Miami Marlins sign free agent shortstop Ray-Patrick Didder

With rumors circulating about other potential moves that the club will make over the next one-to-two days, the Miami Marlins made another move on Sunday afternoon by signing free agent utility man Ray-Patrick Didder to a minor league deal.

Miami Marlins sign Ray-Patrick Didder to a minor league deal

A 27-year-old utility player, Didder spent the 2021 season with Double-A Rocket City in the Los Angeles Angels organization where he slashed a combined .240/.331/.380 across 96 games. Didder also hit five home runs with 39 RBI’s with 37 walks and 84 strikeouts during that span, as well as stealing 16 bases.

Defensively, Didder saw a majority of his time at shortstop, but also saw a significant number of appearances at both second base and center field, as well as one appearance at third base.

An eight-year minor league veteran, Didder began his professional career as an 18-year-old with the Atlanta Braves back in 2013 where he would remain until 2019 in Atlanta’s minor league system. Having reached as high as Double-A during that span, Didder would spend the 2020 season with Unipol Bologna in the Italian Baseball League before spending the 2021 campaign in the Angles system.

Didder is a career .242/.350/.341 hitter across eight minor league seasons, and has spent extensive time throughout his career at both shortstop and center field. While not the biggest power threat offensively, Didder is a player who displays great speed on the base paths when he gets on, and is a versatile player defensively who will see time at multiple different positions.

Didder was assigned to Triple-A Jacksonville on Monday afternoon where he will begin the 2021 minor league season in what will be his first-ever appearance at the Triple-A level. Looking ahead as well, Didder could potentially see time with the Miami Marlins at the major league level in 2022 as a versatile bench option.