A Postmortem on why Nick Gordon didn't pan out for the Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins recently DFA'd former top prospect Nick Gordon, ending what turned out to be a relationship that lasted less than a full season. The trade that originally brought Gordon to Miami initially received positive reviews. However, a -1.7 WAR, a meager .227 batting average, and poor defense led to the unsurprising split.

This roster move does beg the all-important question, what went wrong with Gordon's tenure in Miami? Let's take a look under the hood.

Symptom #1: Soft Contact

Gordon's advanced metrics prove that he consistently hit the ball hard as recently as 2022. That season, his Baseball Savant numbers are bursting with red, with his xBA, xSLG, Average Exit Velocity, and Hard-Hit Percentages all ranking in the top 70th percentile in baseball.

Despite his unassuming 6ft, 160lb frame, Gordon regularly crushed the baseball. And, despite all the advanced analytics surrounding the game, one thing remains consistent: good things happen when you hit the ball hard.

This trend unfortunately dried up quickly. By 2023, his hard-hit numbers took a steep decline. By 2024, all of these metrics fell in the 9th-32nd percentile.

Symptom #2: Poor Baserunning

The centerfielder's baserunning metrics took a similar dive. Gordon produced plus base running value (BRV) in 2021-2023. However, a BRV once ranked in the top third in baseball, plummeted into the 12th percentile in 2024.

This caused the normally speedy Gordon to steal only five bases in 275 plate appearances, while also getting caught stealing five times in the span (the 8th most in the NL).

Symptom #3: Poor Defense

Gordon has never been considered an elite defender. Despite having MLB experience in the outfield and middle infield, the 28-year-old has failed to translate once promising athleticism into a playmaking glove.

The former top-five overall draft pick (2014) has also been at his worst this season. His three errors in left field are the 4th most in the NL. And his defense in centerfield has been so poor that recently DFA's Cristian Pache has easily overtaken his playing time.

The Postmortem

All of Gordon's issues seem to boil down to a lack of athleticism. He lacks the power to consistently make hard contact. He lacks the speed to move the needle on the base paths. And his overall lack of range has caused him to become a fringe defender at an easy corner outfield position.

The former Minnesota project must find a way to recapture his former athleticism to maintain a career as a major leaguer. Miami is unfortunate that their once-hyped addition brought career-worst production across the board. However, they were wise to cut ties with Gordon and give his playing time to assets with more long-term upside.

Miami is unfortunate that their once-hyped addition brought career-worst production across the board. However, they were wise to cut ties with Gordon and give his playing time to assets with more long-term upside.