Another top Marlins prospect makes his MLB debut. And what Miami wants Jesus Sanchez to improve

Another top Miami Marlins prospect has made his MLB debut.

The latest to join the club this season: Outfielder Peyton Burdick, ranked as the No. 8 overall prospect in Miami’s system by Baseball America and No. 10 by MLB Pipeline. He started in left field on Friday in Miami’s 2-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

And while Burdick finished 0 for 3 with three strikeouts and a walk, his plate discipline was on display in a way the box score doesn’t show.

Over his four plate appearances, Burdick saw 26 pitches from Cubs pitchers. This included a nine-pitch at-bat during his second strikeout and eight pitches during his walk in the eighth inning.

“He’s been working to close some holes in his swing,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said.

Burdick has been a fast riser in the Marlins’ system since being picked in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Wright State University. He’s a career .248 hitter in the minor leagues with 48 home runs, 55 doubles, 10 triples, 168 RBI and 70 runs scored.

He struggled early this year with the Triple A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, but hit .253 with 11 extra-base hits (four doubles, one triple, six home runs) and 20 RBI since the start of July.

“We made adjustments,” Burdick said, “and I feel pretty confident in myself.”

He is the fourth player ranked among the Marlins’ top-30 prospects to make his debut this season, joining 2019 first-round pick JJ Bleday, 2020 first-round pick Max Meyer and outfielder Jerar Encarnacion.

Sanchez optioned

The Marlins optioned outfielder Jesus Sanchez to Triple A Jacksonville in order to get Burdick on the active roster.

Sanchez began the season as the Marlins’ starting center fielder and had a great start to the season offensively, hitting .282 with an .839 on-base-plus slugging percentage mark in April.

After that, he had just a .181 batting average with 63 strikeouts over 247 plate appearances.

“Really,” Mattingly said, “we wanted to give him time to straight up be able to game plan. You can’t just react up here. If you do, you’re going to get beat up.”

Mattingly points to the Marlins’ first series against the Atlanta Braves at the end of his April run that started his struggles.

“Teams started getting him out a certain way,” Mattingly said. “He never made any changes at all.”

He’ll now have the chance to reset in the minor leagues.

Injury updates

▪ Third baseman/outfielder Brian Anderson (left shoulder), utility player Jon Berti (groin) and right-handed relief pitcher Cole Sulser (right lat) are scheduled to begin rehab assignments with Triple A Jacksonville this weekend.

▪ Second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (stress fracture in lower back) and outfielder Jorge Soler (back spasms) continue their rehab progression in Jupiter.

▪ Right-handed pitcher Sixto Sanchez (right shoulder) is scheduled to throw two innings of live batting practice Saturday in Jupiter.

▪ Elieser Hernandez threw one scoreless inning with the Single A Jupiter Hammerheads on Thursday in his first rehab assignment outing. His next game appearance is to be determined.