Florida Marlins growing arms on the farm

By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com

 

Before the 2005 season began, MLB.com took an in-depth look at every big league team's Minor League system. Now, it's time to recap all 30 organizations, from top prospects to the recent draft class.

 

The initial thought is that the Marlins will miss A.J. Burnett next season. But after carefully considering how stocked the organization is with young pitching talent and remembering that promoting someone from Double-A isn't taboo in South Florida, there's really no need to worry. With Josh Johnson and Scott Olsen making their way to Miami this year, and all five pitchers taken in the first round of 2005's draft possibly only a season away, there's every reason to be optimistic about what lies ahead for the Fish.

 

 

Five Faves

 

At the start of the season, MLB.com identified five prospects to keep an eye on. Here's how they fared in 2005:

 

Jeremy Hermida, OF

The 2002 first-round pick spent most of the season with Carolina of the Southern League before heading to the big leagues at the end of August. He put forth a solid effort in his first month with the Fish, hitting .293 with four homers and 11 RBIs in 41 at-bats, including a grand slam in his first Major League at-bat, making him just the second player to ever accomplish the feat. This came on the heels of his hitting .293 with 18 homers and 63 RBIs in 118 games for Carolina. After injuries slowed him during the 2004 season, Hermida showed that he is ready for the opportunity this season. He should be a nice, cost-effective addition for Florida in 2006.

Watch Hermida make history in his first MLB AB

Video: Hermida clears'em in the SL All-Star Game

 

Scott Olsen, LHP

Like Hermida, Olsen was chosen in 2002, his call coming in the sixth round. And, like Hermida, he got a taste of life in the Major Leagues this summer, going 1-1 in five games (four starts) at the end of June and beginning of July. He spent the rest of the season in Carolina, going 6-4 with a 3.92 ERA in 14 starts. He has fanned 452 batters in 417 professional innings, attractive numbers to the Marlins' brass, who'll be looking for someone to take A.J. Burnett's spot in the rotation.

Listen to Olsen on Around the Minors

 

Yorman Bazardo, RHP

He pitched in one game for Florida before getting sent to Seattle in the deal that brought Ron Villone to Miami. He ended up going a combined 11-8 in the Texas and Southern Leagues, posting a 3-1 mark with a 4.28 ERA in six starts after the deal.

 

Eric Reed, OF

A ninth-round pick in 2002, Reed continued his steady climb in '05, splitting the season between the Southern and Pacific Coast Leagues. He was hitting .255 in Carolina but seemed to adjust well to life out West because he hit .310 in 39 games with the Isotopes after the promotion. He has some speed, stealing an organization-leading 40 bases this season and averaging 37 thefts in four pro seasons since coming out of Texas A&M.

 

Josh Willingham, C

The 26-year-old got another taste of life in the Major Leagues this September and was respectable in a limited role, hitting .304 with four RBIs in 23 at-bats. He missed a good part of the season with a stress fracture in his left arm but was hitting .324 with 19 homers and 54 RBIs in 66 games for Albuquerque of the Pacific Coast League at the time of his recall. He has talent and he has some pop in his bat. Now it's time to see if he has staying power.

Video: Willingham singles off Mark Prior

 

Cinderella Story

 

Joe Dillon, 3B

The 30-year-old utility player finally reached the big leagues this season after winding his way through the Minor Leagues for the better part of nine years. He had three separate stints with the Fish and hit .167, though one of his six hits was his first Major League homer. He played four positions for the Marlins and committed only one error, giving hope that he may find a spot on the bench as a utility man next year if Lenny Harris doesn't return.

Video: Dillon plates two runs for the 'Topes

 

Breakout year

 

Brad McCann, 3B

The brother of Atlanta catcher Brian McCann did okay for himself in '05 in his first full year in the pros, hitting .295 for Greensboro. He led the organization in homers and RBIs, which isn't bad for a sixth-round pick. He won't be in the Major Leagues for at least another year, probably two, but after the splashy season he had this year, he's worth watching.

 

J.T. Restko, 1B

A 10th-round pick in 2003, Restko had a pair of undistinguished seasons as a teenager before breaking out this year in Greensboro, where he hit .313 with 15 homers and 70 RBIs while racking up a .396 on-base percentage.

 

Josh Johnson, RHP

Johnson, a fourth-round pick in 2002, hasn't gotten the pub that some of Florida's other pitching prospects have received but he has done very well nonetheless. After going 12-4 with a 3.87 ERA in the Southern League, he made the jump to the parent club and posted a 3.65 ERA in four games (12 1/3 innings).

Watch Johnson fan the side in the SL All-Star Game

 

2005 draft recap

 

1. Chris Volstad, RHP

The Fish had five first-round picks and all were spent on pitching. Volstad, out of Palm Beach Gardens High School, didn't show any signs of struggling after going at No. 16, easily making the transition from prep to pro ball. He combined to go 4-3 with a 2.22 ERA in 13 starts between the Gulf Coast and New York-Penn Leagues. He was 3-2 with a 2.13 ERA in seven starts after jumping to Jamestown. Right-handed hitters hit only .226 against him once he moved up north but lefties teed off to the tune of a .343 average. Still, that's more than acceptable considering his age and experience.

