Jake Marisnick

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Miami Marlins #3 prospect in 2014
  The marquee minor leaguer acquired in the Marlins' November 2012 trade with the Blue Jays, Marisnick opened 2013 on the disabled list after his left hand was broken by a pitch in spring training, and then had his season end early due to a left knee injury. He had surgery to repair a torn meniscus after the season. He and Christian Yelich were promoted to Miami the same day last July. A gifted athlete, Marisnick earns plus grades in every tool but hitting. He succeeded at Double-A Jacksonville by staying back and working the middle of the field, but big league pitchers exploited his aggressiveness and absence of a game plan. Though he exhibits good bat speed, his swing can get long at times and he lacks the hand-eye coordination of most high-average hitters. He also needs to see more breaking pitches and work himself into better counts. Marisnick has the strength and swing path to develop plus power. A plus-plus defender with an above-average arm, he's fearless in center field where he reads the ball well, runs good routes and covers a lot of ground. He's a plus runner with an eye for the extra base, though his instincts could use fine-tuning. Marisnick could use at least another half-season on the farm to refine his approach, and if his bat develops, he'll be a dynamic everyday player.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #4 prospect in 2013
  Signed for $1 million as a Blue Jays third-rounder in 2009, Marisnick had a breakout .320/.392/.496 season at low Class A Lansing two years later. He found the going rougher in 2012 while reaching Double-A, then became the top prospect included in the 12-player blockbuster that sent Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle from Miami to Toronto. Marisnick has the potential to be a five-tool player, though questions linger about his bat. He has made adjustments to eliminate a hitch in his swing, but he still has a big frame that leads to a long stroke with a lot of moving parts. He needs to do a better job of staying short to the ball, letting pitches travel deep and avoiding chasing them out of the strike zone. It's hard to find fault with the rest of Marisnick's package. His strength and ability to backspin the ball give him plus power. His speed, center-field defense and arm strength all grade as above average. He has a knack for stealing bases, succeeding on 84 of 100 pro attempts. Even if he loses a step, he'll easily fit the profile for right field. Marisnick will return to Double-A at age 22. If he can make the necessary offensive adjustments, he's on target to reach Miami during the 2014 season. He's talented enough defensively to push Christian Yelich to left field.
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  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #3 prospect in 2012
  The 2009 draft was disappointing for the Blue Jays, with three of their top five picks declining to sign. One bright spot from that class is Marisnick, who signed for $1 million as a third-rounder and had a breakout season when he repeated the low Class A Midwest League in 2011. He hit .320/.392/.496 at Lansing after batting .220/.298/.339 the year before. Marisnick has the upside of a five-tool center fielder. He has strength in his frame and swing, producing plenty of backspin and solid raw power. A hitch in his swing previously had scouts concerned about his ability to hit, but he has ironed out his mechanics and is less susceptible to offspeed stuff. His speed, range and arm are all above-average. He has a knack for stealing bases, succeeding on 60 of his 71 attempts (85 percent) as a pro. His quickness also enables him to glide to balls in the gap with ease. Anthony Gose has louder tools, but Marisnick is a quality athlete and a better hitter. If Gose entrenches himself in center field, Marisnick has enough offense and arm to play in right. The Blue Jays won't rush him, but he could force a midseason promotion if he continues to produce in high Class A Dunedin in 2012.
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  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #11 prospect in 2011
  The Blue Jays signed just two of their first five 2009 draft picks, first-rounder Chad Jenkins and Marisnick, who agreed to a $1 million bonus at the signing deadline. One of the best athletes available in the 2009 draft, he made his pro debut last season. After he performed well in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, Toronto gave him a taste of his 2011 assignment by jumping him to low Class A. Marisnick has five-tool potential, though concerns about his bat dropped him to the third round and continue to linger. He has improved his timing at the plate and the ball jumps off his bat when he makes contact. However, he can get too aggressive at times, and the Jays are working with him to stay tall and drive through the ball. Marisnick has a long, wiry frame with plenty of strength and raw power. His speed, range and arm are all above-average. Should he have to move from center field, he also profiles well in right. Marisnick looked overmatched at Lansing, and he'll probably spend the entire 2011 season there. His development will require patience, but the payoff could be worth it.
