The Marlins announced a slate of non-roster invitees to major league spring training Monday morning, and in doing so revealed that they’ve inked outfielder Albert Almora Jr. to a minor league contract.
Now 30 years old, Almora was once one of the top prospects in the game during his rise through the Cubs’ system. The No. 6 overall pick back in 2012, Almora spent the better part of a half decade dotting top-100 lists around the industry due to his combination of standout tools in high school and excellent grades for makeup, leadership and other intangible elements of the game. He tore through the lower minors and reached the big leagues as a 22-year-old for a 2016 Cubs team that went on to win the World Series. Almora was a bench player during that postseason run and didn’t collect a hit, but he still got into nine games as a late-inning defensive replacement thanks to his prowess in the outfield.
In 2016-17, Almora indeed looked ticketed for a prominent role in the Cubs’ future. He didn’t immediately break out as a star but posted a better-than-average .292/.330/.448 slash in the majors over 440 plate appearances between those two seasons — his age-22 and age-23 campaigns. Even in 2018, when his offense (namely, his power output) took a step back, Almora hit .286/.323/.378 and drew flat-out elite defensive grades in center field (12 Defensive Runs Saved and 12 Outs Above Average alike). His bat tanked in 2019, however, and he hasn’t returned to even a semi-regular MLB role since.
Almora hit just .236/.271/.381 during 2019, which is even more anemic when considering that was the year of a clearly juiced MLB ball. By measure of wRC+, he was 38% worse than an average hitter that season. From 2019-22, Almora has posted a .219/.265/.344 slash in 686 trips to the plate at the MLB level.
Almora didn’t play at all during the 2023 season but spent the 2024 campaign with the Diamondbacks’ Triple-A affiliate, slashing .292/.349/.438 (97 wRC+) with nine homers and 20 steals in 576 plate appearances. His 7.3% walk rate was below average, but his 14.1% strikeout rate demonstrated that his consistently excellent contact skills remain intact.
Miami has next to no certainty in its outfield mix, where Jesus Sanchez, Kyle Stowers, Derek Hill, Griffin Conine, Dane Myers and Victor Mesa Jr. are the only outfielders on the 40-man roster. Sanchez is the only one who’s established himself at all in the majors, but he’s a corner bat with roughly average offense. Almora will have to play his way into a roster spot, but given the dearth of center field options on the 40-man roster, he’ll garner some consideration if he shows well in spring or in Jacksonville early in the season.
He hit a foul ball that injured a fan. Never was able to find his bat again.
That was horrible for the kid and family and you could tell it was traumatic for Almora. That was one of the last incidents before they mandated the expanded netting, if I remember correctly.
BigBopper: That foul ball is what instituted the netting around each ball park. Almora was in tears, devastated about what that inadvertent foul ball did to that girl.
That foul ball at Minute Maid Park is the first thing I think of when I see Albert Almora Jr’s name too
Yeah, me too. Wish it could more associated with scoring the tie breaking run in the WS but it is what it is. He was never the same hitter after that.
First thing I think of is him scoring the go ahead run in the top of the 10th in Game 7 (obvious Cubs fan here). But yea… second is that for sure!
Whenever I see a post about AAjr, this comment always comes up. He was a poor hitter before the incident, was on a micro hot streak at the time of the incident, then continued his cold hitting since. A tragic, gruesome moment for sure, but to think it ruined his career is incorrect; it punctuated it.
I always wondered what happened to him. I liked him for awhile. Then poof he just faded away. He could be a diamond in the rough if he figures out ML pitching. Good luck Albert.
Had it not been for a very smart and sweet bit of base running, they quite possibly could have still been looking to break that curse! Good luck to you Albert!!
Some other obscure and forgotten players who should get at least a depth contract are Socrates Brito, Dwight Smith Jr., and Bobby Bradley. I would throw Austin Dean in there, but he resigned overseas.
Albert Almora will forever be part of Cubs lore for helping break the curse in 2016, good luck in Miami!
He tagged up and took 2nd base on a fly out in the 10th inning–not many base runners would have been able to do that. That prompted Cleveland to walk Rizzo, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Forever a Cub, forever a Champion. Chicago still loves you , Albert. Good memories.
He’s from Hialeah. Maybe some home cooking will bring him more time in the Bigs. He’s very close to 5 years service time. He may be able to outshine Derek Hill, but I think Dane Myers should have the measure of him.
@UKPhil
Agree with you about Myers. IMO, the CF starting job is his to lose.
The starting lineup that the Marlins will field on opening day is an absolute embarrassment. On top of that, any of their pitchers that have some early success will surely be traded by the deadline.
They are one of the headline teams for the “not even trying” label.