This Date in Marlins History: Appreciating Quilvio Veras

On this date 25 years ago, the Marlins traded with the New York Mets to acquire second baseman Quilvio Veras.

The Marlins gave up outfielder Carl Everett in the deal, who went on to play a dozen more major league seasons, even twice making the American League All-Star team.

Quilvio Veras made an immediate positive impact on the top of the Marlins order, doing enough to rank third in the National League Rookie of the Year Award vote. In 124 games, he hit .261/.384/.373 with a major league-leading and career-high 56 steals. He batted leadoff in all 111 of his starts through the season, leading the team with 86 runs, seven triples, and 80 walks versus only 68 strikeouts.

A 5-foot-9, 166 lb. switch-hitter, Veras was born on April 3rd, 1971 in Santo Domingo. He spent five seasons in the Mets system before making his major league debut with the Marlins in 1995, and eventually played seven major league seasons.

Veras’ contributions were far more understated in his second season with the Marlins. He played in 73 games and was caught stealing in eight of his 16 attempts. He still drew more walks than strikeouts, finishing with 51 and 42 respectively. After the 1996 season came to an end, the Marlins traded Veras to the San Diego Padres for RHP Dustin Hermanson.

Veras played three seasons with the Padres before ending his major league career with two years for the Atlanta Braves.

Other Marlins Transactions on this Date

1999 – David Ginsberg was named the Vice Chairman of the Board for the Marlins. He took the same position with the Boston Red Sox just three years later.

2000 – After spending his prior five seasons in the lower levels of the Marlins minor league affiliate feeder system, RHP Nelson Lara was finally assigned to triple-A. Despite that, he never appeared above the double-A level through his entire career, when he was 1-1 with an 8.22 ERA in 22 relief appearances for the Portland Sea Dogs earlier that year.

2011 – LHP Alberto Bastardo signed a free agent deal with the Marlins after six years in the Los Angeles Dodgers system. He never appeared in a live game as part of Florida’s organization.

2015 – Lefty batting outfielder Junior Sosa was assigned to the minors after signing a free agent deal with the Marlins 18 days prior. In 83 games the following year with the high-A Jupiter Hammerheads, he hit .259 with 24 RBI.

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Right-handed pitcher Joe Norris (49) was a 26th round choice of the Montreal Expos in 1989. In 1997, he appeared with the triple-A Charlotte Knights and the double-A Portland Sea Dogs, going 2-0 with a 9.64 ERA in 28 innings.

Right-Handed reliever Ronald Hill (37) joined the Marlins organization in 2009 after four seasons in the Philadelphia Phillies system. In 11 games for the double-A Jacksonville Suns, he struck out 10 and registered a 1.435 WHIP over 15 1/3 innings.

Infielder Vince Harrison (40) was a 30th round pick for the Marlins in 1998, but he didn’t sign. He did join the team in 2007 through free agency, and appeared in 62 games between the double-A Carolina Mudcats and the Hammerheads.

RHP Dallas Trahern (34) spent from 2008 through 2011 in the Marlins system, from high-A up through triple-A.

Right-handed reliever Even Estes was a 25th round pick for the Marlins in 2017. He eventually went 1-3 with a 5.48 ERA and 35 K’s in 44 1/3 innings in two seasons between the GCL Marlins and the Batavia Muckdogs.

Lefty-hitting catcher Cameron Barstad was the Marlins sixth round pick in 2018. He didn’t make his professional debut until the following season, and went six-for-36 in 15 games.