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  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #6 prospect in 2010
  After turning in the highest score in the SPARQ physical testing at the 2008 Area Code Games, Marisnick established himself as one of the best pure athletes available in the 2009 draft. After a mediocre spring with the bat, he lasted until the third round. One of just two players to sign out of the Blue Jays' first five picks, he received a $1 million bonus at the Aug. 17 signing deadline. Marisnick's long frame is packed with raw strength and speed. He has the ingredients to develop above-average power. A plus runner, he can get down the line in 4.25 seconds from the right side of the plate. Currently a center fielder, he has a strong arm and makes accurate throws, so he'd be a good fit in right field if he has to move. If teams believed more in his bat, Marisnick could have been a first-round pick. A wrist cock in his load hinders timing and prevents him from driving the ball with authority. He needs to iron out that flaw to deliver on his five-tool potential. Marisnick gained strength between the draft and instructional league, so he could move to right field in the near future if he loses a step. For now, he'll stay in center and focus on improving at the plate. Rather than push him, Toronto will probably send him to extended spring training and have him make his pro debut at short-season Auburn in June.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Southern League #10 prospect in 2013
  The headlining prospect received by the Marlins when they offloaded veterans Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson and Jose Reyes to the Blue Jays last November, Marisnick has power that played (.502 slugging in 67 games) in his return engagement at Double-A after laying dormant the previous year in the Eastern League (.336 slugging in 55 games). The secret to his success: He abandoned his pull-only approach, opting instead to stay back and use the middle of the field. The natural strength and loft in Marisnick?s swing could translate into 20-plus homers annually, though he?ll need to cut down on his strikeout rate to hit more than .250 with regularity. Marisnick really shines in center field, where he?s a double-plus defender with a strong arm who reads the ball well off the bat. A plus runner who isn?t afraid to take extra bases on balls in play and push the issue with stolen bases, Marisnick has 20-20 potential. The biggest thing working against him is general over-aggressiveness both on the bases and at the plate, where he could stand to work himself into more fastball counts.
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  Ranked Florida State League #11 prospect in 2012
  Marisnick was one of the best athletes in the FSL and is at least a four-tool player, but his chances for stardom will depend entirely on how well his fifth tool (his bat) develops. He struggled to recognize FSL breaking balls, especially when he's swinging from the right side, and he chased pitches out of the strike zone. Pitchers exploited those weaknesses when he spent the last two months in Double-A, where he batted .233/.286/.336.
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  Ranked Eastern League #9 prospect in 2012
  High Class A Florida State League managers praised Marisnick in all areas of the game except one--his ability to hit for average. He did little to assuage those concerns following a July 5 promotion to New Hampshire by batting .233 with four times as many strikeouts as walks. One EL manager noted that his club's pitchers beat Marisnick with inside fastballs in July but had less success with that strategy later. After his average dipped to .196, he began to make adjustments and hit .267/.290/.405 over the final four weeks. Some scouts do like his quiet, balanced approach and quick bat and aren't ready to dismiss him as a hitter. Even with his hitting in question, Marisnick's other tools are loud enough to get him to the big leagues. He has the above-average range, strong arm and instincts to make an impact in center field, while also possessing the raw speed and acumen to steal 25 or more bases per year. He can drive the ball to all fields, but he won't tap into his above-average power potential until he proves to pitchers he won't chase pitches out of the strike zone.
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  Ranked Midwest League #3 prospect in 2011
  Overmatched after a promotion to Lansing last August, Marisnick established himself as one of the MWL's best pure hitters in his second tour of the league. No longer easy prey for breaking balls, he does a nice job of hitting the ball where it's pitched and driving it to all fields. Marisnick has a chance to develop five above-average tools and he has the savvy to match. He already shows a knack for hitting the ball with backspin, steals bases prolifically and efficiently, and makes defense look easy in center field. "This guy is as good a center fielder as I've seen in a long time," a second AL scout said. "He has a solid approach to hitting. I don't think he'll have plus power, but I gave him a plus arm and plus range."
