Marlins starter might have an uncertain future

As the playoffs are under way, the Miami Marlins are busy with the early off-season. As you may already know, The Fish have a superstar on the roster! Unfortunately, SS Xavier Edwards is not the best defender and that makes you wonder if he might be better off moving to second base instead. Second base is of course taken by Otto Lopez. Otto is an elite defender but there are questions about his offense.

What kind of future does Otto Lopez have on the Miami Marlins?

Otto Lopez is a very interesting player. He has an elite 1.2 dWAR and has batted .270/.313/.377, with 6 home runs and 39 RBI in 117 games and 403 AB. The offense is....interesting. The batting average is actually pretty solid, the OBP is below average, while he clearly lacks power. I don't see the lack of power as a big deal here though, as it's more important that he plays elite defense at a premium position for that.

Elite defense at a premium position is a pretty strong case for someone to be a starter, but if he can't hit it may not be worth it. Can he at least put up .270 or similar batting averages going forward? Lopez had a .318 BABIP this season, which is actually lower than his career .328 mark. This is obviously a great sign, implying that he might even hit a bit better than this.

Lopez's Exit Velocity is actually not too bad either. He put up an 87.7 mark this season. His career Exit Velocity is at 87.6. He may not be a power hitter going forward, but if he can hit for a decent average doesn't it make it worth it to keep him as a starter long-term? A .270 batting average with his defense certainly seems worth it.

I personally prefer keeping Otto Lopez as the starter going forward. He's a great defender with a decent enough bat to make the overall package work. While it may not be ideal defensively, Xavier Edwards is better off as the SS for now at least. He has to stay in the lineup.