The Miami Marlins need a healthy and productive Corey Dickerson in 2020

By David Levin | May 5, 2020

JUPITER, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 23: Corey Dickerson #23 of the Miami Marlins at bat in the third inning during the spring training game against the Washington Nationals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on February 23, 2020 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

After signing a two-year contract this offseason with the Miami Marlins, outfielder Corey Dickerson must get back to playing healthy baseball.

Which Corey Dickerson will play for the Miami Marlins this coming season? Will it be the steady veteran who is expected to start in left field and provide leadership at the plate and in the clubhouse? Or will it be the player who dealt with injuries last season and signed a deal with the Marlins in free agency when the front office was pursuing many outfielders at once?

Dickerson is expected to put the past behind him, remain healthy, and show some power at the plate while showing off his glove in the outfield. It seems easy enough, but these Marlins aren’t the easiest ballclub to improve with.

The past two seasons have shown that from other free agents who have been brought in on short-term deals only to walk away after a season or two. Dickerson inked a deal with the team for two years and $17.5M.

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"As Kevin Kraczkowski wrote at the time of the deal being reached, “A seven-year major league veteran, Dickerson has appeared for the Colorado Rockies, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Philadelphia Phillies. He was an American League All-Star in 2017 for the Rays, and won the National League Gold Glove in left field for the Bucs in 2018.”"

Now, with his time in Miami at a halt, the Marlins front office is putting together their outfield roster for 2020. It looks like Dickerson and Jonathan Villar are the only two players set to start with many other players hoping to fill out the rest of the group.

The outfield could have an entirely new look with three new starters for the upcoming season.

"“The Marlins’ hope is that he helps stabilize the top of their lineup once the season begins and plays a factor in them turning around the franchise’s fortunes in Year 3 of their rebuild,” writes Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. “They routinely had him batting third when the bulk of the starters were in the lineup during spring training games.”"

If Dickerson does remain in the third spot in the rotation, both Villar and Brian Anderson will hit in front of him. There is a potential for plenty of power at the top of the lineup – something this team has not experienced in a few seasons.

In only 260 at-bats last season, he hit just 12 home runs and had 59 RBI with a .304 average at the plate. Those are modest numbers. The Miami Marlins coaching staff needs him to do more this coming season.

"“You have a job to do,” Dickerson said when asked about his future with this team.“It’s still a game. It’s a business but it’s a game. You try to bring your energy. … If you have a good relationship with your teammates and a good environment in the clubhouse, the play on the field will go up. If I don’t do my purpose here, the game will forget you. I want to leave a legacy with the way I go about my business.”"

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