Marlins May Finally Address Longtime Weakness In 2024 MLB Draft
The Miami Marlins have struggled to find a good catcher for the last few seasons.
They had one, mind you, when J.T. Reamuto was behind the dish. Drafted in 2010 and debuting in 2014, the backstop batted .279/.327/.442 and won a Silver Slugger before Miami traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies after the 2018 season for Jorge Alfaro, Sixto Sánchez, minor leaguer Will Stewart, and international bonus pool money.
And since then, it's been virtually a disaster for the Marlins. Miami's used fifteen different players behind the plate since the Reamuto trade, with none of them grading out as more than average offensively in a meaningful sample size. This season alone, Miami's used three different catchers that have combined for a .075/.127/.105 line, with more strikeouts (eleven) than times on base (five hits, three walks, one HBP).
Baseball America may have an answer, finally. In their latest 2024 MLB Mock Draft, they have the Marlins taking a catcher at pick #16, Cal's Caleb Lomavita.
Here's what draft writer Carlos Collazo said about the selection of Lomavita:
Lomavita could be the best blend of hitting and fielding at the position. He’s in the midst of a career-year with a .347/.419/.640 slash line, 12 homers, a 16.3% strikeout rate and 5.2% walk rate.
While he’s a strong athlete and likely to stick behind the dish, Lomavita is also one of the freest swingers of this first-round mock. He expands the zone far too frequently. That approach is a real question and something scouts will bear down on down the stretch to try and get the best gauge of his true hit tool as possible. His 37.2% chase rate is second only to Caglianone among college hitters in this mock and his overall 54.3% swing rate is the most aggressive.
That comment about the free-swinging nature of Lomavita could prompt some hesitation on the part of a Miami front office that's now run by Peter Bendix, who came over from the Rays - Tampa Bay was known for taking contact and plate disciplined-oriented position player prospects (or extremely toolsy defenders, with no real middle ground there).
But if Miami makes the pick of Lomavita over the offensive-oriented game of Stanford catcher Malcolm Moore or the defensive polish of Sam Houston State catcher Walker Janek, they could finally fix the revolving door behind the plate that's proven to be a drag on the lineup.
Managing Editor for Blackerby Media, covering the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins Also: Senior Baseball Writer for Auburn Daily, member of both the National College Baseball Writers Association and Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (where he won the 2023 Prospects, Minors, & College Writer of the Year award)