Top Marlins Pitching Prospect Debuts. The great, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

 

Top Prospect Max Meyer is making his Major League Debut right now. How will the new 'Mad' Max in the N.L East fair against the Philadelphia Phillies in Marlins Park, and how have other Top Pitching Prospects faired in their Debuts and Careers for the Marlins.

The most recent of such Debuts occurred less than a calendar year ago. Edward Cabrera made his MLB Debut last August against the Washington Nationals in Miami. Cabrera flashed signs of dominance, carrying a shutout into the 7th Inning, before giving up back to back Homers to Josh Bell & Yadiel Hernandez which gave the Nationals the lead. The Marlins would comeback to Win that Game in 10 Innings. 

For Cabrera, Injuries not only pushed his Debut to '21 (as he looked destined to Pitch for the Marlins in 2020), but have also limited him to only 3 Big League Starts so far this year, despite the amazing potential (He threw a 96 MPH CHANGEUP in Colorado!).

A lot of people are quick to forget Braxton Garrett was once the Top Prospect inside the Marlins Organization. Garrett was the 7th Overall Pick in the 2016 Draft out of Florence, Alabama. Tommy John Surgery not only wiped out most of his 2017 and the entire 2018 Campaign for Garrett, but also some MPH off his Fastball. 

The velocity on the heater is something Garrett is slowly getting back (has touched 94 MPH with the Marlins this year). In the arsenal these days of the Alabama native is a Slider that the Lefty can do a lot of things with both inside and outside the Strike Zone. Along with a Big 12-6 Curveball and Changeup.

Garrett did make his MLB Debut in 2020, against the Phillies in Miami coincidently. The Left Hander went 5 strong Innings against Bryce Harper & the Phil's in Game 2 of a Double Header that secured a 6 Game Series Win against a Team the Marlins finished ahead of for a 2020 Playoff Spot. The 7 Inning Contest on September 13 of that year marked the first Big League Win for Braxton Garrett.

Debuting before Garrett that 2020 Season was the Top Prospect at the time in the entire Marlins Organization, Sixto Sanchez. Sixto was electric that day, as he was throughout his Rookie Campaign of '20, and beyond (Tossed 5 Scoreless Innings in Game 2 of the Playoff Cubs Series in Wrigley). 

The health and conditioning struggles of Sanchez are well documented since his Debut. But that August 22nd, 2020 in D.C (also Game 2 of a Double Header), Sixto went 5 for the Win against the Nationals (who were Officially the Road Team thanks to the Pandemic).

Pablo Lopez, who was acquired all the way back in July of 2017 from the Seattle Mariners for Reliever David Phelps, made his Major League Debut in 2018, 1 day after Sandy Alcantara made his Marlins Debut.

Alcantara had made his MLB Debut with the St. Louis Cardinals in September of 2017 with 8 Relief Appearances. Sandy's first Big League Start came June 29 of 2018, when the Rookie "Sand Man" and the Marlins defeated the Mets in Miami 8-2.

Lopez made his Debut in the Show the very next day, taking on the Mets in Game 2 of the Series. Pablito went 6 Strong, defeating Jacob deGrom, yes, that Jacob deGrom.

Alcantara & Lopez were ranked the numbers 1 & 2 Pitching Prospects (if we can exclude Jorge Guzman 😅) in the Marlins Minor League System at the time. Not much has changed 4 years later, as Sandy & Pablo are now the numbers 1 & 2 on the Marlins, period.

A couple Top Lefty Prospects Debuted in 2014 & 2015 for the Marlins. Justin Nicolino was a top target for the Fish in the infamous Toronto Blue Jays Trade in November of 2012. It was said the Marlins even turned down Noah Syndergaard for Nicolino in said Trade 🙈.

Nicolino turned in 7 Scoreless Innings in his MLB Debut @ Cincinnati for his first MLB Win on June 20, 2015. Unfortunately it was 1 of only 10 total Big League Wins for Nicolino.

