Miami Marlins: Our 2021 End of Season Top 30 Prospect Rankings

When looking at the top farm systems in baseball, there are few that stick-out more than the Miami Marlins.

A deep system loaded with talent and depth at multiple positions, the Marlins have a pipeline set of top prospects that will continue to flow to the major leagues for years to come. As we’ve seen already, many of the Marlins current top prospects have already found their way to the big leagues, but who’s next?

As you’ll see, there are numerous prospects within Miami’s system to be excited about, all of which will likely make an impact for the Marlins in the big leagues at some point.

The Miami Marlins farm system is loaded with top prospects.

With the Miami Marlins 2021 season having officially ended, we decided to take a look at Miami’s loaded farm system, as well as what each prospect did during the 2021 campaign. Using that, we have compiled our 2021 end of season Top 30 prospect rankings as we now enter the offseason.

However, before we look at the Top 30, there are a few notables that should be mentioned as well that are just on the outside of the Top 30.

• C Nick Fortes
• OF Monte Harrison
• 1B Troy Johnston
• LHP Antonio Velez
• 3B Bennett Hostetler
• 2B Bryson Brigman
• C Sam Praytor

Now, onto the Top 30. Here are our 2021 end of season Miami Marlins Top 30 prospect rankings.

Note: Players who do not currently hold “prospect” status according to MLB Pipeline were not included. 

30. 3B Christian Rodriguez

Rodriguez appeared in 46 games this season with the FCL Marlins where he slashed .218/.295/.321 with 18 RBI’s and three stolen bases. Signed by the Marlins in July of 2018, the 19-year-old has spent the past two minor league seasons in Rookie Ball, and will likely begin the 2022 season in Low-A.

29. C Payton Henry

Acquired from the Brewers at the July 30th MLB Trade Deadline in the John Curtiss deal, Henry started in Triple-A in the Marlins organization where he appeared in 22 games posting a .691 OPS. Henry appeared in five games in the big leagues with Miami this season, and is a potential candidate to fill the catching role for the Marlins in 2022.

28. OF/1B Jerar Encarnacion

Added to Miami’s 40-man roster last-November, Encarnacion appeared in 63 games in Double-A Pensacola this season where he slashed .222/.308/.400 with nine home runs, 28 RBI’s, and five stolen bases. After spending a majority of his career in right field, the 23-year-old saw time at first base this season, and will likely play a similar role next season beginning the year in Triple-A.

27. OF Tanner Allen

The Marlins fourth round pick in this years MLB Draft out of Mississippi State, Allen appeared in 30 games with Low-A Jupiter where he posted a .546 OPS with two home runs and 10 RBI’s. The 2021 SEC Player of the Year, Allen is one of the top pure hitters in Miami’s system, and is a candidate to be one of the Marlins top rising prospects next season.

26. OF/2B Osiris Johnson

Miami’s second round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Johnson split time between Low-A Jupiter and the FCL Marlins this season where he slashed a combined .219/.294/.373 with 11 home runs, 55 RBI’s, and eight stolen bases. In what was his first true-game action since 2018, the 20-year-old will likely begin next season in either Low-A or High-A, and is one of Miami’s prospects to watch going forward.

25. RHP Evan Fitterer

After two impressive starts with the FCL Marlins, the right-hander pitched 25.2 innings in Low-A where he posted a 4.56 ERA across seven appearances, six of which were starts. Miami’s 2019 fifth round pick, Fitterer will likely begin the 2022 season as a part of the High-A Beloit starting rotation.

24. 2B Ian Lewis

Lewis received his first professional action this season by spending 43 games with the FCL Marlins slashing .302/.354/.497 with three home runs, 27 RBI’s, and nine stolen bases. One of the youngest Marlins prospects overall, the 18-year-old will likely see Low-A very-early next season.

23. OF Connor Scott

Miami’s 2018 first round pick, Scott enjoyed a breakout 2021 campaign slashing .276/.333/.446 with 10 home runs, 46 RBI’s, and 14 stolen bases across 96 games with High-A Beloit. One of many notable Marlins outfield prospects, Scott will likely begin the 2022 campaign with Double-A Pensacola.

22. SS Jordan McCants

The Marlins 2021 third round pick, McCants appeared in 23 games with the FCL Marlins this season where he slashed .224/.286/.237. Drafted out of high school, the 19-year-old will likely see Low-A early-on next season, as well as being a possible breakout candidate among Marlins’ prospects in 2022.

