JULY 10: Garrett Cooper #30 of the Miami Marlins hits an RBI single in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Marlins Park on July 10, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

Tomorrow, the Miami Marlins get the first non-scrimmage game action of Spring Training, 2019.

The Miami Marlins will be facing off against a team with a lot of unanswered questions of their own in the St. Louis Cardinals. The Marlins have 66 players in camp, 26 of them on non-roster invitations. Some of those players could surprise and break through, but which ones? We seek to give you some insight into that in this article.

On Monday, we checked out the starting rotation, followed in turn by the outfield, the bullpen, and the catching corps. Today, a deep look at the Miami Marlins infield. Who’s locked in – who’s in the mix – and who’s probably a long-shot?

As to who makes it, a whole lot has to do with what happens in camp over the next five-or-so weeks. There are a few who can bank on making the parent club, and we’ll take a look at them first.

MIAMI, FL – SEPTEMBER 21: Brian Anderson #15 of the Miami Marlins doubles in the 10th inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Marlins Park on September 21, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images) /

We already counted Brian Anderson as an outfielder, for a few compelling reasons. For our purposes, we’ll exclude him from today’s conversation, although it is likely he starts at the hot corner regardless.

Starlin Castro

Now entering his 10th major league season, it may surprise some to realize that Starlin Castro is still just 28-years-old. He turns 29 before the start of the 2019 regular season.

Castro has bashed 111 major league home runs through his career, over 1308 contests. A noted workhorse, he’s appeared in fewer than 134 games only once since his rookie season, averaging 145 per season overall. His .281/.321/.411 slashline was, for the most part, what he produced in his first Miami Marlins season last year, at .278/.329/.400. That is to say, we got exactly what was advertised when he joined the team.

The only onerous part of Castro’s association with the Marlins has been his pricetage. As fellow Marlin Maniac David Levin noted yesterday:

Castro’s contract is a reason for concern for the front office as he is one of the highest players on the team. The 28-year-old is set to make $11 million this season and then $16 million in 2020 before he can test free agency. Given the Marlins desire to keep its payroll small and the hope the team can become an active player in the free agent market in 2020 or 2021, they cannot afford to keep him on the roster past this season.

Castro is not likely to be challenged for a starting spot in the lineup this Spring Training.

Martin Prado

Along with Curtis Granderson (37) and Sergio Romo (35), Martin Prado (35) represents the older generation of players on the Miami Marlins roster.

Injuries have taken their toll on the third baseman over the past two seasons, after he appeared in 153 games in 2016. Still roughly an average fielder at third base, Prado will be asked to also play at first base this season.

Prado has been limited to just 91 contests over the last two seasons, and has slashed well below his career line, with marks of .246/.284/.326. Regardless of this fact, Prado is guaranteed a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Prado is well respected throughout baseball circles, and is expected to join the coaching ranks when his time as a baseball player comes to an end. In the meantime, having him in the lineup is like having a coach on the field and in the clubhouse.

WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 24: Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals slides into second base for a double in the first inning ahead of the throw to Miguel Rojas #19 of the Miami Marlins at Nationals Park on September 24, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) /

Miguel Rojas

Miguel Rojas has the most versatile glove in the Miami Marlins infield, and maybe in all of baseball. The only one of the four infield positions that he can be considered somewhat “below average” is at first base, and not by very much there. Of course, he’s best at shortstop, and pretty good also at third base.

Rojas isn’t any slouch at the plate, either. 2018 would see him nearly quadruple his career-home run totals (four prior to the season, 11 during the season for 15 overall). His 53 RBI was almost as much as his prior collected RBI total through his first four seasons of play. Despite that, his slashline remained nearly unchanged from his career marks of .255/.307/.337.

Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly has stated that he isn’t looking to platoon Rojas at shortstop with JT Riddle, and instead is banking on one of them earning the position in Spring Training.

Neil Walker

Neil Walker joins the Miami Marlins for the 2018 campaign with a major league contract, and will stick regardless of his Spring Training performance. That being said, look for him to take the next five weeks seriously in the lead-up to the regular season.

