Marlins fall/winter update, Oct. 9-14

A new Monday tradition for the next few months, we’ll do a roundup of storylines, stats and highlights from Marlins players who are staying active this offseason. That includes the top prospects showcasing their skills in the Arizona Fall League, but think internationally, too—the organization has several hispanic players getting extra reps in their home countries.

All the weekly updates will be contained in this thread.

Stats updated through Sunday’s games.

Arizona Fall League

The Marlins are being represented in the AFL by seven players, including four who are ranked among the organization’s Top 30 prospects, per MLB Pipeline. They’re rostered on the Salt River Rafters (2-2 record last week).

2B/SS Bryson Brigman: .375/.444/.375 in 9 PA

RHP Tommy Eveld: 1.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0 K

OF Monte Harrison: .333/.429/.333 in 14 PA

RHP Kyle Keller: 1.1 IP, 13.50 ERA, 2 K

OF/DH Brian Miller: .200/.273/.200 in 11 PA

RHP Chad Smith: 1.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1 K

RHP Jordan Yamamoto: 3.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 5 K

Salt River Rafters stats via MiLB.com

With another full month still remaining in their season, it will be hard to beat Thursday night’s performance. Marlins impacted the game throughout, from Yamamoto’s dominant start to Brigman sending the fans home as the winning run in the bottom of the 11th.

Yamamoto had a sensational yet injured-shortened regular season (68.2 IP, 1.83 ERA, 32.4 K%). Over the course of three scoreless innings against the Scottsdale Scorpions, he showed what all the fuss was about:

The Hawaiian right-hander is pencilled in to begin 2019 at Double-A Jacksonville, but he could move up rapidly—a la Pablo López last summer—with this kind of pitchability.

Outfielder Monte Harrison also had a week worth mentioning.

He led all of Minor League Baseball with 215 strikeouts in 2018. Through 14 plate appearances in the AFL? None! Even in a microscopic sample size, that’s notable—it represents his longest strikeout-less streak of the year.

Finding the balance between hard contact and actually making contact is critical to his long-term success.

Off the field, MiLB announced that right-hander Tommy Eveld is in contention for their Top Relief Pitcher award. The winner gets decided by fan balloting, so please take a few moments to support him.

Dominican Winter League

Photo by @TorosdelEste/Twitter

Magneuris Sierra is in his third season with Toros del Este. He’s trying to take advantage of an expanded role as their everyday center fielder.

Sierra’s production through two games: .286/.286/.286. On Sunday, he completed a double play with an outfield assist and stole a base.

The captain of the Toros is minor league infielder Cristhian Adames, who debuted for them in 2013-14. He went 1-for-2 in their season opener on Saturday before being removed for a pinch-hitter.

Working on his 26th birthday, left-hander Miguel Del Pozo had a forgettable appearance facing their club (0.1 IP, 81.00 ERA, 0 K). Del Pozo coughed up a 3-1 lead in the sixth inning. It required a dramatic comeback by Gigantes del Cibao after he left to pull out the win.

Venezuelan Winter League

Rafael Ortega has a decade-long history of playing winter ball in Venezuela. In 225 combined games with Tiburones de La Guaira and Caribes de Anzoategui, he owns a .268/.364/.364 career slash line (mostly used in center field defensively).

Ortega announced on Instagram that he’s coming back for more in 2018-19.

The Marlins recently outrighted Ortega to Triple-A, creating space on their 40-man roster. He’s still in their plans to report to spring training and compete for the major league bench role he held in August and September.

Right-hander Jorgan Cavanerio (2.1 IP, 3.86 ERA, 1 K) made his season debut with La Guaira on Friday, then took the mound again on Sunday and gave them two scoreless innings in relief. Cavanerio has been in the Marlins organization for eight years, progressing as far as Double-A.