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Ely Sussman’s Top 30 Marlins prospects: Tier 4

Breaking down Jake Eder, Kahlil Watson, Ian Lewis, Dax Fulton and Nasim Nunez.

Prospects within the same tier are largely interchangeable—considering their ceiling, floor, injury risk, position, room for development, ability to adjust and intangibles, I expect them to have similar career value.

The notes below were last updated on July 12, 2022.


7) LHP Jake Eder

Acquired via MLB Draft in 2020

2021 MiLB stats: 1.77 ERA, 2.48 FIP, .168 BAA in 71.1 IP (AA)

Current level: Double-A (injured list, Tommy John surgery)

2022 is age-23 season

8) INF Kahlil Watson

Kahlil Watson was a top-five talent in last year’s amateur draft class who fell into the Marlins’ lap at No. 16 overall. He is more physically mature than the typical high school pick and has grown to 5-foot-11 after being listed at 5-foot-9 entering the draft.

Watson’s outrageous swinging strike rate early in the 2022 season has unfortunately persisted. But his quality of contact has been elite whenever he does put the ball in play. I do not use that term casually—Watson’s hard-hit rate with the Hammerheads is approaching 50%, a threshold only cleared by the finest major league players.

How much longer will Watson stick at shortstop? He has about the same number of errors committed as he does double plays turned—even in the low minors, that ratio makes me uncomfortable.

Watson is immature, on and off the field. Hopefully, he can outgrow that eventually.

9) INF Ian Lewis

Acquired via international free agency in 2019

2022 MiLB stats entering July: .270/.338/.376, 106 wRC+ in 160 PA (A)

Current level: Low-A

2022 is age-19 season

10) INF Yiddi Cappe

Acquired via international free agency in 2021

2022 MiLB stats entering July: .309/.392/.471, 137 wRC+ in 79 PA (Rk)

Current level: Rookie (FCL)

2022 is age-19 season (turns 20 on September 17)

11) LHP Dax Fulton

Acquired via MLB Draft in 2020

2022 MiLB stats entering July: 5.01 ERA, 3.31 FIP, .276 BAA in 55.2 IP (A+)

Current level: High-A

2022 is age-20 season

12) INF Nasim Nunez

Acquired via MLB Draft in 2019

2022 MiLB stats entering July: .235/.359/.317, 98 wRC+ in 279 PA (A+)

Current level: High-A

2022 is age-21 season (turns 22 on August 18)

The overall stat line does not do Nunez justice because of how much trouble he had getting acclimated to the cold weather in the Midwest League. Since the calendar flipped to May, I’d argue he has been the best full-season-level position player in the Marlins system.

Nunez rarely chases outside of his tiny strike zone, and once he gets on base, he’s a relentless threat to steal. Exciting to see a hint of over-the-fence power from him, too (at least from the left side).