Andrew Heaney, the 9th Overall Pick in the 2012 Draft by the Fish, made his Debut in the Majors less than 2 years after being Selected out of Oklahoma State. 

Heaney tossed 6 Innings of 1 Run Ball on June the 19th, 2014 against the Mets @ Marlins Park. It wasn't enough, as Zack Wheeler & N.Y picked up a 1-0 Victory. Heaney would only make 4 more Starts for the Fish before being Traded to L.A.

How's about skipping Double & Triple-A all together and making the Opening Day Rotation after Pitching in 1 total Grapefruit League Game during the Spring. That's exactly the journey to Jose Fernandez's Major League Debut in New York against the Mets.

Fernandez showed flashes of his brilliance that chilly Sunday afternoon in Queens. I still remember Marlins T.V Play by Play man Rich Waltz calling Joseito's Slider "the defector". 

After 5 strong Innings, Fernandez was in line for the Win on April 7th 2013. But Marlon Bryd & the Mets had other plans, tagging Closer Steve Cishek with a Blown Save in the 9th, and a N.Y walk-off Win.

Jose would have the last laugh against New York however. He was a perfect 3-0 against the Mets with a sparkling 1.34 ERA in his 8 Career Starts against the Team he faced for the first time Pitching in the Show.

Speaking of Big Markets, L.A & Dodger Stadium was the sight of Top Marlins Pitching Prospect Chris Volstad's 1st Big League Start all the way back on July 11th of 2008.

The 6'8 Righthander out of Palm Beach Gardens had actually Debuted in Relief 4 days prior in Colorado. Picking up Wins in both of his first 2 Big League Appearances.

Volsatd was the 1st of 4 First Round Picks by the Marlins in 2005 and by far the most successful. Despite never recapturing the success of his Rookie Season.

Josh Johnson, like Volstad made his Major League Debut in Relief. In Philadelphia on September 10, 2005, J.J threw 2 Scoreless Innings out of the Pen, helping the Fish stay in Wild Card Contention, while climbing their Record to 10 Games Over .500 at the time of J.J's Debut.

Johnson (One of the most Dominant Pitchers in Marlins History) would make his first Big League Start a few weeks later against the 14th Consecutive Division Winning Braves. Going 5.1 strong Innings in a Marlins Win.

Speaking of Josh's. Speaking of Top Prospects. Speaking of Gasoline 🔥. Before Josh Beckett was a 2 Time World Series Champion and 2 Time Playoff Series MVP. He was the 2nd Overall Pick in the 1999 Draft out of Spring, Texas. 

The much anticipated Debut of Beckett happened on September 4, 2001 against the Chicago Cubs at Pro Player Stadium. The young Phenom didn't disappoint, flipping up 6 Scoreless Innings against Sammy Sosa's Cubs, while picking up an MLB Win for himself, and for the Hall of Fame Tony Perez Managed Marlins.

A Teammate of Beckett's, A.J Burnett was the centerpiece in the Trade that sent Al Leiter to the Mets in 1998. The Fireballing, tobacco chewing, Complete Game Tossing Burnett threw the 3rd No Hitter in Marlins History in 2001.

Less than 2 years prior, Burnett made his Major League Debut in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. The Arkansas native went 5.2 Innings on August 17, 1999 for the first Win in a very nice Major League Career. 

There are 2 World Series MVP's in Marlins History. 1 of those, Livan "I Love You Miami" Hernandez, made his MLB Debut at the age of 21 on September 24, 1996, 1 year before helping capture the first World Championship in Marlins History. 

Hernandez tossed 3 Scoreless Innings in Relief during a 12-1 romp of the Atlanta Braves (Who Struck Out 15 Times a year later in the Playoffs against Livan 😉). Hernandez would make his first Big League Start about 8 1/2 Months later at Home against the New York Yankees. That Start would be the First of 13 in a row for Livan without a Loss (A Marlins Record).