A look at the Marlins’ Futures Game representatives and their rise through Miami’s system
The bulk of the attention for MLB’s All-Star Week, understandably, will be the two marquee events: the Home Run Derby on July 10 and the actual All-Star Game itself on July 11.
But before both of those events take place, a hand-picked group of baseball’s top prospects will take the field at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park on Saturday for the All-Star Futures Game.
Included in that group of 50 players are two Miami Marlins prospects in shortstop Nasim Nunez and left-handed pitcher Patrick Monteverde, the Nos. 20 and 28 prospects respectively in Miami’s system according to MLB Pipeline.
The duo are teammates on the Double A Pensacola Blue Wahoos, but the two are at different stages of their professional careers. Nunez, a second-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, is in his fifth season in the Marlins organization and his fourth season of pro ball (the 2020 minor-league season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic). Monteverde, an eighth-round pick in 2021, is in Year 3.
Both have impressed this season.
Nunez, known for his top-notch defense and speed on the basepaths, has 33 stolen bases in 36 opportunities and leads the Blue Wahoos with 48 walks while also ranking second on the team 46 runs scored. And while Nunez isn’t known for his power, he does have a career-high four home runs already this season after logging just two in his first three seasons combined. He also has six doubles, two triples and 28 RBI while helping turn 36 double plays on defense.
Monteverde, meanwhile, has been arguably the Marlins’ biggest surprise among its pitcher prospects this season. He leads the Southern League in wins (eight), ERA (1.93), batting average against (.185), and walks and hits per inning pitched (0.99) while throwing the second-most innings (74 2/3). He has 84 strikeouts against 26 walks and has allowed just four home runs over 287 batters faced. Seven of his 13 starts have been quality starts, defined as pitching at least six innings while allowing no more than three earned runs.
The crafty lefty doesn’t wow with velocity — his fastballs sits between 89-92 mph — but Monteverde has solid command and sequencing that keeps hitters at bay. His four-seam fastball gets him ahead in counts, while his two-seam fastball induces swings and misses and groundballs. He also has a changeup and a slider, both in the low 80s, that he uses to mix things up as well.
The seven-inning Futures Game, now in its 24th season, will be played in a National League vs. American League format and will air exclusively on Peacock and SiriusXM starting at 7 p.m. Saturday. MLB Network is co-producing the telecast with Dave Sims (play-by-play), Yonder Alonso (analyst), Jonathan Mayo (analyst), Siera Santos (reporter) and Caroline Pineda (reporter) on the call.
Latest on Jake Eder
Left-handed pitcher Jake Eder, Miami’s No. 4 prospect, made his second start with Double A Pensacola since his return from Tommy John surgery. Eder pitched five innings of two-run ball on Friday, giving up just four hits and two walks while striking out seven.
It’s the deepest into a game he has pitched in five total starts this season (Eder’s first three were with Single A Jupiter) and the most strikeouts he has logged in an outing, too.
June standouts
▪ Triple A Jacksonville: Outfielder Dane Myers (.426 average, 1.135 OPS, five home runs, 20 RBI, 13 runs scored in 18 games); utility player Xavier Edwards (.348 average, two doubles, two home runs, five stolen bases, 11 RBI, 15 runs scored in 22 games); left-handed pitcher Robert Garcia (1.69 ERA, 13 strikeouts against four walks, .182 batting average against, 1 for 1 in save opportunities over seven relief appearances)
▪ Double A Pensacola: Outfielder Griffin Conine (.305 average, 1.036 OPS, eight home runs, 24 RBI, 17 runs scored in 23 games); catcher Will Banfield (.301 average, .891 OPS, five home runs, 15 RBI, 16 runs scored in 19 games); infielder Troy Johnston (.274 average, .847 OPS, four home runs, 19 RBI, 20 runs scored in 22 games); left-handed pitcher Jefry Yan (1.13 ERA, 14 strikeouts against three walks in eight innings over seven relief appearances)
▪ High A Beloit: Infielder Jacob Berry (.287 average, .805 OPS, six doubles, three triples, one home run, 15 RBI, nine runs scored in 25 games); infielder Zach Zubia (.405 average, 1.162 OPS, three home runs, 10 RBI, eight runs scored in 15 games)
▪ Single A Jupiter: Outfielder Brett Roberts (.351 average, .841 OPS, four doubles, three triples, 12 RBI, 19 runs scored in 24 games); infielder Javier Sanoja (.350 average, .827 OPS, four doubles, three triples, 16 RBI, 11 runs scored, seven stolen bases in 25 games).
▪ FCL Marlins: Infielder Marco Vargas (.388 average, 1.016 OPS, nine doubles, two home runs, 12 RBI, 20 runs scored, five stolen bases in 19 games); infielder Jesus Hernandez (.305 average, .845 OPS, five doubles, eight RBI, 12 runs scored in 18 games)
▪ Dominican Summer League: Infielder Cherif Neymour (.357 average, 1.019 OPS, three doubles, one triple, one home run, six RBI, eight stolen bases in 12 games); outfielder Jancory De La Cruz (.290 average, .952 OPS, four doubles, two triples, two home runs, 13 RBI in 18 games).
