Miami Marlins Prospects: Edward Cabrera is Suddenly on Everyone’s Radar

Edward Cabrera is on the verge of a major league career.

Edward Brany Cabrera, a six-foot-four, 175 lb. right-handed pitcher from Santiago, DR, was initially signed by the Miami Marlins through their international free agency program way back in 2015. As such, and ranking sixth on the MLB Pipeline Miami Marlins prospect list, he’s the highest ranking prospect remaining from the previous ownership group.

Although Cabrera has consistently been ranked by the Pipeline in the top half of Miami Marlins prospects, his pre-2019 output was suspect, at best.

2016: Rookie GCL Marlins, 2-6, 4.21 ERA, 1.362 WHIP, 5.4 K/9
2017: Short-Season-A Batavia Muckdogs, 1-3, 5.30 ERA, 1.402 WHIP, 8.1 K/9
2018: Single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers, 4-8, 4.22, 1.465 WHIP, 8.3 K/9

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Cabrera began the 2019 campaign at the High-A level for the first time, with the Jupiter Hammerheads. In 11 starts comprising the first half of the season, he was 5-3 with a 2.02 ERA and 73 whiffs in 58 innings. His WHIP was also well-improved, coming in at a mark of 0.948. And consider also this was against his highest level of competition yet. But he wasn’t quite done.

Working around an injury, Cabrera started another eight games in the system for the Miami Marlins last season, with the Double-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. For the most part, the results were favorable, a 4-1 record with a 2.56 ERA, 43 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings, and a 1.060 WHIP.

According to MLB Pipeline:

"Cabrera boasts a lively 93-97 mph fastball that has reached triple digits, though he has difficulty commanding it at higher velocities. He throws a hard breaking ball in the 82-85 mph range that’s more slider than curveball but lacks consistency at times. He also shows flashes of a solid changeup though it’s often too firm to be truly effective."

Above video courtesy of 2080baseball.com.

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• What’s wrong with Kahlil Watson?
• Miami Marlins: Farm System rankings part 2
• Miami Marlins: Farm System rankings part 1

Those who have been paying attention to the Miami Marlins minor league system aren’t very surprised, but those outside think Edward Cabrera is just now “coming out of nowhere.” Now the 85th ranked prospect in all of baseball, there are those that think Cabrera may someday soon be the Marlins ace, ahead of even first round picks Trevor Rogers and Braxton Garrett, along with top prospect Sixto Sanchez.

A future rotation with those four, along with Sandy Alcantara, has been the future vision for the Miami Marlins since Sanchez joined the system. Maybe as soon as next season even. What does that say for current rotational fixtures Caleb Smith, Pablo Lopez, and Jordan Yamamoto?

Along with Alcantara, I think those three will safely comprise 80 percent of the Miami Marlins 2020 Opening Day rotation. Can Cabrera emerge this soon? He’s still just 21-years-old, but he’s projected to join the team at some point this season. Why not as part of the Opening Day rotation? It’s looking more-and-more likely, but there’s still a month of Spring Training to get through.