Miami Marlins News: Marlins Sign 20-Year Old Free Agent SS Yelinson Pena

The Miami Marlins have made a mid-season free agent signing. No, it isn’t a player that will contribute in the big leagues in 2021, but a player to add to Miami’s loaded farm system.

The Miami Marlins signed free agent shortstop Yelinson Pena earlier this week to a minor league contract. If you haven’t heard much about Pena, it’s understandable as to why.

Still only 20 years old, Pena was originally signed by the Minnesota Twins back in July of 2017 out of the Dominican Republic to a minor league contract. Spending his only two seasons back in 2018 and 2019 playing Rookie Ball in the Twins organization, Pena however struggled at the plate for the most part.

Yelinson Pena would be a development piece for the Miami Marlins.

As mentioned previously, Pena last played in 2018 and 2019 as a member of the Twins organization.

During the 2018 minor league season, Pena hit for a .239 AVG in 27 games played in Rookie Ball with the DSL Twins. Pena did show a few brights spots during that season, such as drawing 17 walks, which showed his ability to get on base at times.

Pena would spend the 2019 season with the DSL Twins once again where he hit for a .244 AVG in 39 games played. Pena showed some improvement once again in getting on base, while also hitting for a little more power by hitting his first two professional HRs.

Still only 20 years old, Pena will be a potential development project for the Marlins. Even though he hasn’t played professionally since 2019, Pena has showed flashes of abilities to get on base, and then cause havoc on the base-paths evident by his 10 stolen bases in two years.

Looking at his career minor league stats, it’s clear that Pena still has plenty of room to develop.

Yelinson Pena career minor league stats:

• 66 games – 219 AB, 53 H, 8 2B, 2 HR, 24 RBI, 31 BB, 42 K, 10 SB, .242 AVG, .370 OBP, .306 SLG, .676 OPS

Pena is still very young, and is an interesting player to monitor his development going forward. Pena will most likely begin playing Rookie Ball in the Marlins organization, and depending on how he performs could see a promotion to A-Ball.

Pena is a player to watch going forward. He is still years away from any potential debut in the big leagues, but has already showed both flashes of plus abilities, as well as areas of improvement that can be developed in the Marlins organization.