Miami Marlins Past 10 Drafts: Breaking Down #40

Over the past 10 years, in early June, the Miami Marlins have chosen 410 players in total.

Some signed, some did not. Some went on to become Most Valuable Players, but most are out of baseball altogether. Today, the Marlins #40 picks from the past 10 years.

2010

Dustin Emmons was thrice drafted. First in 2007 by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 44th round. The Marlins spent their 40th round choice on him three years later, but he still didn’t sign. The New York Mets spent their 38th round selection in 2011, and he finally signed.

But Emmons only played one season of rookie ball, with the Kingsport Mets in the Appalachian League, going 2-0 with a 3.78 ERA and 21 strikeouts over 33 frames.

2011

Trent Gilbert was Florida’s 40th round choice in 2011, but like, Emmons, did not end up signing. Three years later, the Oakland Athletics picked the second baseman in the 15th round.

Gilbert played in the Oakland system for four seasons, peaking in 2017 with the High-A Stockton Ports in the Calfornia League. In 323 minor league games he slashed .260/.309/.363, with 13 homers and 128 RBI.

2012

In 2012, the Marlins spent their final pick on shortstop Alex Polston, who elected instead to remain in college. In three seasons with Seminole State College, one year with Auburn, and another with Oklahoma Christian, he hit .315/.398/.489 with 24 home runs and 148 RBI, along with 55 stolen bases in 66 attempts.

Polston did turn professional in 2016, appearing in the American Association with the Joplin Blasters and later with the Cleburne Railroaders. He spent 2019 with the Schaumburg Boomers in the Frontier League. Over the four seasons, he’s hit just .203/.303/.262.

2013

Another thrice-drafted players, shortstop Tim Richards was first chosen in the final round of the 2013 draft by Miami. The Minnesota Twins took him in the 18th round in 2016, and later, the Washington Nationals selected him in the 24th round in 2017.

Richards never appeared in professional ball. In his four seasons of Division I play with Cal-State Fullerton, he hit .309/.389/.486 with 16 home runs and 95 RBI.

2014

Lefty center-fielder Hunter Aguirre was Miami’s final pick in 2014, out of high school, but never signed. He instead went on to appear at a trio of colleges, Cowley College in 2015, Butler Community College in 2016, and Oklahoma City University in 2017 and 2018. In 185 total games he slashed out a .352/.428/.522 line.

2015

Finally, success struck for the Marlins in 2015. Catcher Matthew Foley came off the boards for them with the 1,196th overall selection out of Rhode Island College.

Although regarded as a catcher, Foley also played first base in the Marlins system, even spending a few innings in left and right field eventually. In 13 games for the GCL Marlins, in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League after his selection, Foley hit three-for-23.

After starting 2016 going two-for-seven with the short-season-A Batavia Muckdogs in the New York-Penn League, Foley was relegated back to GCL, where he was seven-for-28 in 12 games. The Marlins soon after parted ways with him.

Foley later played with the GCL Braves and later the GCL Mets, joining the Brooklyn Cyclones for a part of 2018. Last year, he was 12-for-52 in 20 contests for the Ottawa Champions in the Can-Am League.

2016

Evan Douglas played second base for the 2015 Spokane Falls Community College Sasquatch, and hit .343/.443/.620 with eight homers and 46 RBI in 43 games as a 19-year-old. The Marlins took a flyer in the 40th round, 1,193rd off the board.

Douglas didn’t play organized ball as tracked by the Baseball Cube in 2016. In 2017, he played second for Lewis-Clark State College in the NAIA, hitting .261/.358/.457 in 26 games. He then played for the Tuscon Saguaros in 2019, hitting 15 homers with 49 RBI in 56 games, slashing .251/.342/.549.

2017

The Marlins picked third baseman Andrew Turner in the 40th round in 2017 out of Long Island University, but he turned them down. A year later, they chose him again, in the 39th round. He signed.

In four seasons of Division I ball, Turner hit .299/.405/.458 in 163 games, with 14 round-trippers and 77 RBI. In two professional seasons between the GCL Marlins and Batavia, Turner has slashed .229/.348/.298. Now 24-years-old, he’s still listed on the Muckdogs roster.

2018

Andrew Miller was first chosen by the New York Yankees in the 34th round back in 2015, but instead played two seasons with the Maryland Terrapins, where he went 2-2 with 26 K’s in 25 innings of work. In 2018, the Marlins chose him in the 40th round, where he signed for a $150,000 bonus.

Miller struck out three in two innings for the GCL Marlins in 2018, then started 15 times for Batavia in 2019. He went 3-5 with a 3.76 ERA and 49 whiffs in 67 innings, holding down a 1.51 WHIP. Like Turner, he’s also listed on the Muckdogs active roster.

The more famous Miller, also a one-time member of the Marlins system, caused a little confusion when this Miller was drafted. Thankfully, I think we’ve got that all sorted out.

2019

Kade Mechals is a five-foot-11 right-handed pitcher from McMinnville, OR. The Marlins chose him out of Western Oregon with their final pick in June, but he didn’t sign.

The 22-year-old Mechals has since improved his draft stock significantly with an 11-1 campaign for the Grand Canyon University Antelopes in Western Athletic Conference play. He struck out 100 in 91 2/3 innings this season, with a 2.16 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP.

So out of Miami’s last 10 40th round picks, Miller and Turner remain in the system. Check back here tomorrow when we check in with pick #39.

Drew Steckenrider's 2020 Possibilities. dark. Next

Home/Marlins Draft