Miami Marlins: Rebuilding as planned

While a 6-16 season is nothing to get excited about on the Major League level, the Miami Marlins are still developing prospects for the future of the organization.

It’s hard to look at a team that has only won six games this season and get excited about Major League Baseball or the prospects for the team’s future. The Miami Marlins are still in a rebuilding mentality that starts at the top on the MLB level and travels down the minor league pipeline as prospects grow and develop.

As Joe Frisaro stated in his most recent “In Box” feature, as long as the pitching prospects continue to flourish in each of the team’s minor league stops, then the rebuild the front office and Derek Jeter continues to preach is showing success. This is still at least two years away from improving to a point of mediocrity. But young arms and developing bats make the process a little easier to handle in the second season of this blue print.

"“As long as the pitching is holds up, the rebuild will be just fine,” he writes."

The talk recently has been about Monte Harrison and his rebirth at the plate and the steadying progress of second baseman Isan Diaz. There are others who have shown they are developing at the pace the team would like. When we look at this roster two years from now, the names on the jerseys could look a lot different.

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The Marlins set a goal of having solid pitching to develop as the focus of the franchise. It is doing that now at the top level, despite a woeful record. There are more arms on the way in the near future.

"“Class A Advanced Jupiter has five starters projected to be future big leaguers,” Frisaro points out. “At Triple-A New Orleans, you have, among others, Zac Gallen and Nick Neidert close to being ready. Double-A Jacksonville, on May 2, will get the services of Sanchez, the No. 26 prospect on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list.”"

The Jumbo Shrimp here in Jacksonville also boast Brian Miller, Joe Dunand and Jordan Yamamoto and Robert Dugger. The future looks brighter each day these players show progress. Given Miami’s problems with hitting and scoring runs, there could be help on the horizon by the end of the season.

"“Scoring runs, obviously, is an issue. [Lewis] Brinson’s struggles are a concern. Defensively, they haven’t been very good, either. But changes they’ve made in recent days to get more athletic have already improved the range in the outfield,” Frisaro added."

"“In terms of the bigger picture, to me, it’s important to focus on the pitching at all levels. This is the deepest, top-to-bottom, the Marlins have been since Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez, Scott Olsen and Dontrelle Willis were on the 2006 staff.”"