21. RHP Zach McCambley

McCambley enjoyed a strong first professional season where he posted a combined 4.36 ERA with 26 walks and 120 strikeouts across 20 starts between High-A Beloit and Double-A Pensacola. Finishing the 2021 season with Double-A Pensacola, the Marlins 2020 third round pick will likely begin next season with the Blue Wahoos once again.

20. OF Victor Mesa

After an impressive showing with the GCL Marlins back in 2019, Mesa spent all of the 2021 campaign with Low-A Jupiter where he slashed .266/.316/.402 with five home runs, 71 RBI’s, and 12 stolen bases across 111 games. The 20-year-old outfielder will likely begin the 2022 season in Double-A Pensacola.

19. OF Kameron Misner

Misner enjoyed a strong 2021 season appearing in 102 games combined between High-A Beloit and Double-A Pensacola. Posting a combined .788 OPS with 12 home runs, 59 RBI’s, and 26 stolen bases, Misner could begin next season in Pensacola, or potentially make the jump to Triple-A Jacksonville.

18. OF Griffin Conine

Conine also posted a career-year this season where he was amongst the leaders in the minor leagues with 36 combined home runs between High-A Beloit and Double-A Pensacola. Also posting a combined .860 OPS, the 24-year-old will likely begin next season in Triple-A in what will be his second full season in the organization.

17. INF Cody Morissette

Selected in the second round by the Marlins in this years MLB Draft, Morissette appeared in 34 games with Low-A Jupiter slashing .204/.308/.299 with a home run and 10 RBI’s. A versatile infielder out of Boston College, Morissette will likely see High-A very-early next season.

16. SS Yiddi Cappe

Signed by Miami last January, Cappe appeared in 55 games this season with the DSL Marlins slashing .270/.329/.402 with two home runs, 29 RBI’s, and nine stolen bases. In what was his first professional action, the 19-year-old will likely see Low-A at some point next season.

15. SS Nasim Nunez

After debuting with the organization back in 2019, Nunez improved on that season this year appearing in 52 games with Low-A Jupiter. Across those 52 games, the 20-year-old had 189 at-bats where he slashed .243/.366/.265 with 10 RBI’s and 33 stolen bases.

14. RHP Nick Neidert

The right-hander still holds “prospect” status, even despite making eight appearances with the Marlins this season where he posted a 4.54 ERA across 35.2 innings pitched. Neidert also pitched 68.2 innings in Triple-A Jacksonville this season where he posted a 3.67 ERA.

13. LHP Braxton Garrett

Similar to Neidert previously, Garrett also still holds prospect status after making eight appearances in the big leagues this season where he posted a 5.03 ERA across 34 innings pitched. Miami’s 2016 first round pick, Garrett also made 18 starts in Triple-A Jacksonville where he posted a 3.89 ERA.

12. RHP Kyle Nicolas

After posting a 5.28 ERA in High-A Beloit, Nicolas made the jump to Double-A Pensacola where he posted a 2.52 ERA across eight starts. Looking to build off an impressive end to the 2021 season, Nicolas will likely begin the 2022 campaign in Pensacola where he could quickly advance to Triple-A Jacksonville with a fast start.

11. OF Peyton Burdick

The Miami Marlins 2021 Minor League Player of the Year, Burdick spent a majority of the season in Double-A Pensacola where he slashed .231/.376/.472 with 23 home runs, 52 RBI’s, and nine stolen bases across 106 games. Also appearing in limited action in Triple-A Jacksonville at the end of the season, Burdick is a potential internal candidate to fill one of the Marlins starting outfield spots at the big league level next year.

10. LHP Dax Fulton

We begin the Top 10 with Fulton, Miami’s second round pick from the 2020 MLB Draft. Touted as one of the top high school left-handers in last year’s draft, the 19-year-old made his professional debut this season combining for 20 appearances (19 starts) between Low-A Jupiter and High-A Beloit where he would post a 4.60 ERA across 78.1 innings pitched.

Despite the high ERA, Fulton showcased solid strikeout potential with a total of 84 punch-outs compared to 38 walks (4.4 BB/9), an area that will likely improve over-time for the young left-hander. Still only 19-years-old, there is a lot to be excited about with Fulton going into next season, one that likely begins where it ended this season in High-A Beloit.

9. SS Jose Salas

Salas joined the FCL Marlins back in late-June for his first professional action with the organization where he quickly made an impact slashing .370/.458/.511 across 28 games. Only 18-years-old, Salas would receive a call-up to Low-A Jupiter in mid-August where he would go on to post a .648 OPS across a similar sample size.

