Miami Marlins: Recapping the offseason additions so far

With the MLB Lockout currently happening, there can obviously be no free agent signings or trades made until that lockout ends. With this, it provides an opportunity to look back at the moves that have been made across baseball so far this offseason, and there are few teams that have made more-impactful moves at the major league level than the Miami Marlins.

What offseason moves have the Miami Marlins made?

The Miami Marlins have been active so far this offseason through free agency, trades, and a few notable contract extensions with current players. For the sake of this article however, this will solely take a look at Miami’s offseason additions so far.

The Marlins have added many key pieces to the 2022 major league roster this offseason, as well as a few notable minor league free agent signings. Here is a look at all seven of the Marlins offseason additions so far, a group that includes three trades and four free agent signings, beginning with Miami’s first move from almost a month ago.

RHP Louis Head

The Marlins first acquisition of the offseason came in mid-November when the club acquired Head in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays for a PTBNL.

A 31-year-old right-hander, Head made his major league debut with Tampa Bay during the 2021 season where he made 27 appearances posting a 2-0 record with a 2.31 ERA. Going back-and-forth between the Rays and Triple-A Durham, Head also made 26 appearances with the Bulls posting a combined 2.20 ERA.

Head will likely begin the 2022 season as a member of the Marlins bullpen in a similar role, even potentially seeing time as a starter when Miami’s opts-to go with a bullpen game.

C Jacob Stallings

One of the biggest keys to this offseason was addressing the catcher position, and the Marlins did that with a significant trade on November 29 to acquire Stallings from the Pirates.

Appearing in 112 games with Pittsburgh in 2021, Stallings is coming off a career-year which included a .246/.335/.369 slash line with a career-high eight home runs and 53 RBI’s. Not only was Stallings impressive offensively, but the 31-year-old also won his first career Gold Glove a season ago behind the plate by throwing out 21% of baserunners, as well as not allowing a single passed ball for the year.

Stallings will takeover as Miami’s primary catcher in 2022, and will have a massive impact for the Marlins both offensively and defensively.

INF Joey Wendle

Miami made another significant trade only a day later when the Marlins acquired Wendle from the Tampa Bay Rays.

The versatile infielder is also coming off a career-year with Tampa Bay a year ago in which Wendle slashed a combined .265/.319/.422 with a career-high 11 home runs. Appearing in a total of 136 games, the 31-year-old also made his first All-Star appearance a year ago, while seeing time at third base, shortstop, and second base.

Wendle is one of the top utility players in baseball, and will likely play a similar role with the Marlins in 2022 seeing time at multiple positions.

INF Erik Gonzalez

The most-recent deals that the Marlins made were signing two other free agents to minor league deals with the first being Gonzalez.

A six-year MLB veteran, Gonzalez appeared in 71 games with the Pirates during the 2021 season where the 30-year-old slashed a combined .232/.258/.300 with two home runs, 21 RBI’s, and two stolen bases. A versatile infielder, Gonzalez split time this past season with Pittsburgh at third base, shortstop, and first base, with a majority coming at third.

Gonzalez was assigned to Triple-A Jacksonville after being signed, but will surely see time with the Marlins at some point in 2022.

RHP Aneurys Zabala

The second of those two free agents signed to minor league deals as mentioned previously was Zabala, a 24-year-old right-hander.

Zabala has spent time in multiple organizations throughout his career, but was a member of the Phillies organization in 2021 where the right-hander made a combined 33 relief appearances between High-A and Double-A. Across that span, Zabala posted a combined 6.75 ERA across 42.2 innings pitched, but did strike out 63 batters compared to 17 walks in 2021.

Zabala was also assigned to Triple-A Jacksonville recently, and will likely begin the 2022 season with the Jumbo Shrimp.