As I said about Walker previously,

Walker, a switch-hitter, affords the Marlins added modularity in the lineup and in the infield. A natural second baseman, Walker also saw time last season at third base, right field, and left field for New York.

JT Riddle

JT Riddle had a rough go of it in the leadup to the 2018 campaign, missing almost two months to begin the season with right-shoulder tendinitis.

Riddle will be in direct competition with Rojas for the starting job at shortstop, but both could be in the lineup at the same time in some spots.

Both Riddle and Rojas also have minor league stars moving up the team’s system, hoping to make an impact with the parent club sooner rather than later. – David Levin, MM

Isan Diaz

Isan Diaz comes into camp as the heir apparent to the second base position, but only after Starlin Castro is inevitably traded away.

Diaz is probably the strongest power hitter the Miami Marlins have ever seen, pound-for-pound. Despite a 5’10”, 185 lb. frame, the middle infielder has hit 51 homers over his three full-season minor league years.

Diaz is likely to start the campaign with the triple-A New Orleans Baby Cakes, in the Pacific Coast League. Look for him with the Miami Marlins in late-June or early-July, in order to save a year’s eligibility.

Peter O’Brien

Peter O’Brien has always had a lot of power. Last season, he collected 34 homers across four different teams at three levels, including four in the majors for the Miami Marlins.

Considered a nominal front-runner for the first base job to open the season, O’Brien has a lot of competition coming in the next five weeks. Garrett Cooper, Martin Prado, Pedro Alvarez, Neil Walker, and Miguel Rojas all figure to get reps at first base.

Garrett Cooper

Garrett Cooper had a problematic 2018 after joining the Miami Marlins system. He began the season as the Opening Day right fielder, only to go on the disabled list for two months following the season-opening split with the Chicago Cubs.

After returning to the active roster just after Independence Day, Cooper played in another 10 games, then was again sidelined, this time for the duration of the campaign. Both times, the culprit was Cooper’s right wrist, first with a contusion, then with a sprain.

Cooper is looking to rebound with a strong showing in Spring Training after going just seven-for-33 last year.

Pedro Alvarez

It really wasn’t all that long ago that Pedro Alvarez led the National League with 36 home runs, for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013. The power hitter has struggled since joining the American League for the Baltimore Orioles in 2016, and last season hit just .180 in 45 major league games for the MLB’s worst club. Despite his contact issues, he still managed to club eight round-trippers in 127 plate appearances.

Dixon Machado

Dixon Machado is a four-year major league veteran, and has spent the first nine seasons of his professional career as part of the Detroit Tigers system. He signed with the Miami Marlins through free agency on December 3rd last year.

A versatile middle-infielder, Machado is equally adept at both shortstop and second base, fielding .980 and .982 respectively. That modularity may prove to be a deciding factor late in the spring, but that’s why they play these games.

Jon Berti

Jon Berti has gone four-for-15 in his major league career, but there’s more to it than that. As I outlined earlier this week,

Berti is no slouch at the plate either. Last season between three different minor league affiliates he racked up a .296/.384/.446 slash line, with eight homers and 29 stolen bases in 101 contests. Defensively, Berti has a .974 fielding percentage at second base, his most prolific position.

Deven Marrero

Deven Marrero played 49 major league games last season for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and for the three seasons before that was with the Boston Red Sox. In 158 career games he has slashed .197/.250/.283, with five homers and 37 RBI.

Like a lot of guys on the Miami Marlins roster, Marrero’s stock in trade is his defensive pliability in the infield. He spent time at all four positions last season, mostly at third base, where he boasts a .974 career fielding percentage.

Yadiel Rivera

Yadiel Rivera spent his rookie status way back in 2016, but didn’t really have a lot of playing time until last season with the Miami Marlins. In 111 games, he hit .173 while fielding at a better-than-average clip at shortstop, third base, and second base. The field is wide open, and any of these guys can make it. Is there room on the bench for a late-inning defensive specialist?

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