Marlins must make minor league progress in 2020

Can the Marlins find more success in their minor league system in 2020 and beyond?

I think when fans look back on the Miami Marlins 2019 season they will say there was a small amount of progress made compared to the 2018 campaign, but more could have been done to make it memorable.

It’s might not have been the step forward the front office or ownership group wanted to see, but  there is a lot to unpack looking back at how this team looked ahead of schedule in Spring Training to teasing Marlins Nation with young pitching that looked to be on the rise to the slow and steady burn of a lack of run support and the long ball all season long.

It’s a roller coaster the media rode as well, working through the ebb and flow of a long season with only 57 wins to show for the roster’s efforts. When you tease a record for futility the second half of the year, just getting out of your own way sometimes is a valiant thing.

The more the Marlins preach patience, the more the natives are getting restless in South Florida. No matter how you look at the landscape of the minor league system and the trades this team has completed the past two seasons, fans want more wins, better results and a turn for home with a promise of a contender by 2021.

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It’s a lot to swallow for Derek Jeter, Michael Hill, and Don Mattingly. It is also something that was addressed recently in a story on MLB.com.

“Without question, performance and progress will matter more in 2020, and patience is running thin for those who are not producing. Bottom line is the 2019 record was 57-105,” wrote Joe Frisaro.“With that said, most of the organizational gains in 2019 were seen at the Minor League levels. So there is promise. By all accounts this year’s MLB Draft was a success, and the Gulf Coast League Marlins won a championship, while Class A Short-Season Batavia and Class A Clinton each made the playoffs.”

There was plenty to enjoy at Double-A Jacksonville, where the Jumbo Shrimp were in playoff contention until the final week of Southern League play. Manager Kevin Randel worked with Jordan Yamamoto, Robert Dugger, Sixto Sanchez, Edward Cabrera, Braxton Garrett, Tommy Eveld and Trevor Rogers at one point or another this past year.

The pitching prospects are immense at this level. It could be even better next season.

While the depth in the minors is solid, where the organization is ranked in the top five, that production must equate to Major League success sooner rather than later. But it cannot be done by the Marlins system alone.

“To reach contention the next couple of seasons, I believe the club has to start targeting impactful free agents that fit with the big picture, which is to retain a strong Minor League system that allows for sustainable success,” Frisaro explained.“Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, player development has to do its part. There is talent in the system, and development will go a long way in making sure that talent is ready to perform once it reaches the big leagues.”

If the Marlins are able to hit on a few mid-level free agents and find a veteran balance for next season, there should be more progress. How much depends on who is brought in and what changes are made to the 25-man roster.