In Wild-Card Mix, Marlins Surrender Two Top Prospects

MIAMI—With the big league club pursuing a National League wild card, the Marlins surrendered two of the most promising prospects in a thin system.

While both low Class A Greensboro prospects migrated to the Padres, they settled in San Diego via two different trades consummated about a month apart.

Miami traded 20-year-old righthander Chris Paddack to the Padres on June 30 for closer Fernando Rodney.

Then on July 29, the Marlins dealt 2015 first-round first baseman Josh Naylor (and two big league pitchers) to San Diego in a deal centered on righthander Andrew Cashner.

But the Marlins system got a sliver of good news with the acquisition of Tayron Guerrero and reacquisition of Luis Castillo, two righthanders who can reach 100 mph.

Acquired in the Cashner deal, Guerrero is 6-foot-8—and he pitches big. The Padres signed him out of Colombia in 2009, when he was 18, and his fastball reached 85 mph.

He has developed since then, and he made his Marlins debut on Aug. 2, pitching a scoreless inning at Double-A Jacksonville.

“We took a flier on him to see what shakes out,” assistant farm director Brett West said. “There are a couple of tweaks we have identified as far as his delivery, but we think an arm like his is a good one to have in our system.”

The same can be said about Castillo, whom the Marlins traded to the Padres in the Cashner deal before reacquiring him three days later. San Diego traded Castillo back to Miami for righthander Colin Rea after the latter exited his first Marlins start with an elbow injury.

“We would have liked to have Rea in our rotation, but it didn’t work out,” West said. “Luis . . . has three pitches in play right now that can get big league hitters out. He just needs more time.”

Eligible for the Rule 5 draft this winter, Castillo is a probable 40-man roster addition.

FISH BITES

• The Marlins plan for first-round lefthander Braxton Garrett to make his pro debut in late August. They don’t want to overburden a 19-year-old who just graduated from Florence (Ala.) High and hasn’t pitched since April.

• With Naylor gone, the Marlins look to 19-year-old outfielder Isael Soto as their top power-hitting prospect. Soto hit nine home runs through 90 games at Greensboro.