2020 MLB Draft preview: Miami Marlins

The agonizing wait for Major League Baseball’s return continues, but thankfully, the MLB Draft is right around the corner. Beginning Wednesday night, the Marlins will add yet another wave of exciting young talent to their organization.

Fish Stripes has created this comprehensive preview of what to expect.

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The Basics

The Marlins own six of the 160 total draft picks and a signing bonus pool of $12,016,900 (fourth-largest in the league):

• No. 3 overall ($7,221,200 slot value)
• No. 40 ($1,856,700)
• No. 61 ($1,129,700)
• No. 75 ($831,100)
• No. 104 ($560,000)
• No. 134 ($418,200)

For context, the Marlins selected 41 players in 2019 and had a $13,045,000 bonus pool. With the draft length drastically reduced from 40 rounds to five this year, there will be an intriguing group of undrafted free agents (eligible to sign beginning Sunday). Each of those players can receive bonuses of up to $20,000.

What the Mocks Say

It’s been a challenging mock draft season, to say the least. Barely any amateur baseball was played in the U.S. in 2020 before COVID-19 halted all competition in mid-March. MLB scouting staffs don’t have as much data as they typically would to project pro career production for the prospects in this class. Also, the physical distance between decision-makers and media has limited credible rumors from leaking out.

Nonetheless, here is a roundup of educated guesses from draft experts:

• Jonathan Mayo (MLB Pipeline), Carlos Collazo (Baseball America), Keith Law (The Athletic), Eric Longenhagen (FanGraphs), Kiley McDaniel (ESPN) and Nick Faleris and Burke Granger (2080 Baseball) each have Texas A&M left-hander Asa Lacy landing with Miami in the first round.
• So does our own Hector Rodriguez, who made picks for the Marlins in Rounds 2-5, too.

• For Prospects 365, Ian Smith took on the challenge of mocking all 160 picks.

What if the Orioles prioritize savings with the second overall pick, as has been rumored, rather than take the best player available? That could have a fascinating domino effect.

Other Notables

Hector wrote draft profiles for the six individuals who are generally regarded as the best prospects available. Odds are that two of them will be off the board before the Marlins get their first opportunity at the No. 3 spot.

Spencer Morris went even more in-depth on Veen and did the same for two-way player Masyn Winn. However, judging by recent comments from director of amateur scouting DJ Svihlik, the Marlins seems more focused on college players than prep ones, as Aram Leighton explains.

Fortunately, Spencer has you covered there also with introductions to these toolsy collegians who profile similarly to picks that the Fish made the previous two drafts.

Broadcast Details

Before the main event, the Marlins are streaming #305OnTheRise: 2020 Draft Show on Wednesday from their official YouTube channel beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. You’ll get interviews with Svihlik and fellow executives Michael Hill and Gary Denbo, plus the franchise’s three most recent first-round picks (Trevor Rogers, Connor Scott and JJ Bleday).

Every pick will be announced live on MLB Network and the ESPN family of networks:

Round 1—Wednesday from 7–10:30 p.m. ET, MLB Network and ESPN

Rounds 2-5—Thursday from 5–11 p.m. ET, MLB Network and ESPN2

One executive per MLB team is being featured on the broadcasts. As first noted by Swimming Upstream podcast host Daniel De Vivo, 29 of the 30 representatives hold the title of general manager or president of baseball operations. The lone exception is Svihlik. It signals that he is wielding a lot of power in the Marlins’ “war room” after hauling in an excellent 2019 draft class.

Anybody who’s tuning in, join us for the draft day thread articles that will publish on Fish Stripes several hours in advance. They will include Fish Picks prop bets and potential late-breaking rumors.