All-Time Marlins: January 13th Birthdays

Seven current and former members of the extended Marlins’ family are celebrating birthdays on January 13th.

Scott Clackum (43)

Clackum, a second-team All-American right-handed pitcher from Augusta, Georgia, joined the Marlins out of Clemson as an undrafted free-agent in 1998. Over the next three seasons, he played a year each with the Utica Blue Sox, the Kane County Cougars, and the Brevard County Manatees. Clackum pitched in a total of 100 games through Florida’s system between the three teams, racking up an 11-8 record, a 2.75 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and 120 whiffs over 154 innings.

Eric Kalie (41)

Eric Kalie is one of three members of today’s list who never made an appearance in the Marlins ‘ system. In 1995, Florida thought enough of the right-handed shortstop to spend a 77th round pick in the amateur draft, with the 1,637th selection off the board.

Jorge Cordova (40)

Cordova is a right-handed pitcher out of Venezuela, and signed with the Marlins as a free agent in 1999. He went 1-0 over seven games with the GCL Marlins, striking out 18 in 14 innings along with a 0.71 WHIP. A promotion to the Cougars later in the season didn't yield any changes to his statistical contribution. He went 1-0 with a 0.47 ERA over 19 ¹⁄₃ innings, yielding just six hits and striking out 17. He ended the season with the Manatees, again going 1-0, but posting a 4.38 ERA in six games, striking out 11 in 12 ¹⁄₃ innings, and closing with a 1.22 WHIP.

Moved to the starting rotation for the Cougars in 2000, Cordova took 15 turns and posted a 6-7 record with a 3.88 ERA. He whiffed 94 batters in 95 innings, appearing in 22 games overall and finishing with a 1.21 WHIP. He joined Cincinnati’s system midway through the season, and played for the Clinton LumberKings. Later still, he played with the Mudville Nine, the Stockton Ports, the Chattanooga Lookouts, the Louisville Bats, the Erie SeaWolves, and the Lakeland Tigers, in Detroit’s system.

Adrian Earles (39)

Earles is an outfielder from Knoxville, Tennessee, and although Florida never signed him, they did spend a 54th round selection on him in 1997, with the 1,474th overall choice.

Matt Juengel (28)

Juengel, a corner infielder and outfielder currently with the New Orleans Baby Cakes, was picked up by the Marlins in the 24th round of the 2012 draft, 737th overall.

Juengel hit .316/.391/.479 during his time in college ball with Texas A&M, hitting 20 homers with 135 RBI in 183 games. After joining the Jamestown Jammers as a third baseman, he hit .218/.293/.296 in 46 games, with just one homer and 16 RBI to close out the 2012 season. In 2013 with the Greensboro Grasshoppers, he played in 123 games and hit .270/.343/.419 with 14 round-trippers and 63 RBI splitting his time between first and third base.

Juengel was moved to left field, then spent most of the 2014 season with the Jupiter Hammerheads, hitting .272/.330/.393 in 132 games, with six homers and 65 RBI. He then joined the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in 2015 to slash .245/.293/.428 with 17 homers and 67 RBI.

Since 2016, Juengel has spent most of his time playing third base at the triple-A level with the New Orleans Zephyrs/Baby Cakes. Last year, restricted by injury to 59 games, he hit .250/.302/.410 with five homers and 22 RBI. His path to the majors has been made a little easier with the exodus of Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, and Destin Hood, but as of now he is still on New Orleans’ roster and should start 2018 with the Cakes.

Tyler Palmer (25)

Palmer was picked by the Marlins in the fourth round of the draft in 2011, 133rd overall, but never signed with the team. After playing three seasons with the Temple Owls, he signed with the Yankees and played 51 games in the GCL, slashing .262/.354/.443 in 2014. He has not appeared at any level since that time.

Taylor Braley (22)

Braley is a 5’11”, 140 lb. right-handed pitcher from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Miami picked him in the sixth round of the 2017 draft with the 179th overall choice. Here’s his full bio with the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles.

Braley joined the GCL Marlins after his selection, and after one perfect inning of work on July 20th was promoted to the Batavia Muckdogs. He made three starts and four relief appearances at the higher level of minor league ball, going 1-2 with a 2.79 ERA, a 0.879 WHIP, and 21 whiffs in 19 ¹⁄₃ innings. He’s likely to start the 2018 campaign with the mid-level-A Greensboro Grasshoppers.