Marlins On The Move: 7/11-7/17

Hello! Welcome to the first installment of a weekly series detailing the transactions within the Miami Marlins farm system. The intention is to give you a glimpse of what the Marlins of the future are doing as well as allow you to track your favorite prospects all the way from Jupiter, Beloit and the rest of the farm right till their maiden voyage in loanDepot Park.

Typically on Mondays (as schedule allows) expect a single easy place to find all the Marlins inter-system transactional details as well as snippets into key stories from the MiLB affiliates. Look to these prospects to provide a much-needed injection of hope as the past week of Marlins baseball has been less than promising.

Max Meyer Debuts

The most notable call-up of the week was certainly RHP Max Meyer. Meyer, the third overall pick of the 2020 draft out of the University of Minnesota, came into the game highly touted, slotting in at number two in the MLB Pipeline rankings. All seemed well early; however, the right-hander would find himself on the wrong side of some problematic innings. You can read more about his debut from a results standpoint here.

Meyer’s much-talked-about slider at times looked very deserving of its 65-grade on Pipeline’s 20-80 grading scale. The fastball was the problem pitch for Meyer, as two-thirds of the hits he allowed came off a pitch he only threw 35% of the time. Meyer has improvements to make, and his next start following the All-Star break—likely against a lackluster Pirates offense—should be an interesting watch.

Rehab Stints Galore

Of the 23 transactions that have taken place over the last week, more than a quarter of them have been rehab assignments. Of those six, four are more significant players of note. Jorge Soler, Anthony Bender, Jesús Luzardo, and Edward Cabrera all began (and in Soler’s case finished) rehab assignments. Luzardo and Bender will be playing for Jupiter in A-Ball while Soler and Cabrera were sent to AA-Pensacola.

Cabrera started a game this past Saturday for the Blue Wahoos, going 3 IP with 1 SO and no hits allowed. Soler also provided a memorable stint, hitting two HR in his second and final rehab appearance before returning to Miami. In his one appearance Luzardo allowed a HR but struck out three in three innings of work. Bender pitched an inning, striking out the side.

Catcher Lorenzo Quintana and LHP Justin Fall also started rehab stints this week.

Top 30 Prospects Switch Places

Max Meyer was not the only ranked prospect on the move this week, as OF Osiris Johnson (#22) and Tanner Allen (#21) switched places in corresponding moves. Johnson moves from Jupiter to Beloit while Allen moves in the opposite direction.

Hopefully, Allen’s demotion kicks off a much-needed reset. The 2021 fourth-rounder out of Mississippi State was struggling mightily in Beloit, piecing together a paltry 64 wRC+ to go along with a sub-.600 OPS. The demotion has yet to yield results, as six games into Low-A Allen is only hitting .167.

Osiris Johnson, rated a 40 overall grade by Pipeline, has yet to light up the stat sheet in Beloit in his first four games, but was deemed deserving of the promotion for his work in Jupiter. Johnson has 15 XBH this year, with a slash line of .247/.303/.348. His 88 wRC+ is not a thrilling number to look at, but a larger sample size is needed to determine what can be expected of the 2018 second-round pick.

Full Transaction List

• C Jan Mercado assigned to Pensacola Blue Wahoos from Jupiter Hammerheads
• Miami Marlins sent RF Jorge Soler on a rehab assignment to Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
• RHP Jean Reyes assigned to FCL Marlins from Jupiter Hammerheads.
• OF Tanner Allen assigned to Jupiter Hammerheads from Beloit Sky Carp.
• SS Osiris Johnson assigned to Beloit Sky Carp from Jupiter Hammerheads.
• SS Federico Polanco assigned to Jupiter Hammerheads from Beloit Sky Carp.
• LHP Maycold León assigned to Jupiter Hammerheads from FCL Marlins.
• RHP Euri Montero assigned to Jupiter Hammerheads from FCL Marlins.
• Jupiter Hammerheads sent LHP Justin Fall on a rehab assignment to FCL Marlins.
• Miami Marlins sent RHP Louis Head on a rehab assignment to Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (claimed off release waivers by Baltimore Orioles).
• C David Martinez assigned to Beloit Sky Carp from Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
• RHP Aneurys Zabala assigned to Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp from Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
• Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp sent C Lorenzo Quintana on a rehab assignment to FCL Marlins.
• RHP Tyler Eckberg assigned to Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp from Jupiter Hammerheads.
• Miami Marlins optioned LHP Daniel Castano to Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
• Miami Marlins sent RHP Edward Cabrera on a rehab assignment to Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
• SS Javier Sanoja assigned to Jupiter Hammerheads from FCL Marlins.
• Miami Marlins sent RHP Anthony Bender on a rehab assignment to Jupiter Hammerheads.
• Miami Marlins sent LHP Jesús Luzardo on a rehab assignment to Jupiter Hammerheads.
• Miami Marlins selected the contract of RHP Max Meyer from Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.