Miami Marlins: Grading the Jazz Chisholm for Agustin Ramirez Blockbuster Trade

Factor #3: Agustin Ramirez

Catcher Agustin Ramirez was the headliner of the Marlins' trade. In a vacuum, it is disappointing that Bendix could not convert his star into a top-100 prospect. However, Ramirez does have a unique upside.

Catcher is a thin position across MLB. If the new Marlin can develop into a plus backstop he could immediately end the purgatory of mediocre players like Nick Fortes, Christian Bethancourt, Jacob Stallings, etc.

Ramirez has elite power potential, with his exit velocity and home run production in the minors further fueling excitement. If he continues this path, becoming a player like former Yankee Gary Sanchez likely represents a realistic floor. If things break better in his young career, perhaps a more accurate player comparison is Oakland's Shea Langeliers.

And, if Ramirez truly hits his stride, it is not outside the possibility that Ramirez could become to the Marlins what Francisco Alvarez has become to the NL East rival Mets. In fact, Ramirez's unique combination of power and speed (he stole 12 bases in 2022, 13 in 2023, and a minor league career-high 19 in 2024), carry shades of a player Miami fans are super familiar with: formal superstar catcher JT Realmuto.

It must be noted that Ramirez needs to develop his raw skills to reach the loftiest of these player comps. Also, his defensive skills must improve dramatically if he truly intends to be a game-changing backstop.

If these two areas do not move forward as fans hope, there is a realistic chance that Ramirez could settle in as more of a first base/DH player. This still has value. But not as much as a premier catcher might have.

Factor #4: The Rest of the Package

Prospect Jared Serna, whom the Marlins also received in their package for Jazz, may have the potential to move the needle. His combination of a 5'7", 168lb frame, with solid power and good-but-not-great speed is odd. But his overall profile is intriguing.

In his four professional seasons, Serna has posted a career .267/.362/.446 slash line with 41 home runs and 183 RBI across 309 games. Perhaps Serna can carve out a role as a poor man's Jose Altuve or Dustin Pedroia.

Abraham Ramirez, who was also sent to Miami in the trade, is a 19-year-old prospect with limited upside. He is a solid contact hitter, batting .333 in his time in the Yankees' system, while also flashing notable defensive flexibility. To date, he has 42 starts at second base, 36 starts at third base, 13 starts in the outfield, and has appeared in one game at shortstop.

The Marlins hope that Serna can develop into a serviceable MLB option, with a likely ceiling as an everyday role player. Inversely, Abraham Ramirez likely tops out as a super-utility bench option.