Marlins Preparing to Begin Selling Major League Pieces With Pending Blockbuster Deal
The Miami Marlins have not had the start to the season they were hoping for.
Fresh off of a playoff appearance last season, their first in a non-shortened season since 2003, the hopes of many in the fanbase were that the team could continue to improve over the offseason and enter 2024 with a legitimate chance at contending for their first divisional title.
But with the departure of power hitter Jorge Soler at the conclusion of his contract, combined with the team’s relative lack of action in free agency and the significant rotation injuries that have severely hampered the strength of the franchise, Miami’s mired in the midst of a franchise-worst 9-24 start. Many have speculated that the Marlins will be sellers at the trade deadline, moving pending free agents and other valuable major league pieces for prospect capital to improve a lagging farm system.
It turns out that fans might not need to wait for the deadline. Similar to how the Marlins traded utilityman Jon Berti to the New York Yankees on the eve of Opening Day, they’ve been actively shopping a veteran and are close to making a deal.
Jeff Passan of ESPN is reporting that the Marlins and San Diego Padres are close to a deal that would send two-time batting champ Luis Arraez to San Diego. Per Passan, the deal is “in medical review” but expected to be finalized “soon”.
Further reporting from MLB insider Craig Mish has identified the return as Dylan Head, Jakob Marsee, Woo-Suk Go, and Nathan Matrorella, per sources.
Arraez, 27, is batting .299 with a .719 OPS on the season. He’s coming off of two consecutive batting titles, winning the AL crown in 2022 with the Minnesota Twins with a .316 batting average and the NL crown last year with a .354 average.
Head, 19, is San Diego’s #6 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and the highest rated prospect in the package. Drafted in the 1st round out of high school last season, Head has been lauded for his 80-grade speed (on the 20-80 scouting scale) and plus (60-grade) defense. He’s currently assigned to San Diego’s Single-A affiliate, Lake Elsinore, where he’s batting .237/.317/.366 with 13 runs scored in his first 21 games.
Marsee, 22, is the #9 prospect in San Diego’s system and was taken in the 6th round of the 2022 draft out of Central Michigan. An outfielder by trade, he’s played a lot of centerfield so far in the minors but there’s disagreement about his fit as a value-add in center or if a corner outfield spot is the better place for him, which would place more pressure on his bat to hit for more power than his career .411 slugging percentage (20 homers in 183 Minor League games). He’s currently batting .179/.333/.321 in Double-A San Antonio.
Martorella, 23, was a 5th-round pick out of Cal in the 2022 draft by San Diego. Rated as the #13 prospect in San Diego’s system by MLB Pipeline, he’s batting .287/.390/.425 in AA San Antonio. He’s played left field for most of his minor league career but is projected to be a first baseman owing to his lack of top-end speed, with a 30 grade.
Suk-Goo, 25, signed with the Padres this offseason after seven years in Korean Baseball, where he was 19-26 with a 3.18 ERA. Currently in AA, he’s 0-2 with a 4.38 in his first 12.1 innings. Not rated by MLB Pipeline, he’s expected to be a quick-moving reliever once he acclimates to the differences in domestic baseball versus the KBO.
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)