Miami Marlins Top 10 Prospects Chat

Dave (Miami): Where would Naylor and Paddack have ranked? Thx
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Hi folks, let’s get this Marlins chat started. I appreciate all the hale and hearty Marlins fans turning out. On a list this bereft of talent, Naylor and Paddack would have ranked 1-2, or 2-3, or 1-3, depending on what scouts would have said relative to Braxton Garrett.

Frank (Indianapolis IN): How many of these guys are likely to make the BA 100?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Man Frank, you are one-trick pony! Talk about a guy with little range. Same question, every chat. I think only Garrett merits consideration, and I don’t think he makes it.

Freddy (Houston): Thanks for chatting, Vince. Is Isael Soto still in your top 30?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Yessir, in the 11-25 range. Probably the best power prospect as far as real prospects go. Colby Lusignan has power, but he’s also 24 in Rookie ball.

VandyGuy (Nashville): John Norwood seems to have loud tools and somewhat decent production. Any thoughts on him being a potential 4th OF?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Yep, that’s probably where he fits best. He’ll be somewhere in the rankings, but the comparison is modest: Darnell McDonald, who, to be fair was a major leaguer.

DR (Mid Atlantic): What's the word in Isael Soto?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Struggled with spin, seeing, really seeing it for the first time. and really struggled against lefthanders. Still, he barrels the ball consistently. There are positive elements to his game.

Dan (Baltimore): Other than full and healthy what does Kolek's season have to look like for it to be labeled a positive step and for him to regain top prospect status?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Top prospect status and positive step are wide gulfs from each other. I think the Marlins would be thrilled with a positive step, which is health. It depends on what they see in spring training and whether they can succeed in breaking him down to build him back up.

Grant (NYC): How bullish are you on OF Sean Reynolds? Which spot is he best suited for, and could he be a fast riser?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Not very, to be honest. The assessments on Reynolds were not good; he was called a baby giraffe by one evaluator, uncertain of his movements in the outfield. He could end up converting to the mound at some point, because he showed pretty good arm strength.

Eric (West Palm Beach, FL): Is Tomas Telis the best in a system almost utterly devoid of good catchers? What's the skinny on him?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: It’s telling that Telis won’t, most likely, be ranked in the Top 30, and that the Marlins are actively seeking a backup to J.T. Realmuto. The glove just has never caught up to the bat; most backups are defense oriented. Telis is not.

TJ (Miami): What Rookie Ball pitcher besides Cabrera came close to the Top 10? We have a few nice arms down there although they are only 17/18
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: No one close to the top 10, but Humberto Mejia and Javier Garcia got talked about. The concern is Mejia is in love with his curveball, while Garcia profiles better as a setup guy.

John (Texas): Stone Garrett had a good year in 2015 in Greensboro were he earned Marlin's Minor League Player of Year. He started 2016 late due to wrist injury then ended the season with injury after prank by then teammate Josh Naylor. Not sure why he continued to be called raw based on his few errors and hitting stats in 2015. With Stone's athleticism and work ethics do you see him rising in the ranks faster? He has tremendous bat speed so can you expect more home runs forthcoming?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: He doesn’t have much ball-playing time, so his skills are still rudimentary. He’s already in the top 10, so I don’t see him rising more quickly that that. He’s a long ways away.

Ryne (Waco, TX): Is Destin Hood their Opening Day 4th-outfielder? What's his report look like, is he still a prospect like he was back in Washington? Thanks
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Maybe. I think they like Hood and feel like he’s just starting to reach a point where he can help a team. He’s also dispensible, which makes for a great fourth outfielder that you can upgrade upon.

Warren (Johnson): Multiple choice question: the Marlins traded Josh Naylor because (a) no one wanted any of their other prospects; (b) the incident with Stone Garrett left them with no choice; (c) they had soured on him for other reasons, e.g. his weight. If he were still here, where would he be on this list?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: I think probably a combination of all three. That said, he’d probably be No. 2 or No. 3, behind Garrett and Castillo, or maybe No. 2.

