We recently received the deflating news that Sixto Sánchez would require season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder. Then, in a draft day stunner, highly rated prep shortstop Kahlil Watson fell into the Marlins’ lap in the middle of the first round. While there’s a consensus across the baseball industry that Miami has above-average overall talent in its farm system, identifying the best individual prospect at the moment is a fun challenge.
How much does Sixto’s lost year affect his career trajectory? The last three Marlins first-rounders have drastically different skill sets—which one do you prefer? Edward Cabrera’s minor league numbers since 2019 are eye-popping and he’s got a prototypical starter’s build.
The five legitimate candidates for that distinction, in my opinion, are:
- OF JJ Bleday (age 23)—.206/.317/.346, 6 HR, 24 RBI in 59 G this season (Double-A); 2019 MLB Draft pick (fourth overall)
- RHP Edward Cabrera (age 23)—2.25 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 44 K in 32.0 IP this season (Low-A/Double-A); 2015 international free agent signing
- RHP Max Meyer (age 22)—1.67 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 54 K in 54.0 IP this season (Double-A); 2020 MLB Draft pick (third overall)
Pitch-by-pitch of Max Meyer at the Futures Game pic.twitter.com/a4LLwQYEzW
— Ely Sussman (@RealEly) July 11, 2021
- RHP Sixto Sánchez (age 22, turning 23 on July 29)—did not play this season (injured); 2015 international free agent signing
- SS Kahlil Watson (age 18)—.513/.655/1.179, 6 HR, 14 RBI in 15 G this season (high school); 2021 MLB Draft pick (16th overall)
After an enigmatic collegiate career, Jake Eder did everything possible to boost his stock during his first half-season as a pro. Peyton Burdick and Lewin Díaz possess awesome power. José Salas—who is the same age as Watson—is off to a terrific start in rookie ball; ditto for Eury Pérez in Low-A Jupiter. Jesús Sánchez has been a hitting machine in 2021, though the Marlins left fielder is on the verge of graduating from prospect eligibility. Vote “other” in the poll below to support any of them.
Poll
Who would you rank as the No. 1 prospect in the Marlins organization?
This poll is closed
-
11%
OF JJ Bleday
-
18%
RHP Edward Cabrera
-
31%
RHP Max Meyer
-
27%
RHP Sixto Sánchez
-
6%
SS Kahlil Watson
-
4%
Other