For the stretch run, the Miami Marlins have promoted outfielder Destin Hood to the major league roster. He's 2-for-7 in his first pair of major league games. Hood was a highly-regarded prospect in the Washington Nationals system a few years ago but his career was slowed by injuries and inconsistency. Can he stick in the Show? Let's take a look.
Hood was originally drafted by the Nationals way back in 2008, as a second round pick from high school in Mobile, Alabama. At the time he was rated one of the toolsier players in the prep class but had played a lot of football as a prep and needed more repetitions on the diamond. He had a solid year in High-A in 2011 (.276/.364/.445 with 13 homers, 21 steals) but injuries and problems with breaking pitches hampered him in '12 and '13. He improved to hit .294/.344/.482 in Triple-A in 2014 but had no clear path forward in the Nationals system and left the organization as a minor league free agent.
He signed with the Indians for 2015 but had more injury problems and struggled in Triple-A (.169 in 17 games), leading to his release in June. The Phillies picked him up and he hit .287/.314/.503 in 42 games in Double-A. He moved on to the Marlins this year and hit .267/.316/.435 with 15 homers and 11 steals in Triple-A.
Hood is a right-handed hitter and thrower, listed at 6-2, 205, born April 3rd, 1990. He's lost some speed with age but is still a solid-average runner. He is strong enough to hit for considerable power but has trouble manifesting this against right-handed pitching. On the other hand, he hammers lefties, hitting .331/.346/.546 against them this year for example. His defensive tools fit best in left field.
Overall he projects as a platoon player. Here's an example of what Hood can do when he's going well.
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