Miami Marlins Spring Training Battles 2020: Center Field

Harold Ramirez

Harold Ramirez came to the Marlins on a minor league deal in 2019, failed to make the MLB roster out of spring training, then received a call-up in May. Ramirez provided a jolt to the stagnant lineup and had a productive first few months in the big leagues.

Ramirez demonstrated his ability to play any of the three outfield positions before his 10th game with Miami. That begs the question, how does he fit in the new Marlins outfield?

The Marlins offense was notably better with Ramirez in the lineup, and the team won more often when he was on the field. Miami won 43 of the 100 games he started, whereas they won only 14 of the 62 games he didn’t start. Ramirez also had a flair for the dramatic, leading the team with three walk-off hits, including walk-off home runs on August 1 and August 29.

The fear with putting Ramirez as the everyday center fielder is his defense. To call Ramirez a defensive liability in center could be an understatement. By all the metrics, he was bad out there. But his bat, especially under the tutelage of new hitting instructor James Rowson, might need to be in the lineup. Ramirez will need to show he still belongs during spring, but he’s probably best suited for a utility and platoon role.