Miami Marlins Farm Report: Six Wins for Five Teams

The Miami Marlins dropped the rubber match of their three-game set with the New York Mets on Sunday.

While that was happening, their minor league system was in full swing, with six victories in seven contests. Before we get into that, let’s take a look at the Miami Marlins‘ transactional news.

Transactions

Yesterday, veteran corner Miami Marlins infielder Martin Prado was reassigned from the Jupiter Hammerheads to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp as he makes his way back from a right hamstring strain. First baseman Lazaro Alonso also made his move from the Sharks to the Shrimp. In a corresponding move, first baseman Harrison Dinicola was pushed from the Batavia Muckdogs up to Jupiter.

Batavia also released second baseman Gerardo Nunez. Nunez had slashed .208/.260/.243 in 88 minor league contests over the past four seasons. The DSL Marlins released right-handed pitcher Wandy Moya, who had accrued a 10.90 ERA in 11 contests between 2016 and this year.

Triple-A Pacific Coast League

New Orleans Baby Cakes 9, Nashville Sounds 3

Isan Diaz quickly staked a New Orleans’ lead in the first inning with an RBI-double, scoring Eddy Alvarez. After a Patrick Wisdom (14) homer in the fourth, Wilkin Castillo took the lead back for good with a fifth-inning RBI-double to score Peter O’Brien. Alvarez followed with a two-run single, and Austin Dean drove Alvarez home before the end of that inning.

With 7,748 in the house at First Tennessee Park, O’Brien added his 10th homer of the season in the sixth, followed by RBI-singles from Gabriel Guerrero and Alvarez. Diaz got in on the act with his 21st jack in the ninth inning. Diaz finished a triple shy of the cycle, while Alvarez, Dean, O’Brien, Castillo, and Guerrero all had multiple-hit games.

Joe Gunkel (2-1, 3.50) started and tossed a Quality Start, getting 59-of-88 pitches over the plate and allowing just one run while striking out four. Jordan Milbrath whiffed three in two innings, and Jeff Kinney closed it out in a non-save situation.

Double-A Southern League

Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 2, Mississippi Braves 1

In the first game of a scheduled twin bill, the Shrimp topped the M-Braves, 2-1 in eight innings with 3,905 at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

Jacksonville only managed three-hits in the affair, and scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth when Joe Dunand was HBP with the bases loaded, driving in Rodrigo Vigil. Bryson Brigman hit a double, while J.C. Millan had an RBI-single. Corey Bird added a pinch-hit single.

Edward Cabrera had himself a Quality Start, striking out six and allowing as many hits over six frames. He gave up a Ryan Casteel (16) home run, and managed his baserunners outside of that. Brett Graves (2-4, 2.36) struck out four over two hitless innings for the win.

Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 4, Mississippi Braves 3

In the closer, Kolton Mahoney was pulled just one out shy of a Quality Start, and put 57-of-86 over the plate. He allowed one run and struck out five in 5 2/3 innings. Tommy Eveld (2-3, 4.35) earned the win despite allowing two runs in his inning of work.

Bird drove the first run of the game home in the second inning, with a double to drive in Alonso. After the Braves scored once in the fifth, Dunand drove Brigman home with a single in the sixth to retake the lead.

After Eveld scored two in the top of the seventh to take a final-inning lead, Millan singled Bird home, and Brigman smacked another walkoff to score Vigil.

High-A Florida State League

Jupiter Hammerheads 11, Palm Beach Cardinals 6

The Sharks amassed 15 hits to defeat the hosting Cardinals, 11-6 with 328 in the house at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Birthday boy Will Stewart (3-8, 5.91) earned the win despite surrendering six runs over six innings. He struck out eight Cards. Taylor Braley pitched a scoreless seventh, followed by perfect innings from rehabbing Tayron Guerrero and Cason Sherrod.

Tristan Pompey led the Hammerheads with two doubles, a single, a stolen base, two runs scored, and four RBI. Midwest League All Star Jerar Encarnacion also collected three hits with an RBI. Victor Victor Mesa, Nick Fortes, and Gunner Schubert all also had multi-hit games.

Middle-A Midwest League

Clinton LumberKings 8, Fort Wayne Tin Cups 2

There were 1,914 at NelsonCorp Field to watch their home LumberKings take it to the Tin Cups. At 17-7 since the break, the Clinton bunch is making a push to top a tough ML Western Division (there are already five teams in that division that are three games or better over the .500 mark).

Connor Scott started Clinton out right in the first inning, with an RBI-double to put the Kings on the board. Evan Edwards drove him home with a single, and scored in turn on a Thomas Jones double. It was all the offense the Clinton club would need. J.D. Osborne added an RBI-sac fly in the third, and an RBI-single in the fifth. Edwards pitched in again with an RBI-triple in the seventh, followed by a Jones RBI-single. Peyton Burdick completed the LumberKings scoring with an RBI-sacrifice fly in the eighth.

Remey Reed tossed a Quality Start by surrendering only one earned run (two in total) over six innings. He didn’t walk anyone and struck out three, getting 55-of-83 between the wickets for Fort Wayne hitters. Tyler Kopek authored a successful hold, striking out two in as many scoreless innings of relief.

Low-A New York-Penn League

Batavia Muckdogs 3, Vermont Lake Monsters 1

The Muckdogs topped the hosting Lake Monsters (and 1,833 of their fans) at Centennial Field on Saturday afternoon despite collecting only three hits. The Muckdogs made liberal use of the eight free passes given out by Vermont, also stealing four bases in the process.

J.D. Orr stole two of those, after drawing a pair of walks, and Sean Reynolds, despite not getting a hit, walked three times, stole a base and scored a run.

Julio Frias (2-1, 2.40) got the win by giving up only two hits and striking out five in six innings. He put 53-of-87 in the zone, and counted on the bullpen to finish up. Josh Simpson followed with two perfect innings, followed by Evan Brabrand‘s sixth save of the season.

More from Marlins Prospects

• Miami Marlins: Checking in on prospects from the 2022 Arizona Fall League
• Miami Marlins: How top 2022 MLB Draft picks performed this season
• What’s wrong with Kahlil Watson?
• Miami Marlins: Farm System rankings part 2
• Miami Marlins: Farm System rankings part 1

Rookie-Level Gulf Coast League

GCL Marlins 3, GCL Astros 4

Miami Marlins recent fifth-round pick Evan Fitterer started and struck out three over 1 2/3 innings, but was lifted after allowing four baserunners and throwing a wild pitch to boot. Andrew Nardi whiffed three of the five batters he faced, and Leudy Martinez struck out four over four one-hit innings. Jesus Sanchez (0-2, 7.71) took the loss.

Offensively, Julian Infante led the baby Fish with a pair of hits, including a triple and an RBI. Victor Mesa Jr. collected a pair of RBI despite not getting a hit. Mesa also threw out a runner trying to reach home on a prospective game-winner in the bottom of the ninth. His joy, however, was tempered by the Astros scoring in the 10th on a wild pitch with a walkoff.

Still, six wins versus one loss – I’ll take that any day.

Thanks for reading. Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our daily newsletter to keep up with the Miami Marlins.