Miami Marlins draft preview: Jace Jung

Let’s continue our look at the top draft pick possibilities for the Miami Marlins. This is an ongoing series and today we’ll be looking at second base prospect Jace Jung. Second base may not be a position of need for The Fish for obvious reasons, but prospects can always switch positions. Let’s take a look at Jace Jung and what he brings to the proverbial table.

Jace Jung is an interesting option for the Miami Marlins.

Jace Jung is a 21 year old left-handed hitter who throws right and has great grades for his hitting and power (60 each). The downside is well not as impressive grades for his other skills, which include his running (40 grade) and his defense (45 field grade).

Let’s see what MLB.com says about him:

After the Rangers selected Texas Tech third baseman Josh Jung eighth overall in 2019, the Red Raiders replaced him at the hot corner with his younger brother. Jace shifted to second base in 2021 and won Big 12 Conference player of the year honors, just as Josh had two years earlier, and he’s primed to go in a similar area in the 2022 Draft. Jace has more power but Josh was a more well-rounded player at the same stage of their careers.Jung’s upright setup at the plate is unorthodox but doesn’t prevent him from destroying all types of pitches and pitchers. The left-handed hitter has no discernible weakness at the plate, drawing more walks than strikeouts in each of his first two college seasons while making repeated hard contact to all fields. His hitting ability, strength and bat speed produce home runs from foul pole to foul pole and he makes two-strike adjustments without sacrificing much power.Most of Jung’s value will come from his bat, which is fine because he may hit .300 with 30 homers on an annual basis. His aggressive nature helps him play better than his below-average speed on the bases but his defensive home remains in question. He has fringy arm strength, was erratic at third base and may not be more than adequate at second base.

It looks like Jace Jung is basically a future designated hitter, and with current concerns that the Miami Marlins should have, he might not be that bad of an option.