Miami Trims Spring Training Roster, Sending Several to Minor League Camp
The Miami Marlins are continuing to trim the list of players who might grab a roster spot prior to Opening Day.
The team today announced the reassignment of four players to minor league camp, with LHP Devin Smeltzer, C Will Banfield, INF Tristan Gray, and INF Javier Sanoja all being moved this morning.
Smeltzer's the most disappointing of the moves - the uber-talented lefty has struggled this spring, allowing eleven earned runs in his 7.2 innings, good for a 12.91 ERA. He's struck only five while walking six batters, and allowed three home runs.
Entering spring, there was some belief that the 28-year-old could have claimed a role in the Marlins bullpen, especially with the news of both A.J. Puk and Ryan Weathers potentially making the Opening Day rotation. But he just hasn't been able to build on 2022's success with Minnesota, where he pitched to a 3.71 ERA in 70.1 innings for the Twins. He'll be assigned to AAA Jacksonville to start the season.
Banfield, 24, was a longshot to make a roster that had two catchers in Christian Bethancourt and Nick Fortes and then also brought veteran Curt Casali to camp as a non-roster invitee. but he showed some good things this spring, going 6-15 and with more walks (2) than strikeouts (1).
The 27-year-old Gray got plenty of playing time this spring, appearing in fifteen games and hitting two home runs, but the defensive versatility of other options in Nick Gordon and Vidal Bruján and Gray's minor league option (both Gordon and Bruján have none) meant he'll start the season in Jacksonville. Any infield injury, though, and he has a shot to come up as a middle infield option.
While the youngster Sanoja wasn't expected to crack the Opening Day roster, he turned a lot of heads with his maturity and versatility in camp. The 21-year-old played shortstop, centerfield, and second base in camp and can play third base and the outfield corners, as well. Despite not putting up overwhelming numbers in Grapefruit League action - 4-16 with a double and two RBIs - Sanoja struck out only once and stole two bases, showing his future potential as a defense-and-contact utility man.
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)