Sock’s MLB Power Rankings: 23. Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins are 23rd on my preseason power rankings. This team surprised many last year, but I think they come back to Earth this year.

Notable Additions: Adam Duvall, Anthony Bass

Notable Losses: Jose Urena, Jordan Yanamoto, Matthew Joyce

Current Top 5 Prospects: JJ Bleday, Max Meyer, Jazz Chisholm, Jesus Sanchez, Edward Cabrera

Even with COVID giving the Marlins early-season troubles, the Marlins still managed to make the postseason in 2020. They have made the playoffs but, they are still a young team and it was an expanded postseason. Regardless, this team has a good young roster to build upon for the future. So, what does this team look like for this upcoming season?

The Marlins only finished top 15 in the league in one hitting category and that was stolen bases. This team didn’t hit many home runs or have a good team OPS, but it was enough to get them to the expanded playoffs. Miguel Rojas led the way with a .304 batting average and a .888 OPS. Both of which were career highs. Jesus Aguilar returned to his 2018 form hitting .277 with 8 home runs and a .808 OPS. Midseason acquisition Starling Marte wasn’t fantastic with his bat when he was traded to the Marlins but, his career .287 batting average and 115 OPS+ proves he is an outfielder that can contribute to any team.

Pitching is the main component that helped this team get to the postseason in 2020. The Marlins had multiple pitchers contribute. The Marlins had many starters during the year but of the pitchers who had 6 or more starts, 5 of them had a 3.65ERA or lower. Sandy Alcantara is the star of the show right now. Even after getting COVID, he put up a solid 3-2 record with a 3.00ERA and a K/9 of 8.4. Pablo Lopez was the only starter with over 10 starts during the shortened season. He had a 3.61ERA and a K/9 of 9.3. The prized prospect from the JT Realmuto trade, Sixto Sanchez, made his MLB debut last season and made a solid impression. He only had a K/9 of 7.6 but he had a solid 3.46ERA.

Miami’s bullpen was a disaster. They ranked in the bottom 10 in every pitching category including being dead last in K/9. Their saves leader Brandon Kintzler isn’t returning which hurts tremendously for their bullpen in 2021. Half of their new bullpen was acquired during the offseason including names such as Adam Cimber and Anthony Bass.

Now, let’s take a look at my two X-Factors for the Marlins this season.

Sock’s 2 X-Factors

1. Starling Marte

Starling Marte was having a good season with Arizona until he got traded. Even after hitting only .245, he can still bring fantastic value to this Marlins outfield. The former 2-time gold glove winner also brings solid defense to a young Marlins defense. Another valuable asset Marte brings is his speed on the base paths. He averages 40 steals per 162 games played! I expect this veteran to return to his normal self during the normal season and steal over 30 bases. Projected 2021 Stats. .278 17HR 72RBIs

2. Brian Anderson

Anderson had solidified himself as a middle-of-the-order guy while bringing great defense. He was a gold glove finalist in 2020. With his bat, he hit .255 with 11 home runs and an OPS of .810. The nice part about Anderson is that he will not be a free agent until 2024. The Marlins will have the 27-year old at the hot corner producing runs and saving runs for a long time. Projected 2021 Stats. .272 23HR 82RBIs

Prospects to look forward to:

1. JJ Bleday

Bleday has yet to play in the minors but has proven that he can eventually play in the majors. He has the defensive presence to be an elite fielder in the majors. He may not have the speed, but he has the arm. As far as his bat is concerned, he hit .326 with 33 home runs in his college career. A very solid stat line for a player who is already great at fielding. At 23 years old, he could make his MLB debut as early as 2022.

2. Max Meyer

Drafted in 2020, Meyer was one of the best pitching prospects in this draft class. He has a nasty slider and a fastball that can hit up to 98MPH. The only downside to him is his height. He is only 6 feet tall so batters can see the ball sooner. However, throwing 98MPH will help anyone’s case. Since he is fresh out of college, I would expect to see him around 2023.

My prediction for the Marlins this upcoming season is that they will finish last in the division with a 68-94 record. Even though this team made the playoffs last year, they will need to prove they can do it over a full season. That being said, with more game experience and their prospects all coming up at the same time, I can see the Marlins being a playoff contender as early as 2023.