Signed by the Marlins back in July of 2019, Salas has the tools to be one of the top infield prospects in the organization, each of which are considered at-least average led by his plus-speed. As mentioned previously, Salas is still only 18-years-old, but the tools are there to build off a strong first season that could make the switch-hitter a popular pick for the Marlins next prospect to take a noticeable rise up the ranks.

6. OF JJ Bleday

Miami’s 2019 first round pick (No. 4 overall), Bleday posted the largest single-season sample-size of his Marlins career this season appearing in 110 games with Double-A Pensacola. Splitting time between all three outfield positions during that span, Bleday slashed .212/.323/.373 this season with 12 home runs, 54 RBI’s, and five stolen bases.

While it has been an arguably slow-start for the former Vanderbilt star to his professional career, Bleday is still regarded as one of the top hitters in the Miami system, as well as one of the top outfield prospects in baseball. The 23-year-old will likely begin next season in Triple-A, and is a candidate to receive a call-up to the big leagues at any point next year, depending on how he starts the campaign down in Jacksonville.

5. RHP Eury Perez

We begin the Top 5 with Perez, the Miami Marlins 2021 Minor League Pitcher of the Year, and one of the most-impressive pitchers in all of the minor leagues this season. Making a combined 20 starts this season between Low-A Jupiter and High-A Beloit, Perez posted a phenomenal 1.96 ERA in his first professional action with 26 walks and 108 strikeouts.

The 18-year-old right-hander did not allow a run in 12 of his 20 starts this season, and was constantly impressing in each start, mainly due to his plus-fastball and ability to blow-by hitters. Perez already saw a rise up the prospect ranks this season, and likely beginning next season in High-A Beloit or Double-A Pensacola, the 18-year-old has the potential to turn into one of the top overall pitching prospects in the game.

4. RHP Edward Cabrera

Still holding “prospect” status, Cabrera made his highly-anticipated MLB debut over the final month of the 2021 season where he made seven starts posting a 5.81 ERA. Prior to debuting, the right-hander made 13 starts across three minor league levels this season where he posted a combined 2.93 ERA with 25 walks and 92 strikeouts.

Despite some struggles at times, the electric right-hander gave Marlins’ fans a glimpse of the future during the month of September, and just how-good Cabrera’s fastball and slider truly-are. Yes, the 23-year-old will certainly struggle at-times as he gets adjusted to major league hitters full-time, but Cabrera should, and will, be a focal-point of the Marlins starting rotation from day one next season.

3. RHP Sixto Sanchez

Similar to Cabrera previously, Sanchez is still regarded as a prospect, and in-fact was rated as Miami’s top overall prospect up until the conclusion of the 2021 MLB Draft. However, Sanchez missed all of the 2021 season due to an injury after an impressive 2020 campaign in which he made his major league debut.

Making seven starts at the big league level a year ago, the right-hander posted a 3.46 ERA across seven starts which included 11 walks and 33 strikeouts. Sanchez has arguably the best pure-stuff of any pitcher in the Marlins organization, and if healthy, should be a constant in Miami’s 2022 starting rotation.

2. RHP Max Meyer

The Marlins 2020 first round pick (No. 3 overall) out of Minnesota, Meyer came into the 2021 campaign as one of the Marlins top pitching prospects, and left as arguably “the” top arm in the Miami system loaded with pitching depth. In what was his first professional season, Meyer made 22 starts combined between Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Jacksonville where he posted a 2.27 ERA with 42 walks and 130 strikeouts.

The right-hander is fully cemented as one of the top overall pitching prospects in baseball, and should feature into Miami’s plans at the big league level in some form in 2022. While he will likely begin the season in Triple-A with Jacksonville, don’t be surprised if Meyer quickly finds his way into the big league rotation early-on next season.

1. SS Kahlil Watson

The No. 1 ranking in our 2021 end of season Marlins Top 30 prospect rankings goes to Kahlil Watson, Miami’s first round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. Selected No. 16 overall in this year’s draft by the Marlins, Watson appeared in nine games this season with the FCL Marlins where he would slash .394/.524/.606 with five RBI’s and four stolen bases.

Despite the limited action, Watson impressed from day one, and showed exactly why he was considered as a Top 5 overall talent in this years draft. The 18-year-old shortstop is truly a five-tool prospect, and with a potential fast start next season, Watson could potentially enter the conversation as one of the Top 10 overall prospects in baseball.

Regardless of where you would rank these 30 prospects, there is no-denying the wealth of talent and depth currently in the Miami Marlins system. Looking ahead to next season, there is a very-real possibility that we could see many of these top names reach the big leagues in 2022 where they will be stars for the Marlins from day one.