Reliever Drew Steckenrider Ready to Step it Up for Marlins

Drew Steckenrider has offered a mixed bag for the Marlins through his first three major league seasons.

Drew Steckenrider was drafted out of the University of Tennessee by the Marlins in the eighth round of the 2012 MLB Amateur Entry Draft. The six-foot-five right-handed Atlanta, GA native joined the Jamestown Jammers in the Short-season-A New York-Penn League to close out the season. In 10 appearances, including eight starts, he struck out 38 in 36 1/3 innings, with a 3.72 ERA and a not-quite elite 1.459 WHIP.

Steckenrider missed most of the 2013 and 2014 seasons on the injured list, totaling five appearances between the Single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers in the South Atlantic League and the GCL Marlins in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. He split the 2015 campaign between the Grasshoppers and the High-A Jupiter Hammerheads in the Florida State League. He struck out 78 in 96 innings, with a 1.448 WHIP and a 3.00 ERA.

2016 would see Steckenrider graduate from just another prospect to maybe something special. Between the Hammerheads, the Double-A Jacksonville Suns in the Southern League, and the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs in the Pacific Coast League, he struck out 71 in 52 innings. He only gave up 25 hits and walked 19 for a 0.846 WHIP. Invited to the Arizona Fall League following the regular season, he continued to impress with 15 K’s in 13 innings, along with a 3.46 ERA.

In 2017, Steckenrider more-or-less split the season between New Orleans and the Marlins. At the major league level, he played in 37 contests for Miami, going 1-1 with a 2.34 ERA and one save. He struck out 54 in 34 2/3 innings, with a 1.385 WHIP and a very nice 171 ERA+.

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Steckenrider led the Marlins among qualified pitchers with an ERA+ of 99 in 2018. Yes, you read that right. Not a single Marlins pitcher was considered as good as even “league average” (an ERA+ of 100) in 2018. At the very least, he was the best of a substandard bunch. He struck out 74 in 64 2/3 innings, going 4-4 with a 3.90 ERA and a 1.268 WHIP.

In 2019, Steckenrider held opponents to a 0.977 WHIP in 14 1/3 innings. Unfortunately, of the nine hits he surrendered, six of them went over the fence. After his appearance on May 6th, he went on the injured list with right elbow inflammation, and would not appear with Miami for the rest of the season. After a scope performed by Dr. James Andrews in early-August, Steckenrider figures to be ready for action sometime in Spring Training.