Miami Marlins: 3 Storylines to follow at Spring Training

Where to play Brian Anderson

I’ve talked about this a few times this off-season and I think it should be repeated again. The Marlins had done a good job of adding players to its roster to help build a winner. The front office and coaching staff cannot forget those core players who were on the roster last season that helped show progress in Year 2.

Jeter did a good job of finding help for Brian Anderson to build around. The third baseman/outfielder is stuck in no-man’s land right now. Where the team plans to play him remains a mystery, although we may have gotten a bit of an idea of what Mattingly is thinking with his lineup in 2020.

Jonathan Villar was acquired in a trade with Baltimore this off-season to provide depth at a variety of positions, including third-base. The veteran can also play at second base and shortstop. There’s also talk he may play in centerfield where he has limited experience.

Anderson is a natural third baseman and has shown a knack for playing in right field and has provided solid defense in both positions. Because of Miami’s middle infield, Mattingly may not make a decision on who is at third until opening day. But this team is better with the 26-year-old former third round pick from Arkansas in the lineup.

“Andy“ belted 20 home runs last year before he suffered a broken hand and ended his season one month before the end of 2019. It’s a good bet he would have approached a 25 round-trippers had he remained healthy. The Marlins should do their best to build around him as a centerpiece of this organization.

Expect him, if completely healthy, to get somewhere near the 30 homerun plateau this season.

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