Miami Marlins Best To Wear Jersey Number Series No. 3: Luis Arraez

One thing is for sure- this is certainly one of the most recent Miami Marlins players on this list.

Have there been better single-season efforts in Marlins franchise history than the one largely responsible for this wearer of the No. 3 jersey taking the top honors on this installment of Marlin Maniac's Best To Wear The Miami Marlins Jersey Number Series? Sure, though not as many as a lot of you might think. But when it comes to making the most of their lone full-season with the organization Marlins WAR-wise, it's hard to top the efforts of the 2023 NL batting champion.

So here's to you Luis Arraez- way to get all you could of that one tool.

That one tool...was something else in 2023. Of course, it wasn't too shabby in 2022 and 2024 either- Arraez' first season with the Marlins was the second of three straight batting titles for him. Yet there's no denying that 2023 was his best work. His career best .354 BA led both leagues that year, and his .393 OBP was a career best as well. That came out to a 4.6 WAR effort that was easily the best single-season performance by a Miami Marlins hitter in the Sherman era.

Most importantly, Arraez pretty much single-handedly carried the Marlins to the 2023 postseason.

Well, I say most importantly, but many Marlins fans might counter that the trade haul he fetched barely a month in 2024 is the most significant legacy here. Jakob Marsee is a Marlin today as a result of this one, as is Dillon Head for the prospect enthusiasts. If Marsee is even half the player fans saw last August, this one could go down as an all-timer trade for the franchise. Yet another feather in the cap of Arraez and his place in Marlins history.

However, just because the contest here at No. 3 wasn't particularly close, don't go thinking that there aren't some excellent honorable mentions.

Leading off, how about a player that once led the majors in stolen bases? Quilvio Veras did two full seasons with the Marlins before ending up in San Diego himself. That league leading season was his MLB debut year, when he swiped 56 bags in a strike shortened 1995 campaign. If he'd had the rest of April to play with, it's fun to wonder what number he might have put up. His 1996 follow up didn't amount to much but he was traded for Dustin Hermanson, who ended up being a key piece of the trade that brought Cliff Floyd to Miami a few months later.

Next up, there's defensive wizard Adeiny Hechavarria. Offense did little to add to his 3.8 Marlins career WAR although he did unquestionably do the best hitting of his career with Miami. Someway, somehow, he was right around a .278 batting average from 2014-2015. The glove was always something to see though, right up until he was traded in 2017.

If I had to pick just one honorable mention though, Marlins WAR aside, it's hard not to go with Jorge Cantu. Defensive wizard he was not, but he did come out of nowhere for a 29 HR, 95 RBI season in 2008 and a 16 HR, 100 RBI follow-up the next season. Cantu was a huge part of those Hanley Ramirez/Dan Uggla era Marlins teams and remains a fan favorite.

Anyway, that's it for this stop. It's Marlins GOATS the rest of the way. Catch you Wednesday with jersey No. 2...