The Next José Altuve Might Be In The Marlins Farm System
The Miami Marlins have a utility player in their farm system that is gaining steam as a hidden gem.
Ahead of the MLB's first Spring Breakout Series, the staff at MLB.com looked through each team's roster and named one player present that should be talked about more.
For the Marlins, 5-foot-7 infielder/outfielder Javier Sanoja was highlighted.
Sanoja is the Marlins' 16th-ranked prospect according to MLB.com. The 21-year-old utility player is projected to make the jump to the big leagues in 2026.
His bat hasn't been off to a great start in spring training as he had just two hits in his first 12 at-bats for a .167 batting average. He has had more success with the bat in the minors with a .298 average in 2023.
What has translated, however, is that he does not strike out very much. In spring training so far, he has struck out just once. He has a career strikeout rate of just 8%, which is one of the best numbers in the minors.
His MLB.com prospect page has this to say about him:
"Sanoja grew up idolizing Jose Altuve in Venezuela, and his similar lack of stature limited his market... An organization favorite with his constant energy and intelligent play, he led the system with 158 hits last year as a 20-year-old shuttling between center field, shortstop and second base at two Class A levels."
You can see Sanoja in action when the Marlins play the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday afternoon. The game will be available to stream via here on Inside the Marlins.
Senior Writer Also: Contributing Writer for Braves Today and recent graduate of the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication! You can reach him on X: @DillySanders