Miami Marlins: 8 Prospects to Consider for September Call-Ups

One of the most anticipated parts of the baseball season are September call-ups where rosters expand for top prospects to be called-up to help the big league club in hopes of a push to the postseason. Despite the Miami Marlins not in postseason contention this season, there are still a few call-ups to look forward to over the next two weeks.

We have already seen a few notable prospect call-ups for the Marlins this season, with the latest coming Wednesday night with the debut of Edward Cabrera. However, who else will we see this season?

There are several potential Miami Marlins September Call-Ups

There are multiple different options to consider as potential September call-ups for the Marlins. While not all of these will necessarily happen, there are eight clear options that the club should consider calling-up at some point over the next two weeks, both prospects and minor league veterans.

8. INF Eddy Alvarez

2021 Season Stats: .279 AVG, .441 OBP, .430 SLG, .872 OPS, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 2 SB

While not regarded as a prospect, an Alvarez call-up makes sense to provide additional infield depth down the stretch. Despite spending a majority of the minor league season playing with Team USA in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics, Alvarez has had a strong 2021 season down in Triple-A despite a fairly limited sample size.

The 31-year-old received his first big league call-up a year ago where he appeared in 12 games for the Marlins at the big league level collecting seven hits in 37 at-bats. Alvarez posts an impressive .872 OPS so far this season with Jacksonville, and a potential call-up would give the Marlins a bench player capable of playing multiple different roles.

7. C Payton Henry

2021 Season Stats: .271 AVG, .360 OBP, .372 SLG, .732 OPS, 3 HR, 24 RBI

Acquired from the Brewers as part of the deal that sent John Curtiss to Milwaukee, Henry is another potential candidate to receive a call-up. While Henry does sport a .732 OPS for the year, the 24-year-old catcher has split time between Double-A and Triple-A between the two organizations this season.

Henry up to this point has only appeared in 12 games in Jacksonville since being acquired from the Brewers where he has slashed .143/.302/.286 with one home run and five RBI’s. While spending the remainder of the 2021 season in Triple-A is a more-likely option, Henry could receive his first big league call-up so the Marlins get a glimpse of what they may have at the catching position entering 2022.

6. OF Griffin Conine

2021 Season Stats: .226 AVG, .342 OBP, .559 SLG, .901 OPS, 34 HR, 81 RBI, 3 SB

Conine has had a phenomenal 2021 season combined between High-A Beloit and Double-A Pensacola currently leading all of minor league baseball with 34 home runs. While the 23-year-old has only appeared in 30 games so far in Double-A, is it possible we could see Conine make the jump from Pensacola to Miami?

While it would be intriguing to call-up Miami’s No. 22 prospect, it makes sense for Conine to finish the 2021 season in Double-A to work on some things, most-notably his high strikeout numbers. Regardless, Conine is becoming one of the most must-see Marlins minor leaguers due to his plus-power and ability to hit home runs on a regular basis, but if you’re looking for when we may potentially see the outfielder in Miami, 2022 is a more-likely option.

5. OF Peyton Burdick

2021 Season Stats: .230 AVG, .372 OBP, .471 SLG, .843 OPS, 20 HR, 46 RBI, 9 SB

If you’re looking at any of Miami’s outfield prospects in Double-A to potentially make the jump to the big leagues, Burdick is arguably the most-likely. Spending all of the 2021 minor league season up to this point with the Blue Wahoos, Burdick has had success posting an .843 OPS with 20 home runs across 94 games so far.

We’ve heard before about how the Marlins will be looking for a center fielder of the future in the offseason, as well as Burdick being a potential internal option to fill that spot going forward. While a potential call-up to the big leagues for Miami’s No. 15 prospect is a possibility to see what they may have entering 2022, Burdick is more-likely to receive a call-up to Triple-A in the very near future to spend the remainder of the 2021 season in Jacksonville.

2. INF Bryson Brigman

2021 Season Stats: .292 AVG, .367 OBP, .422 SLG, .789 OPS, 5 HR, 27 RBI, 9 SB

Similar to Alvarez previously, Brigman is not regarded as a “prospect,” but is a likely candidate to receive his first ever big league call-up in the near future. The 26-year-old versatile infielder you could argue should’ve received a call-up already this season based on his continued success in Triple-A.

Spending the entire season in Jacksonville, Brigman is enjoying the best year of his career which includes an .789 OPS, as well as an impressive five triples. An exciting player to watch on the field, a Brigman call-up makes sense to happen at some point over the next week or two.

1. 1B Lewin Diaz

2021 Season Stats: .251 AVG, .332 OBP, .531 SLG, .863 OPS, 18 HR, 48 RBI, 2 SB

One could argue that there is one 100% no-brainer to be called-up, and that is Diaz, the Marlins No. 11 prospect. Diaz has already been called-up once this season to the big league club where he slashed .133/.188/.433 with three home runs before being sent back to Triple-A for regular at-bats.

Widely regarded as Miami’s first baseman of the future, we’ve already seen flashes of what the 24-year-old can do both at the plate and in the field. If or when he gets the call as well, is it to stay in the big leagues for good?

While not all of these will necessarily happen, the Marlins should at-least consider calling any of these eight players up over the next two weeks to gain some experience at the big league level, and to see what they may have entering the 2022 campaign.