Ryne (Waco, TX): Does Jhonny Santos have the tools to one day become a regular centerfielder?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: No. At best a fourth outfielder type.

MiamiFan (South Korea): Can I expect John Norwood in our top 30 list? I think he has good power-speed combination for outfield.
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Yep, he’ll be there somewhere, which is largely an indictment of the system. I mean, the comparison is Darnell McDonald.

Zac (NY): Hi Vince- Does Kolek remind you at all of Dellin Betances? Their sizes and flaws seem similar, at least on the surface. Could you see Kolek settling into a similar relief role in the future?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: No, I don’t see it. Betances just couldn’t get his long levers in sync—he still has trouble sometimes, and he’s an All-Star! Kolek just has not been the same pitcher the Marlins saw in high school.

Noel (Portland): Is this one of the weaker farm systems in the game?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: That is fair to say.

Ty (Miami): Who is the the breakout prospect for Miami in 2017??
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: I could see Edward Cabrera being that guy. Other organizations have made him their first ask in trades.

Mick (Chicago): Are the Marlins happy w/ their light hitting shortstop Hechavarria? Is there anyone in the system that will push him?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Not currently, no.

John (NJ): Is the Marlins farm system near the bottom in terms of organizational rankings? This system is pretty fringy if you ask me.
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Yep, near the bottom.

Bert (New Mexico): Drew Steckenrider. Where do you rank him?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: He’ll be in the 20-30 range. Showed well in the AFL, really stepped up this season when put into the bullpen for good. One thing the Marlins have in spades is righthanded bullpen arms.

Tim (Jacksonville): You think Brian Anderson Breakouts this year? He did really good in afl.
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: I think everyone wants to see Anderson have that boffo minor league season that can affirm his stout AFL play. I am hopeful.

Ronnie (Albuquerque): Thoughts on Cody Poteet? Also thoughts on Brett Lilek?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: I like Poteet; he’s been compared to Mike Leake and Tom Koehler, with a little less velocity than Koehler. He’s probably a back-end starter, innings-eater type like Leake at his best. Lilek had injury issues that led to loss of command. Not sure what to think going forward.

Ty (Miami): Where will they start Garrett? Touted him as a fast moving arm and at 19 already he should start in GBoro and end in Jupiter right?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: He didn’t pitch at all in 2016 after he was drafted, so extended spring seems probable.

Karl of Delaware (Georgetown, Delaware): Pick a sleeper from the short season teams in the Miami organization.
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: J.J. Gould got some notice. Sneaky power, decent hands.

Karl of Delaware (own, Delaware): Would Anfrernee Seymore cracked the top 10 again if he hadn''t been traded to the Braves?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Probably, again an indictment of the system. Seymour can run, and defend a little bit, but not sure where he fits as a regular.

James (New york): Why dont you think Garrett and Castillo can't be in ba top 100 prospects ?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: I’ll answer this for James from James, James from James, and James from New York, since you asked three times. Top 100 is an elite group. The minor leagues is vast. Castillo’s already 24 and just reached Double-A. Garrett might have a shot, but he hasn’t even throw a pitch in pro ball.

Thomas (Daytona beach): What do you think Brian Anderson and Luis Castillo can be ?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: I think Castillo ultimately will be a reliever, and Anderson a versatile spare part, but he’s shown some signs.

JJ (Miami): What do you think of Luis castillo ?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Love the velocity, he can carry it for a while, great work ethic. just don’t know that the off-speed will come around enough to be a starter.

Karl of Delaware (Georgetown, Delaware): Of the hurlers moving from the GCL Marlins and Batavia to Greensboro, who do you like best?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Edward Cabrera. Some mechanical issues to work out, but more velocity is in there, and already looks the part.

Ronnie (Albuquerque): Who do you like more as a starter, Luis Castillo or Dillon Peters? and Why?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: I am more inclined to go with Peters because I like college performers. He has the pedigree and toughness, although both guys have been called bulldogs. That’s it for me, folks. Thanks for the questions. We’ll have the Braves on Friday!