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  Ranked Florida Complex League #4 prospect in 2010
  Marisnick's athleticism and 6-foot-4, 200-pound frame drew comparisons to Jeff Francouer and Dale Murphy as a high school senior and earned him a $1 million bonus as a third-round pick in 2009. He had a solid pro debut in the GCL this summer before making the jump to low Class A in August. If his bat continues to progress, Marisnick has five-tool potential. He tended to cock his wrist in high school, hindering his timing at the plate, but has eliminated that flaw and is doing a better job of staying tall in his stance and driving through the ball. Marisnick has the strength to develop above-average power, and he uses his plus speed well on the bases. He covers ground in center field and has enough arm strength to play right field if needed.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #79 prospect in 2014
• Ranked Baseball America's #64 prospect in 2013
• Ranked Baseball America's #67 prospect in 2012

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Signed for $1 million as a Blue Jays third-rounder in 2009, Marisnick had a breakout .320/.392/.496 season at low Class A Lansing two years later. He found the going rougher in 2012 while reaching Double-A, then became the top prospect included in the 12-player blockbuster that sent Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle from Miami to Toronto. Scouting Report: Marisnick has the potential to be a five-tool player, though questions linger about his bat. He has made adjustments to eliminate a hitch in his swing, but still has a big frame that leads to a long stroke with a lot of moving parts. He needs to do a better job of staying short to the ball, letting pitches travel deep and avoiding chasing them out of the strike zone. It's hard to find fault with the rest of Marisnick's package. His strength and ability to backspin the ball give him plus power. His speed, center-field defense and arm strength all grade as above average. He has a knack for stealing bases, succeeding on 84 of 100 pro attempts. Even if he loses a step, he'll easily fit the profile for right field. The Future: Marisnick will return to Double-A at age 22. If he can make the necessary offensive adjustments, he's on target to reach Miami during the 2014 season. He's talented enough defensively to push Christian Yelich to left field.
• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: The Blue Jays failed to sign three of their top four picks in 2009, but Marisnick was one of their rare highlights from that draft. Signed for $1 million, he had a .320/.392/.496, 14-homer breakout season at low Class A Lansing in 2011. He found the going rougher in 2012, batting a combined .249/.321/.399 with eight homers while reaching Double-A. Scouting Report: Marisnick has the potential to be a five-tool player, though questions linger about his bat. He has made adjustments to eliminate a hitch in his swing, but still has a big frame that leads to a long stroke with a lot of moving parts. He needs to do a better job of staying short to the ball, letting pitches travel deeper and avoiding chasing them out of the strike zone. It's hard to find fault with the rest of Marisnick's package. His strength and ability to backspin the ball give him plus power. His speed, center-field defense and arm strength all grade as above average. He has a knack for stealing bases, succeeding on 84 of 100 pro attempts. Even if he loses a step, he'll easily fit the profile for right field. The Future: Marisnick will return to New Hampshire at age 22 to take another crack at solving Double-A pitching. He's on target to reach Toronto at some point in 2014.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: The 2009 draft was disappointing for the Blue Jays, with three of their top five picks declining to sign. The lone bright spot from that class is Marisnick, who signed for $1 million as a third-rounder and had a breakout season when he returned to the low Class A Midwest League after finishing there in 2010. He hit .320/.392/.496 at Lansing this season after batting .220/.298/.339 the year before. Scouting Report: One of the best athletes in the 2009 draft class, Marisnick has the upside of a five-tool center fielder. He has strength in his frame and swing, producing plenty of backspin and solid raw power. A hitch in his swing previously had scouts concerned about his ability to hit, but he has ironed out his mechanics and is less susceptible to offspeed stuff. His speed, range and arm are all above-average. He has a knack for stealing bases, succeeding on 60 of his 71 attempts (85 percent) as a pro. His quickness also enables him to glide to balls in the gap with ease. The Future: Anthony Gose has louder tools, but Marisnick is a quality athlete and a better hitter. If Gose entrenches himself in center field, Marisnick has enough offense and arm to play in right. The Blue Jays won't rush him, but he could force a midseason promotion if he continues to produce in high Class A Dunedin in 2012.