Joe Mack: Marlins 2024 Minor League Player Of The Year
In his first three pro seasons, catcher Joe Mack hit 18 doubles and 12 home runs in 650 at-bats.
This season, Mack hit 30 doubles and 24 homers in 472 at-bats. His OPS rose from .582 at High-A Beloit in 2023 to .807 this year, primarily at Double-A Pensacola.
Mack said there are several reasons for his offensive improvement.
For starters, he’s holding his hands a bit lower, which is a more comfortable feel. He also is using a leg lift instead of a toe tap, which he said gives him better timing and more power.
A lefthanded hitter who turns 22 in December, Mack was the Marlins’ supplemental first-round pick in 2021 out of a Buffalo-area high school.
In 2022, his first full season as a pro, he suffered two hamstring injuries, missing six weeks each time. Last year, he was finally healthy and played 120 games. He just didn’t hit.
This year, Mack began at Beloit and hit his way to Pensacola on April 21.
“I knew he was a solid defensive catcher with a big arm,” Pensacola manager Kevin Randel said. “But I wasn’t expecting this offensive performance.”
Randel and Mack both said the camaraderie in the Pensacola clubhouse made a difference. The older guys gave Mack more tips on how to be a true professional, including weight training, proper sleep and better nutrition.
In the past, Mack had trouble falling asleep after games.
“I usually couldn’t get to sleep until 3 or 4 (o’clock) in the morning,” Mack said. “I couldn’t shut my mind off. I was overthinking things—from baseball to life.”
One month after the 2023 season ended, Mack started working on his mental skills with Alan Jaeger.
“I learned that there’s no point stressing,” Mack said.
Mack is a Christian who said the “biggest contributor” in his improvement is his faith in God.
“I have always had faith, but I never utilized it,” Mack said. “I realized in the past year that nothing I do will bring me more joy than God, and that’s a game-changer.”
Mack admitted that there were times in the past couple of years where he wasn’t seeing the ball well or making good on-field decisions.
That led to frustration and to doubt of his own ability.
Now, he appears destined for Triple-A Jacksonville in 2025, where he might share catching reps with trade deadline acquisition Agustin Ramirez. Both are top prospects for Miami, but Mack is considered the better defender.
“I’m happy with my season,” Mack said. “It’s something I know I can repeat (at higher levels) as long as I have the right preparation, motivation and determination.”
