Florida Marlins: Draft Review

General Manager: Michael Hill
Farm Director: Brian Chattin
Scouting Director: Stan Meek

2006-2009 Draft Results:
First three rounds included
x- over-slot signees ($200,000 or more)

2009 1st Round: Chad James, LHP, Oklahoma HS
2. Bryan Berglund, RHP, California HS
3. Marquise Cooper, OF, California HS

The draft spending was kept in check in ’09. The club still nabbed a couple of interesting arms in the first two rounds in James and Berglund. The former player saw his stock rise quite a bit during the prep season and his fastball jumped into the low 90s, while he already featured a good, if not plus, curveball. James did not make an appearance in pro ball after signing and he should begin his career in extended spring training and then, likely, rookie ball. Berglund also did not make his debut in ’09 and, like James, his stock rose quite a bit during his senior year of high school. His fastball crept into the low-90s, but it has yet to remain there with an consistency.

Cooper is a raw athlete, who played both baseball and football in high school. He hit .193/.317/.259 in 140 at-bats. Just 5’9”, power will likely never be his game (.057 ISO), but he does have speed to burn despite getting caught stealing four times in 10 attempts.

2008 1st Round: Kyle Skipworth, C, California high school
2. Brad Hand, LHP, Minnesota HS
3. Edgar Olmos, LHP, California HS
8x – Isaac Galloway, OF, California HS

Skipworth has been a disappointment. He hit just .208/.263/.348 for an ugly wOBA of .278 in 264 at-bats in low-A ball in ’09. His strikeout rate was an alarming 34.5%. The catcher also threw out just 20% of base runners. The good news: He’s still just 19.

Hand had a nice debut but he struggled a bit in his first full season by allowing 130 hits in 127.2 innings. His walk rate also jumped to 4.65 BB/9. On the positive side, he posted a good strikeout rate at 8.60 K/9 and his ground-ball rate was just shy of 50%. Injuries have prevented Olmos from realizing his potential. The 19 year old has appeared in just four starts since signing in ’08. In those 10.2 innings, though, he’s allowed just six hits with 14 strikeouts.

Galloway sneaks onto the Top 10 list due to his potential and an overall lack of depth in the system. Daniel Jennings (9th round) could prove to be a useful bullpen arm and he reached double-A in ’09.

2007 1st Round: Matt Dominguez, 3B, California high school
2. Mike Stanton, OF, California HS
3. Jameson Smith, C, California CC

The club scored some good value in this draft with both Dominguez and Stanton showing up on the Top 10 list. Fourth rounder Bryan Petersen, an outfielder, also made the list. Smith reached high-A in ’09 but he hit just .243/.333/.318 in 148 at-bats. He has shown little power (.074 ISO) and his strikeout rate is still too high despite hitting a career low this past season of 21.6%.

2006 1st Round: Brett Sinkbeil, RHP, Missouri State
1S. Chris Coghlan, IF/OF, Mississippi
2. Tom Hickman, OF, Georgia HS
3. Torre Langley, C, Georgia HS
3. Scott Cousins, OF, San Francisco

Sinkbeil has been a disappointment and still posted a 6.15 ERA in ’09 despite moving to the bullpen in triple-A. He allowed 106 hits in 82.0 innings of work. He also had a walk rate of 4.83 BB/9 and a strikeout rate of 5.60 K/9. On the plus side, the club made up for that pick with the addition of Coghlan, the National League’s Rookie of the Year. Eventually, though, he’ll under-perform for a left-fielder and is much better suited to second base once the club can shed Dan Uggla’s contract.

Cousins has out-performed both players and squeaked onto the Top 10 list.

Hickman has yet to show much life with the bat, mainly due to his perennial +30% strikeout rate. Langley hit just .223/.261/.391 in 229 low-A at-bats in ’09 and did himself no favors with a walk rate of 4.6%. If he can show a little more control, Jay Buente (14th round) could see some time in middle relief in the Majors, thanks to his good strikeout rate (8.26 K/9) and ground-ball rate (54%). He has a low-90s fastball and a splitter.

Up Next: The Florida Marlins Top 10 Prospects