Fishing for Prospects: Miami Marlins Reliever Nathan Alexander

Nathan Alexander led the 2019 Clinton LumberKings with 34 pitching appearances.

Throughout the 2019-20 offseason, Marlin Maniac is recapping the season player-by-player. Every man who appeared at any level of the Miami Marlins system through the 2019 campaign will get reviewed here. Nathan Alexander is the 15th of 274. Here’s his 2018 review.

In 2015 and 2016, Alexander cut his teeth with the Blinn College Buccaneers, a junior college previously known to south Floridians as “The Birdman” Chris Anderson‘s alma mater. After going 3-1 with a 3.19 ERA in 2018 for the University of Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners, he joined the Marlins after signing for a $65,000 bonus.

Alexander is a 6’4″, 185 lb. right-handed reliever from Lake Jackson, Texas. Born on June 7th 1996, he signed with the Miami Marlins after getting drafted in the 24th round in 2018, with the 717th overall choice.

https://twitter.com/UTSABSB/status/995072048304025600

Alexander pitched only 18 innings at the rookie-level, with the GCL Marlins in the Gulf Coast League in 2018. He finished with a 2.45 ERA, with 22 whiffs in 18 innings of work.

Whatever the case, the Miami Marlins started the then-22-year-old righty in 2019 with the Clinton LumberKings in the Single-A Midwest League, skipping the short-season-A Batavia Muckdogs entirely.

Alexander struck out 43 batters at the higher level this year, walking 28 over 52 2/3 innings. His 1.54 K/BB rate was the lowest on the team, of players who pitched more than nine innings. He also finished with a 1.348 WHIP, which, not a lot to get excited about, is enough to continue giving this guy a look.

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

Although not a big strikeout pitcher, Alexander showed flashes of greatness. On August 21st, he pitched two hitless innings while striking out four and walking one batter in a 9-0 victory against the Cedar Rapids Kernels. A week later, he pitched two perfect innings and whiffed three in a 5-0 win over the Burlington Bees. His lone save of the season was on July 19th, when he closed out the Great Lakes Loons, 3-2 to preserve the win for starter George Soriano.

In the short term, look for Alexander to begin the 2019 season with the High-A Jupiter Hammerheads, in the Florida State League. If he continues to make strides, he could land in the majors possibly near the end of the 2021 season.

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