Florida Marlins Top 20 Prospects

by John Sickels on Mar 1, 2026 11:46 AM EST in News

A Good Investment

FLORIDA MARLINS TOP 20 PROSPECTS

Jeremy Hermida, OF, Grade A
Anibal Sanchez, RHP, B+
Scott Olsen, LHP, B+
Yusmeiro Petit, RHP, B+
Chris Volstad, RHP, B+
Josh Willingham, C-1B, B
Aaron Thompson, LHP, B
Ricky Nolasco, RHP, B
Gaby Hernandez, RHP, B
Hanley Ramirez, SS, B
Travis Bowyer, RHP, B (grade change from book)
Josh Johnson, RHP, B-
Sean West, LHP, B-
Chris Resop, RHP, B-
J.T. Restko, OF, B-
Kris Harvey, 3B-OF, B-
Mike Jacobs, 1B, C+
Reynel Pinto, LHP, C+
Ryan Tucker, RHP, C+
Brad McCann, 1B, C+

The winter salary dump has obviously had a huge impact here. Lots of depth in pitching. Note that there are lots of promising prospects not in the Top 20. Guys like Jeff Allison, Robert Andino, Matt Goyen, Brett Hayes, Jacob Marceaux, Randy Messenger, Grant Psomas, Jason Stokes, Taylor Tankersley, Scott Tyler, and Dan Uggla would all make the Top 20 list for many organizations.

I'm changing Travis Bowyer from a B+ in the book to a straight Grade B, after poor reports about the status of his breaking ball in the Arizona Fall League. I've talked with some baseball folks who believe that the Twins picked exactly the right time to trade Bowyer, when his value was at its highest.

I don't know what to make of Hanley Ramirez any more. His tools are excellent, and he flashes skills, but his track record just doesn't support a higher rating than Grade B right now, at least in my mind.

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Comments

future closer

Can you see Resop getting a shot at saves this year?

by FRANCHISEv2 on Mar 1, 2026 11:56 AM EST reply actions

Baseball Card

That is a great baseball card. Looks timeless, like something from the 40's. Maybe it's the glare.

by SmokeyJoeWood on Mar 1, 2026 11:57 AM EST reply actions

except...

...for the teal uniform, I guess.

by SmokeyJoeWood on Mar 1, 2026 12:21 PM EST up reply actions

It's a refractor...

...that gives it the "glare"...I guess the best way to describe it would be that it looks like a rainbow chrome-foil card...tough to describe...

by daveh33 on Mar 1, 2026 1:38 PM EST up reply actions

black magic

i used to love the old black magic refraction cards that i think upper deck used to put out...

by Rob Castellano on Mar 1, 2026 2:58 PM EST up reply actions

Mike Jacobs at C+

I take it you're not too high on Mike Jacobs. Why not?

by limozeen on Mar 1, 2026 12:01 PM EST reply actions

jacobs

Good power but I don't trust his BA and OBP.

by John Sickels on Mar 1, 2026 1:02 PM EST up reply actions

Mike Jacobs

Agreed that his OBP especially is suspect, due in large part to aggressiveness -- is he a little too old to get more disciplined?

Also, me thinks the move to Florida -- and away from catching -- also hurts his value, both in fantasy & reality...

by Will Play Roto for Food on Mar 1, 2026 8:30 PM EST up reply actions

Jason Vargas

What do you 'fellas think about Jason Vargas?

by CubanKid on Mar 1, 2026 12:13 PM EST reply actions

He can swing it!

Vargas is some kind of hitter. I wouldn't want to have to pitch to him.

by StickRat on Mar 2, 2026 3:35 AM EST up reply actions

Renyel Pinto

I have seen Renyel pitch a few times. His stuff impressed me. What is his hold up when he moves up? I personally thought they should have left him at AAA or at least moved him back up once he went back to dominating AA. His control isn't perfect, but it is fine for a power pitcher. When he is working he reminds me of a left handed Carlos Zambrano.

by osoZ on Mar 1, 2026 12:32 PM EST reply actions

Willingham and Draft

John (and co.) what do you think the odds are that Willingham can remain a viable defensive option at catcher?
Alos, what did you think of Florida's 05 draft? They seem to have taken a lot of young power arms early.

