3 players the Miami Marlins aren't allowed to demote

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The Miami Marlins are getting ready for the season and some questions still remain. There are also some upside players, who also happen to be on this list. This list is about out of options players who can't be demoted to the Minors without first being exposed to waives. I'm focusing on the top players, but C Christian Bethancourt, RP J.T. Chargois, IF/OF Nick Gordon, IF Vidal Brujan are the others.

3. RF JESUS SANCHEZ

This as to be a make or break year for Jesus Sanchez. The 26 year old RF will almost certainly be claimed on waivers, so if he can't be productive he's gone. I don't expect him to be so bad that he can't simply be benched however. I fully expect him sticking around as either as a starter or bench player. If he's benched, he's probably gone after the season though.

Sanchez batted .234/.305/.434 throughout his career. In 2023, he batted .253/.327/.450 with 14 home runs and 52 RBI in 125 games and 360 AB. Sanchez has never received more than those 360 AB in a season. He also never topped the 125 games that he played in 2023. We still don't know how he will do in a full season, but might finally find that out in 2024.

Jesus Sanchez has a career 90.0 Exit Velocity and those 14 home runs look pretty good in just 300+ AB. If Sanchez had options remaining, it would still be unlikely that he'd be sent down to the Minors.

NEXT: A POTENTIAL ACE

2. SP EDWARD CABRERA

The Miami Marlins have quite a few candidates for the rotation, and the losers of the race will either have to go down to the Minor Leagues, or pitch in long relief. Edward Cabrera is one of the players that can't be demoted down to the Minors.

Cabrera has a career 4.01 ERA/4.43 FIP, with 10.1 K/9 and 5.4 BB/9, in 43 games and 197.2 innings pitched. He was great in 2022, when he produced a 3.01 ERA in 14 games and 71.2 innings pitched. He wasn't as great last season, when he produced a 4.24 ERA in 99.2 innings pitched. Cabrera's big issue is his control, or more precisely lack thereof.

If Cabrera can get his control issues fixed, he can be a potential top of the rotation option. That doesn't seem too farfetched considering his elite strikeout rate, and the fact that he already produced an elite ERA in a season. Considering the fact that he's a pitcher, if Cabrera doesn't crack the rotation, I'm positive he'll be used as a long reliever/spot starter. It's hard to see a situation where The Fish can't keep him on the roster in some capacity.

NEXT: HE WAS AN ELITE PROSPECT

1. SP SIXTO SANCHEZ

Sixto Sanchez. What do you think when you hear his name? I wonder about what could have been if not for his health being so tragically bad over the last few years. The former top Philadelphia Phillies prospect debuted for the Miami Marlins back in the shortened 2020 season. He produced a 3.46 ERA/3.50 FIP, with 7.6 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9, in 7 games and 39.0 innings pitched. That was very promising and he followed that up....by being out with shoulder issues since.

These days it's unclear what his future holds. He is out of options so must stick on the Major League roster. I have a hard time seeing him cracking the rotation, as I'm not sure that it's safe to have him pitch more than a couple innings at a time. At the same time, I don't see him not even trying to make it in. He pitched one shutout inning in relief so far, so perhaps that is where he'll be. I expect him to make the bullpen and have a shot to make it as a shutdown reliever/future closing candidate.

The three top Miami Marlins who are out of options will all have a strong chance to stay on the team.

Next. 3 issues with division rivals that could benefit The Fish. 3 issues with division rivals that could benefit The Fish. dark

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