Brian Anderson

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Miami Marlins #6 prospect in 2018
  Anderson began to access his raw power more consistently in 2017, when he hit 22 home runs at Double-A Jacksonville and Triple-A New Orleans to earn a September callup. The Marlins like his solid righthanded swing and defensive versatility, though he has found a home at third base after playing first base, second base and outfield in the past. Working from a strong, 6-foot-3 frame, Anderson has a smooth, line-drive swing and is able to go gap-to-gap with solid power. Though he shows plus power to his pull side in batting practice, he is at his best when he's spraying line drives to the right-center field gap. Defensively, Anderson possess a plus arm at third base, where his range has improved. He is excellent at coming in on the ball and making bare-handed plays. On the basepaths, Anderson shows above-average speed and instincts, but will never be known as a basestealer. Anderson will turn 25 early in 2018 and will be looking to nail down the third base job out of spring training. Some observers believe he has the potential for 15-20 home runs.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #4 prospect in 2017
  Anderson's prep roots in Oklahoma helped get him on the Marlins' radar. Scouting director Stan Meek is a former OU pitcher and assistant coach and longtime Norman resident. Miami made him a 2014 third-round pick out of Arkansas because they admired his versatility and strong, righthanded bat. Anderson began 2016 at high Class A Jupiter but hit his way to Double-A Jacksonville, then led the Arizona Fall League with five home runs. Anderson identifies pitches early and is selective, and his feel for hitting helps his above-average raw power play more and more as he gains experience. Scouts believe he could hit 15-20 homers or more at his peak. At 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, Anderson has projection left in his wiry, athletic frame. At third base, he has above-average defensive tools with good footwork and range and a plus throwing arm capable of easily making throws from deep third. While he slumped defensively with a career-worst 27 errors in 2016, one evaluator called him the best defensive player in the organization. Anderson added time at first base in the AFL, played some second base in 2014 and played outfield in college at Arkansas. He has a floor as a utility player with power, in the Ryan Raburn mold, but the Marlins see him as a future regular at third. He probably will return to Jacksonville to start 2017 with an eye on Triple-A New Orleans by midseason.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #6 prospect in 2016
  Drafted by the Twins in the 20th round out of high school, Anderson didn't sign and went on to help Arkansas reach the College World Series as an outfielder in 2011 before shifting to the infield. Anderson has a strong base of offensive tools. At his best, he has a fluid, fundamentally-sound righthanded swing and plus raw power. He has juice in his bat that belies his wiry frame, and he has a good enough approach to get to his pop. He ranked 18th in the power-sapping Florida State League with 32 extra-base hits. Anderson has more than enough arm to play the hot corner and has the actions and footwork of a plus defender at third base. He led FSL third basemen by starting 28 double plays. Despite that, he's shown the versatility to play second base and the outfield. He's an above-average runner underway but not a basestealer. Anderson has played the outfield, second base and third base with aplomb, so he has a floor as a useful utility player. He should escape the FSL for the better hitting environment of Double-A Jacksonville in 2016, and if his power shows up in games, he could prove to be an everyday third baseman.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #9 prospect in 2015
  Like many picks of scouting director Stan Meek, Anderson has Oklahoma ties, and he was a prep teammate of Mets farmhand Michael Fulmer. A 20th-round pick out of high school (Twins), Anderson didn't sign and helped lead Arkansas to the College World Series while playing the outfield as a freshman. He was a consistent hitter for the Razorbacks while playing several positions and signed for $600,000 as a 2014 third-rounder. In Anderson, the Marlins landed a hitter with a fluid, smooth, fundamentally sound swing and plus raw power. The ball jumps off his bat thanks in part to an advanced feel for hitting and strength that belies his slender but athletic frame. He played second base at short-season Batavia but moved to third base, in deference to Avery Romero, at low Class A Greensboro. He showed mid-90s velocity in fall workouts at Arkansas and has plenty of arm for third. He's an above-average runner whose defensive shuffling has kept him from developing proficiency at any position. At times the game speeds up on him defensively, and he'll need plenty of reps to prove he can handle third. If Anderson continues to tap into his power as a pro--he hit 11 homers in his debut after hitting 13 in three college seasons--he could give the Marlins a profile third baseman. He's ticketed for high Class A Jupiter to start 2015.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #69 prospect in 2014 draft
  Anderson's tools and production haven't matched up this season, which is bad timing for his draft stock. A bigger year could have landed Anderson in the first round because of his athleticism, defensive versatility and hitting potential. At 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, Anderson has some similarities to former LSU player JaCoby Jones, though he doesn't quite have Jones' power potential. Anderson does have 60 raw power and led Arkansas in homers as a sophomore after finishing his freshman season as the center fielder on a College World Series team. Anderson's best tool his plus-plus arm, as he hit 95-96 mph off the mound during the fall, and he's an above-average runner as well. He's expanded his strike zone frequently this season to his detriment, and his baserunner could stand polish. Anderson has mostly played second base this season, a seeming waste of his arm strength, and he's tall for the position. He could profile better at third base if his power developed, or he could go back to the outfield. He also could stay at second if he can stay down on groundballs and keep the game from speeding up on him. Anderson will go out in the second if a team matches his future position with a second-round evaluation of his bat.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Arizona Fall League #20 prospect in 2016
  AFL scouts were mixed about Anderson's ceiling as a prospect, but there were no doubts about the impact he made in the Mesa lineup this fall. After hitting 11 regular season homers split between two levels, Anderson led the AFL with five long balls plus one more in the first inning of the championship game. His overall batting line (.273/.360/.506) was impressive and he made consistent hard contact, striking out only nine times in 77 at-bats. Anderson is at best an adequate defender at third base and also saw time at first, profiling as a utility infielder.

• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Anderson's prep roots in Oklahoma helped get him on the Marlins' radar. Scouting director Stan Meek is a former OU pitcher and assistant coach and longtime Norman resident. Miami made him a 2014 third-round pick out of Arkansas because they admired his versatility and strong, righthanded bat. Anderson began 2016 at high Class A Jupiter but hit his way to Double-A Jacksonville, then led the Arizona Fall League with five home runs. Scouting Report: Anderson identifies pitches early and is selective, and his feel for hitting helps his above-average raw power play more and more as he gains experience. Scouts believe he could hit 15-20 homers or more at his peak. At 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, Anderson has projection left in his wiry, athletic frame. At third base, he has above-average defensive tools with good footwork and range and a plus throwing arm capable of easily making throws from deep third. While he slumped defensively with a career-worst 27 errors in 2016, one evaluator called him the best defensive player in the organization.
  
  The Future: Anderson added time at first base in the AFL, played some second base in 2014 and played outfield in college at Arkansas. He has a floor as a utility player with power, in the Ryan Raburn mold, but the Marlins see him as a future regular at third. He probably will return to Jacksonville to start 2017 with an eye on Triple-A New Orleans by midseason.
• August, 2016 Scouting Report
  AFL scouts were mixed about Anderson's ceiling as a prospect, but there were no doubts about the impact he made in the Mesa lineup this fall. After hitting 11 regular season homers split between two levels, Anderson led the AFL with five long balls plus one more in the first inning of the championship game. His overall batting line (.273/.360/.506) was impressive and he made consistent hard contact, striking out only nine times in 77 at-bats. Anderson is at best an adequate defender at third base and also saw time at first, profiling as a utility infielder.