by CrimsonLiederhosen on Mar 1, 2026 12:51 PM EST reply actions

not great, but encouraging

in the Marlins game today vs the Miami Hurricanes, Willingham threw out 2 would-be basestealers

MavBall

by Maverick on Mar 1, 2026 9:37 PM EST up reply actions

defense

a lot depends on Girardi and supposed catching "guru" Gary Tuck. it seems that Willingham has the arm just not the technique to throw out catchers. if those two guys take him under their wing, as supposedly they are doing, then I have to think there's at least some chance he'll thrive.

if that's the case, then a "B" grade is far too low. if Willingham sticks at catcher, he has star potential.

on the other hand, the Marlins did pick up Olivo and it's quite possible that Girardi will have an unconscious preference for a catcher in his own mold: no hit, good glove. or, even with a lack of bias, it may just be that Willingham doesn't have the defensive stuff to work behind the plate. if that's the case, Willingham turns into a considerably less valuable Conine type (which, by the way, I think still deserves a B+ in grading -- how many of the guys JS has ranked at B+ will have the career of Jeff Conine?)

definitely a fun thing to watch.

by scooter on Mar 1, 2026 1:30 PM EST reply actions

Star potential

I'm not sure I'd go that far, even if he sticks at catcher:

He put up great numbers at Albequerque, the best hitters park in all of North American organized baseball. His batting average was never that great anywhere else, and his power wasn't exactly prodigious either.
He's 27, physically mature, and other than park effects, hasn't shown much improvement hitting recently. The way he hits now, considering what playing in nee-PPS does to a lot of hitters, isn't enough to be a star, even if he plays catcher.

I think he'll be a solid player, but a star seems unlikely. Fortunately, it's a virtual lock that he'll be at least a league-average player, which is why I think he rates a bit higher than on lists that factor ceiling more into the equation.

by Brickhaus on Mar 1, 2026 3:10 PM EST up reply actions

pecota

i'm not a huge believer in pecota, but just to use it as a neutral predictor, it has his EqA going from .289 to .297 over the next 5 years. isn't that "star" range for a catcher? Piazza was well into the .300s for a good stretch of time, but he's among the greatest hitting catchers of all time.

in any case, the basic point remains: if he can stick as a catcher, Willingham will likely be at least close to star level due to his offensive production. As a DH in the AL, or toiling in LF, he'll be a productive offensive player, but nothing special.

by scooter on Mar 1, 2026 4:18 PM EST up reply actions

piazza

among the greatest hitting catchers?

by Rob Castellano on Mar 1, 2026 5:56 PM EST up reply actions

Piazza

I think Piazza is overrated (as I think he was a poor catcher) but hewas definitely the greatest hitting catcher. Definitely not the greatest all-around, but greatest hitting, no question.

by CrimsonLiederhosen on Mar 1, 2026 9:09 PM EST up reply actions

precisely

yep, the greatest, in fact. but that makes the point (which has nothing to do with Piazza). if Willingham's numbers are projected to be close to that of Piazza, and he sticks at catcher, how can one say he doesn't have a high ceiling?

by scooter on Mar 2, 2026 7:49 AM EST up reply actions

Because

Reportedly he's even worse defensively than Piazza was making it extremely unlikely that he'll remain behind the plate. A high ceiling at catcher is vastly different from 1B.

by CrimsonLiederhosen on Mar 2, 2026 9:20 AM EST up reply actions

Piazza

Piazza wasn't that bad of a defender, really. He stunk at throwing out baserunners, but he probably saved almost as many outs as he gave up on baserunning by being quick around the plate and having greater mobility than most catchers.

by Brickhaus on Mar 2, 2026 9:47 PM EST up reply actions

Hammer

He put up very good power numbers in Carolina (AA)...