Video: Volstad closes door in NYPL All-Star Game

Video: Volstad talks to Jonathan Mayo

 

2. Aaron Thompson, LHP

Thompson went at No. 22 and signed out of Second Baptist High in Houston even though he had a scholarship offer from Texas A&M. Like Volstad, he began the year in the Gulf Coast League but also seemed to adjust better once he jumped up to the NY-P League. He was 3-6 overall with a 3.96 ERA in 13 starts but pitched to a 3.10 ERA in five games at Jamestown. He had a 2.46 ERA through four starts for the Jammers before allowing three runs in 5 2/3 innings during his last outing.

 

3. Jacob Marceaux, RHP

The McNeese State product was taken 29th overall and split the season between Jamestown and Greensboro of the South Atlantic League. Though he was 3-5 with a 5.55 ERA in 10 starts at Jamestown, he warranted a promotion by pitching to a 2.52 ERA over his final four starts (25 innings). He pitched to a 3.86 ERA over his final six starts, allowing one earned run or less three times. But that didn't help him once he reached the Sally League. He was 0-3 in five starts at Greensboro with a 12.36 ERA. Opposing hitters hit .426 against him as he finished up the longest season of his career.

 

4. Ryan Tucker, RHP

The Fish went back to the prep ranks with the 34th pick, selecting Tucker out of Temple City High in California. He, too, began the season in the Gulf Coast League and looked sharp, going 3-3 with a 3.69 ERA in eight games (seven starts). His four appearances for Jamestown, however, were a bit more humbling, as he went 1-1 with an 8.36 ERA in 14 innings. Overall, his strikeout-to-walk ratio (41-24) wasn't spectacular and he allowed 56 hits in 35 2/3 innings. He has a plus fastball but he needs to further develop his other pitches because the one-trick pony act that made him dominant in high school won't work in the pros.

 

5. Sean West, LHP

Florida completed its first round by taking the 6-foot-8 Louisiana high school product with the 44th pick in the supplemental round. And he followed the same Gulf Coast League to New York-Penn League road as the other three prep hurlers, falling somewhere in between in terms of his success. He was 2-3 with a 2.35 ERA in nine games (eight starts) in Florida, striking out 40 and walking only seven in 38 1/3 innings. He was 0-2 in three starts with a 5.73 ERA against more experienced and patient hitters in the NY-P League. He fanned 14 in 11 innings and walked five.

 

2004 draft recap

 

How the top three from 2004 fared in their first full season of pro ball.

 

1.Taylor Tankersley, LHP

The big southpaw has had an uneventful ride through two seasons after the Fish grabbed him with the 27th pick in '04. He's 4-8 with a 4.40 ERA in 22 professional starts, though he did go 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in four starts for Jupiter of the Florida State League. He's pitching in the AFL this season.

Audio: Tankersly pulls the string in AFL action

 

2. Jason Vargas, LHP

The Cal State product began the season in the Sally League, made his way through the Southern League and wound up in Miami before it was all over. The Marlins haven't been shy in recent years about bringing up players from Double-A, a philosophy that Vargas embodies. He joined the parent club in July and moved into the rotation in the beginning of August, going 4-5 in 12 starts, posting a 3.81 ERA over his last six outings. He figures to be in the rotation next spring.

 

3. Greg Burns, CF

Burns spent his second year as a pro in the New York-Penn League though he won't turn 19 until November. He hit .257 with a homer and 11 RBIs in 65 games but it's still far too early to make any projections about which direction he's headed.

 

 

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/app/new..._milb&fext=.jsp

 

 

there is more there video and all some more stats and stuff. Plus their opinions on our trades.

We have a ton of pitching depth in this organization. Hopefully the JP and Lo Duca trades will net some major league ready position players at second base, the outfield, and catcher (or at least two of those positions). We can fill out 2 rotation spots and one or two positions with free agent veterans. Sea Bass at SS (or Royce Clayton) would be nice.

 

I would be content with this:

 

1. Cano

2. Willy

3. Hermida

4. Miggy

5. Jacobs

6. Aguila

7. Catcher

8. Sea Bass/Clayton

 

To be honest with, I think 1-5 would all hit well. Willy can swing the bat. We know what Cano and Miggy can do. And Hermida and Jacobs will be oustanding rookies.

 

Rotation:

 

1. Willis

2. FA Veteran

3. FA Veteran

4. Vargas

5. Olsen/Johnson/Petit

 

If any of the FA starters struggle, we can bring up whoever doesn't make it as a fifth starter or perhaps Sanchez.

 

The bullpen looks like a disaster right now. We have a potential closer in Bowyer. We'll see how the rest of the pen sorts itself out.

I'm expecting Hanley Ramirez to be our starting shortstop.

 

Also, I highly doubt the Yankees will trade Cano - although I would love to see him in South Florida.

 

As for adding two free agent starters...I think your nuts.

I wouldn't exactly be counting on that Cano deal on happening. In fact I think there's very little chance that it happens.

As for adding two free agent starters...I think your nuts.

 

 

I'm not thinking of the high grade FA starters... I mean more like Moehler and perhaps another similar FA.

As for adding two free agent starters...I think your nuts.

 

 

I'm not thinking of the high grade FA starters... I mean more like Moehler and perhaps another similar FA.

 

 

Gotcha...

 

:thumbup