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The Miami Marlins have not had a great go of it in recent seasons. The team has languished near the bottom of the National League East in back-to-back years after finishing second in 2020.
Of course, the MLB season that year was only 60 games. For a full season, you have to go back to 2017 to find a second-place finish. To find a winning record in a full season, you have to go back to 2009.
The Marlins have interesting pieces on their roster. Jazz Chisholm is one of the most exciting players in the league. The team also added All-Star second baseman Luis Arraez in a trade with the Minnesota Twins.
And of course, there's Sandy Alcantara. The 27-year-old right-hander is a two-time All-Star and broke out last season to win the National League Cy Young for the first time.
The Marlins enter 2023 with a new leader in the dugout as well. Skip Schumaker is the manager now, receiving his first chance to manage a big-league club after spending time with the St. Louis Cardinals as a bench coach.
Spring training offers Marlins fans a chance to look at their current stars, but also the stars of the future. With no further ado, here are three must-see Marlins prospects to keep an eye on in spring training.
3. Infielder Jacob Berry
Berry is a former sixth-overall pick of the Marlins in 2022. He had strong numbers at LSU, but it wasn't entirely perfect. Berry didn't have great exit velocity at the plate, and he didn't play a position where he really excelled.
At any rate, the former top-10 pick still has a lot of potential. MLB Pipeline regards him as the sixth-best third base prospect in baseball, and The Athletic has him as the team's 10th-best prospect overall.
Berry is only entering his second season of pro baseball, spending last year in the Florida Complex League. He played 33 games with Single-A Jupiter, carrying a .248/.343/.362 slash line.
Miami hopes his defense can improve. However, they have options if that is the case. The Marlins could play Berry at first base, or have him take reps as their designated hitter.
The likelihood of the 22-year-old former sixth-overall pick makes the major league roster is slim. However, Berry will be at spring training and has a promising future. He is one to watch, regardless of his immediate major-league chances.
2. Left-handed pitcher Dax Fulton
Fulton enters spring training with a lot of promise. The 21-year-old is regarded as the Marlins' second-best prospect by The Athletic and is coming off a stint in Double-A a season ago.
Fulton is a huge player, standing 6'7″ and weighing in at 225 pounds. His best pitches are a changeup and slider, with the slider being the star of the show. It carries late movement that will give hitters, especially lefties, nightmares.
There are things to work on with the former 40th overall pick. Fulton's velocity has been inconsistent, likely a product of Tommy John Surgery he had his senior year in high school.
As such, his fastball is a hit-or-miss pitch. And “hit” is sometimes literal. Opposing batters barrel up his fastball more than you'd like, and there isn't a ton of movement on it either.
However, Fulton still has upside. His velocity can increase and become more consistent. If that happens, he has a future in the middle of the Marlins' rotation. A future that could begin sooner rather than later.
1. Right-handed pitcher Eury Perez
The cream of the crop of the Marlins farm system, Perez enters spring training with a ton of fanfare. Many consider him a top-10 prospect in all of baseball, with some believing he is the best pitching prospect in the game.
Perez doesn't turn 20 until April, but he has already shot through Miami's minor league system. The 19-year-old pitched in Double-A last season, striking out 106 batters and allowing just a .233 opposing batting average.
Like Fulton, Perez is a huge player. He towers, standing nearly 6'9″ and weighing 220 pounds. He possesses a fastball that already pushes the upper 90s. Fans may remember hitting 99 MPH in the Futures Game last season.
Perez's secondary pitches are also very good. His changeup looks like a fastball out of his hand. However, it carries insane tumbling action that completely fools hitters.
The 19-year-old also carries a slider that sits in the mid-80s. It doesn't break a ton, but it moves enough to keep opposing batters off balance. He also rarely walks hitters, as he had just one outing where he walked more than two batters in a single game.
There are durability concerns for Perez. However, if he stays healthy, he has the potential to anchor any staff in the league. Marlins fans will want to keep a close eye on this fast-rising star this spring.