.565 slugging

MavBall

by Maverick on Mar 1, 2026 9:36 PM EST up reply actions

Question

Were you close to putting Sanchez at an A-? He was great in AA, young, 3 plus pitches. Any chance.

www.faketeams.com SportsBlogs' own all-sport fantasy blog. Check it out.

by ohad on Mar 1, 2026 1:35 PM EST reply actions

Maybe...

because Sanchez was DESTROYED in his brief AAA run.

by CubanKid on Mar 1, 2026 1:41 PM EST up reply actions

hmm....

You mean the AAA run that never happened?

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/S/anibal-sanchez.shtml

Anibal only got up to AA. You're right in that he struggled at the end of the season, but it was in Portland...

by Jgaztambide on Mar 1, 2026 2:05 PM EST up reply actions

AA

OPPS! I meant double A! Thanks for the correction.

by CubanKid on Mar 1, 2026 2:38 PM EST up reply actions

Your definition of DESTROYED...

needs to be reviewed, he was dominating the level until he started tiring out at the end of the year when he started pilling up more than 40 innings than last year (90 in 2004, vs 136 in 2005). These were his numbers in AA:

57.3 IP
3.45 ERA (3.05 Dips)
1.20 WHIP
9.9 K/9IP
3.9 K/BB
.8 HR/9IP
8.3 H/9IP

Where is he getting destroyed again?

Are you comparing his High A and AA numbers thinking that he did great in High A, but only OK in AA? Well here are his High A numbers:

78.7 IP
2.10 ERA (2.78 Dips)
.98 WHIP
10.9 K/9IP
4.0 K/BB
.8 HR/9IP
6.1 H/9IP

Yes he did better in High A, but not much better when you consider his Dips (2.78 vs 3.05 A+ vs AA), the difference in parks (Wilmington is a slight pitcher's park, vs. Portland being a slight hitters park) and the difficulty of level.

by jspearlj1 on Mar 1, 2026 2:59 PM EST up reply actions

Hanley Ramirez

For some reason, Alex Escobar comes to mind. That's not good.

by rdf8585 on Mar 1, 2026 1:39 PM EST reply actions

agreed...

...I love where John has Hanley...never been a fan of him, and I think most of his hype stemmed from the fact that he was a lone bright spot for the Sox for a couple years...he is vastly over-rated by BA and most of the "experts"...

by daveh33 on Mar 1, 2026 1:51 PM EST up reply actions

Ahem

That includes John, he was as high, or higher, as anyone else on hanley not too long ago.

by CrimsonLiederhosen on Mar 1, 2026 2:25 PM EST up reply actions

Hanley

I agree - a lot of these toolsy guys never learn to hit. I think that the more important things in being a hitter (reaction time, ability to read pitches) are very hard to measure so people get all excited about bat speed, strength and quickness, which can be measured.

At the end of the day, if you can't put the bat on the ball, nothing else much matters. We need to develop tests for that.

Matthew Cohen If you can't measure it, it doesn't matter.

by matcohen on Mar 1, 2026 3:24 PM EST up reply actions

great...

comment. I think Boston made an exceptional move in dealing him. I always thought that the best player they got in that deal was most certainly Anibal Sanchez. I'm excited to watch this team, especially in the next few years!

"Baseball is 90% mental, the other half is physical" - Yogi Berra

by the pinstripes on Mar 1, 2026 6:04 PM EST up reply actions

everyone knows about Bowyers big Fastball

knows about Bowyers big Fastball. but the thing I'll be most interested to see is how his Slider is coming along. Has anyone heard anything?

Go Pirates!!!

by cool hand Charlie on Mar 1, 2026 3:43 PM EST reply actions

Hanley

Out of the 54 position players rated B+ or higher (plus BA top 100 player rated by Sickels) Hanley has the 2nd lowest OPS at .720.

And BA has him at #30.

What is wrong with this picture?

Matthew Cohen If you can't measure it, it doesn't matter.

by matcohen on Mar 1, 2026 8:39 PM EST reply actions

It's not all stats

Some great players didn't put up good numbers at that age also.

by The Colonel on Mar 1, 2026 11:28 PM EST up reply actions

Vargas question for John and others

He no longer qualifies as a prospect, but what are your thoughts on Jason Vargas, and what grade would you give him? Any and all thoughts appreciated.

by Mario66 on Mar 1, 2026 8:54 PM EST reply actions