Miami Marlins draft preview: Daniel Susac

This is the continuation of our ongoing series in preparation for the upcoming draft. Today we’ll be looking at catching prospect Daniel Susac. Susac is an interesting player to look at, as while he’s outside the top ten draft prospects and the Miami Marlins have the sixth pick, he plays a position of need and may be a bit undervalued. Is Daniel Susac really a good fit for The Fish? Let’s find out…

Daniel Susac is a potential solution to the Miami Marlins’ catching woes.

Daniel Susac is a 21 year old right-handed hitter who has a 55 grade for his hitting and a 55 grade for his power. Just as importantly, he has a 60 grade for his arm. Defense is the most important aspect of being a catcher, so a highly rated arm is a huge deal here.

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

The younger brother of one-time big league catcher Andrew Susac, Daniel was a legitimate high school prospect from Northern California in 2020, but went undrafted in the five-round Draft that summer. He went on to the University of Arizona and earned freshman All-American honors, as well as being named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, before playing well for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National team over the summer. It’s carried over to a big 2022 season, especially at the plate.Now a Draft-eligible true sophomore, Susac has the chance to be an impact player on both sides of the ball. A switch-hitter when he joined the Wildcats, he’s hit almost exclusively right-handed, which scouts thought was his better side as a prepster anyway. Big and physical, Susac has shown the ability to drive the ball to all fields, using the gap very well during his freshman season. There’s legitimate power to tap into as well. A former high school quarterback, he’s a better athlete and moves better than you’d think given his size.Behind the plate, Susac’s plus arm plays well, and he did show off above-average defensive skills last spring, though he wasn’t receiving quite as well in the fall. Even so, he’s one of the best college backstops in the class, cementing his place in the first round with a very strong spring.

This is a pretty solid analysis that I have to very much agree with. If Daniel Susac can improve with the bat, he will be well worth a first round pick for the Miami Marlins.