The Marlins will get Jesús Sánchez reps in center field this spring, manager Clayton McCullough said this morning (relayed by Isaac Azout of Fish on First). The 27-year-old still projects as Miami’s right fielder on most days but could see some action in center if he shows well in camp.
“We think he’s more than athletic enough, he’s done it in the past and he’s graded out well as an outfielder. To us, there’s no downside to do this in Spring Training,” McCullough said. The first-year skipper noted that he expects Dane Myers and Derek Hill to combine for the majority of playing time up the middle, though Sánchez could seemingly also factor in there.
Sánchez started nearly half of Miami’s games in center field back in 2022. He has moved almost exclusively to the corner outfield since then. He logged 58 innings in center two seasons ago and didn’t play there at all last year. Sánchez has primarily played right field while picking up a handful of starts in left.
The defensive grades have been solid, if unexceptional. Sánchez has graded as a league average defender by Statcast’s metrics in every season of his career. Defensive Runs Saved has been slightly more bullish on his corner outfield work, typically rating him a little better than average. DRS has graded him nine runs above average in over 3100 career innings. Both metrics felt his 2022 center field work was close to neutral.
Sánchez has average speed with good arm strength. He’s better suited for right field but probably athletic enough to play center on a part-time basis. Myers and Hill are each faster and better all-around athletes. They should provide better defense up the middle, but neither has much of an MLB track record. Myers, 29 next month, has a decent .265/.315/.407 slash over 66 career games. He has struck out in more than 30% of his plate appearances with a middling 5.6% walk rate. The 29-year-old Hill has hit .233/.276/.353 over parts of five MLB seasons.
Somewhat remarkably, the 27-year-old Sánchez is the most experienced hitter on Miami’s roster. He’s the only Marlins position player with over three years of service time. The former top prospect has settled in as a capable regular in right field. He has hit between 13 and 18 home runs in each of the last four seasons. He’s coming off a .252/.313/.417 showing that more or less aligns with his league average .240/.308/.428 career batting line.
The Marlins will have Sánchez in the everyday lineup somewhere in the outfield, most frequently in right. He could find himself on the move at the deadline. His $4.5MM arbitration salary makes him the second-highest paid player on the team behind Sandy Alcantara (not including the $17MM still owed to released outfielder Avisaíl García). He’s under club control for three seasons but could wind up as a non-tender candidate in a year or two as his projected salaries continue to climb. It stands to reason that the Marlins would be comfortable moving him if they find decent interest over the summer. Sánchez would be a slightly more valuable trade piece if he shows he’s an adequate center fielder, as that’d position him for a potential fourth outfield role on a contender.
Showcasing him for the Astros… hopefully
Isn’t his live series cards’ speed like 50 something in The Show?
I’m just waiting for Sanchez to finally get consistent contact and hit 30 homers and get traded
Agreed. The guy kills the ball. I think a major break out is still possible on a better team.
“His $4.5MM arbitration salary makes him the second-highest paid player on the team”
That’s a laughable indictment of Miami’s payroll. The PA should be all the way up Miami’s hind quarters about their spending.
They may as well just hang a sign outside the stadium saying we’re just here for the revenue sharing checks.
On most teams he’s a 4th OFer.
Well, Jesús is a career .785 OPS vs righties, in contrast to .530 vs lefties. If he could reach somehow a .600ish OPS against lefties, you’d have a solid regular.
I don’t think he’s a 4th OF, but he is a large-portion platoon corner OF in a good team, which is different.
I think this is his make-it-or-break-it year. His power is undeniable, he just needs to make better decisions at the plate.
I’m not sure if there are any Marlins fans, but I feel so bad for them. The worst team in the NL year in and year out, with no effort to get any better or spend money. Whoever is the owner needs to sell the team, such a worthless existence.
Loria took your advice and made a massive profit on his investment, at the partial expense of MIA taxpayers and nothing to show for it, except at the hideous CF sculpture that they had removed. Feels like MLB continually allows owners that are deceptive and prey about their guests, but he’s far from the only one, unfortunately.
The Marlins have the same amount of WS rings as your Astros do, Rocker49…
If Sanchez started in half a season’s worth of games just a couple seasons ago — and didn’t embarrass himself while doing it — why is this a big deal that he’s working out there in Spring Training?
Because of the last sentence of the article. More desirable as a trade candidate if he can play CF now
He’s on the rise! Very solid player