Miami Marlins Best To Wear Jersey Number Series No. 21: Christian Yelich

Last time, we celebrated the fruits of one of the best trades in Miami Marlins history.

This installment of Marlin Maniac's Best To Wear The Miami Marlins Jersey Number Series...will not be one of those times.

Why? Because it's time to talk Christian Yelich, the star player dealt away just as he was coming into his prime in what is widely regarded as one of the worst trades in the history of the franchise. While there is room for debate on that score, there can be none on this point:

Yelich is far and way the most productive in a Marlins uniform first round pick ever made by the organization.

That's not nothing, and more than earns him the Best To Wear The Jersey honors here at No. 21 in our series. With a 17.6 WAR good for fifth all-time among Marlins position players, that puts him ahead of Marlins legends like Jeff Conine, Cliff Floyd, Mike Lowell, and Dan Uggla. It's surprisingly rare air for a player that was never part of a winning ballclub during their time here. Ninth in batting average. Tenth in doubles, hits, and runs scored. Sixth in OBP. Not to mention a Gold Glove. Just very quietly one of the best careers in club history, and all done before his best MLB seasons. It's quite the resume.

Who else stands out in the Marlins No. 21 club? There's venerable backup catcher John Baker, who took the majority of the starts for the 2009 Fish, and managed a respectable for a catcher line of 9 HRs and a .271 BA that season. Speaking of catchers, Miguel Olivo wore it in his 2013 return to the ballclub. He was terrible that year, but he was pretty good in 2006 when he wore a different number and caught Anibal Sanchez' no-hitter. Jesus Sanchez the pitcher spent four years in the jersey, doing very little but is likely a memorable name for Fish fans of a certain age. Then, of course, there is Chuck Carr. Miami's inaugural centerfielder stole 58 bases in 1993, and stuck around for two more years before turning the job over to future champion Devon White.

That still leaves out the most notable of No. 21 for the Marlins wearers, who stand at very different ends of the franchise success spectrum.

On the one hand, there is Josh Beckett- who many of you probably expected to be the answer here. Unfortunately, our hands are tied by that self imposed total Marlins WAR in the jersey rule, and Beckett would still trail Yelich even the entirety of his Marlins career was allowed to count. Yet Beckett did wear No. 21 for this three best and final Marlins seasons, including that 2003 World Series MVP effort that put a bow on a ridiculously dominant postseason. Pick a franchise pitching stat- you'll find Beckett comfortably among the Top 10.

On the other, there is Heath Bell, a sneaky pick for worst free agent decision in Marlins history. The real answer is probably Avisail Garcia or Wei-Yin Chen, but Bell makes a strong case. Brought in to be the lock down closer for the 2012 Marlins, he was horrible from the jump, with 8 blown saves on the year and 4 by Mother's Day. Bell helped bury that team's chances quickly. Who knows how things would have played out for Miami if he had been the pitcher he was in San Diego? Best case, that team finds their groove. Worst case, he would have been able to traded to a contender for a much more compelling prospect.

That's it for this chapter of Best To Wear The Miami Marlins jersey. Tune in next time.