Miami Marlins’ director of amateur scouting out as front-office shakeup continues

More shakeup is happening in the Miami Marlins’ front office.

The latest person to be let go, according to sources: Director of amateur scouting D.J. Svihlik, who has been with the organization since November 2017 and been in this role since June 2018. Svihlik did not have his contract renewed.

Marlins principal owner Bruce Sherman has begun the organization’s search for president of baseball operations to replace general manager Kim Ng, who left the organization Monday. That person will hire Svihlik’s replacement.

One of the contrasts in visions between Sherman and Ng, according to a source, is Sherman wanted to replace Svihlik because the Marlins’ draft hasn’t produced much with position players. Ng wanted to keep him.

As the Miami Herald reported this week, Marlins ownership was not happy with the organization’s progress with player development and drafting.

Only two players on the Marlins’ playoff roster were drafted by Miami since 2018: Catcher Nick Fortes (fourth-round pick in 2018) and left-handed pitcher Andrew Nardi (16th-round pick in 2019).

Right-handed pitcher Max Meyer (first-round pick in 2020) made his MLB debut in 2022 but missed the 2023 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Right-handed pitcher Bryan Hoeing (seventh-round pick in 2019) also played a role in the Marlins’ bullpen this season but was left off the team’s roster for the wild card series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

It should be noted that Ng traded many of Svihlik’s higher-round picks in deals that bolstered the big-league roster. Among them:

▪ 2021 first-round pick Kahlil Watson at the trade deadline this year to the Cleveland Guardians for first baseman Josh Bell.

▪ 2019 first-round pick JJ Bleday last offseason to the Oakland Athletics for left-handed reliever A.J. Puk, who is under team control for three more seasons.

▪ 2022 fourth-round pick Marcus Johnson (along with international free agent signing Santiago Suarez) last offseason to the Tampa Bay Rays for utility player Xavier Edwards and right-handed pitcher JT Chargois.

▪ 2020 second-round pick Jake Eder at the trade deadline to the Chicago White Sox for third baseman Jake Burger, who is under team control for five more seasons.

▪ 2020 competitive balance selection Kyle Nicolas and 2018 first-round pick Connor Scott to the Pittsburgh Pirates ahead of the 2022 season for catcher Jacob Stallings.

▪ 2019 competitive balance pick Kameron Misner to the Tampa Bay Rays ahead of the 2022 season for shortstop Joey Wendle.

▪ 2021 fifth-round pick Brady Allen to the Detroit Tigers early in the 2023 season for outfielder Jonathan Davis to fill a center field void when Jazz Chisholm Jr. was sidelined with turf toe.

▪ 2020 fifth-round pick Kyle Hurt to the Los Angeles Dodgers ahead of the 2021 season for right-handed pitcher Dylan Floro.

▪ 2019 fourth-round pick Evan Edwards to the Rays ahead of the 2021 season for right-handed pitcher John Curtiss.