Marlins add another player in time for Spring Training

Peter Bendix is still trying to build up the farm and some news on that end are a bit disappointing. That said, The Fish signed another player to the team in free agency. I'm talking about right-handed pitcher Janson Junk. He's been signed to a Minor League deal, so let's take a look at what the pitcher can bring to the table for the team.

Janson Junk is the newest pitcher on the Miami Marlins.

It's not a mystery that the Miami Marlins need more pitching help. The team still needs at least one more starting pitcher for the rotation mix. I would even go further, and say that there's a serious need for inning-eaters and for pitching depth in general. They say that "you can never have enough pitching" and it's definitely true for The Fish.

Janson Junk is a 29 year old who didn't have a memorable career in the Major Leagues to this point. The 22'nd round pick by the New York Yankees from 2017, started his career with the Los Angeles Angels. He debuted in the Major Leagues in 2021 with the latter. He pitched to a 3.86 ERA/6.29 FIP, with 5.5 K/9 and 1.1 BB/9 in 4 games and 16.1 innings pitched. It wasn't a memorable debut, though the ERA was solid.

He followed that up with a disastrous 2022 season, as he pitched to a 6.48 ERA/3.11 FIP, with 11.9 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 in 3 games and 8.1 innings pitched. This time the ERA was terrible, but the FIP and the strikeout rate were very impressive. He spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers and the Oakland Athletics. During that time period, he pitched to a 9.98 ERA/4.84 FIP, with 7.6 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 8 games and 15.1 innings pitched.

Janson Junk is not a star or an innings-eater if we're being honest. That said, I do see some potential based on his advanced metrics. I hope that Peter Bendix found a hidden gem for the Miami Marlins here. Let's see what happens when he pitches for the team presumably at some point in the 2025 season.