Marlins top prospect Sixto Sanchez solid in debut

Sixto Sanchez, the Miami Marlins top minor league prospect, was solid in his debut with the organization at Class-A Advanced Jupiter on Friday night.

The Marlins top minor league prospect Sixto Sanchez gave the organization a glimpse of why the team can expect from the pitcher in the future on Friday night. Finally playing in his first game as a member of the Jupiter Hammerheads, Sanchez delivered as he worked through trouble early to have a solid debut and showed signs of being a true ace in years to come.

As Mike Rosenbaum of MLB.com wrote, “Making both his Marlins organizational debut as well his 2019 debut, Sanchez got off to a rocky start, allowing two runs on three hits in the first inning, but settled in to complete five innings on 67 pitches (44 strikeouts) while sitting in the mid- to upper-90s with his fastball.”

It’s a start to build on.

According to Kevin Kraczkowski of Marlin Maniac, the Charlotte Sports Park, the Stone Crabs (13-15) spoiled [Sixto] Sanchez‘ Miami Marlins debut, 5-0.

The Marlins have plenty of quality depth within the organization, but Sanchez may push this farm system into the top 10 next season. He was a “necessity” in the deal that sent J.T. Realmuto to the Philadelphia Phillies and adds another piece to the future puzzle of this organization. If Miami continues to push the “pitching first” approach to its rebuilding plan, Sanchez becomes the most important chess piece on the board team CEO Derek Jeter and Michael Hill, the president of baseball operations is tinkering with.

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“The 20-year-old righty logged 46 2/3 innings last season with Class A Advanced Clearwater before being shut down with right elbow inflammation in early June,” Rosenbaum added.

It was the reason the Marlins took their time in getting Sanchez on the bump. It’s another reason why the front office and coaching staff in Jupiter and potentially Jacksonville (the team’s Double-A affiliate) will use kid gloves in handling him this season.

There has been plenty of discussion over the last month when Sanchez would make his debut in the minors. The thought has been he would begin in Jacksonville with the Jumbo Shrimp. He was first slated to take the mound on April 26 but the date was moved back to May 2.

Those plans changed when he was given his first start at the lower level in the organization. He did have to wait one extra day as rain dampened his expected start on Thursday.