Miami Marlins lose one prospect in MLB’s Rule 5 Draft

For the first time in seven years, the Miami Marlins did not select a player in the MLB phase of the Rule 5 Draft, which allows teams to pluck certain prospects from other organizations who are not on a team’s 40-man roster.

The Marlins did, however, lose one of their own.

The Washington Nationals picked shortstop Nasim Nunez with the fifth overall pick in the Rule 5 Draft on Wednesday, held in Nashville during the league’s annual winter meetings.

Nunez, ranked as Miami’s No. 9 prospect by Baseball America and No. 16 by MLB Pipeline, was the Marlins’ second-round pick in 2019 out of Suwanee (Georgia) Collins Hill High and is known for his slick defense and speed.

He has 183 stolen bases through four minor-league seasons, 122 of which have come during the past two seasons. In 2023, he only hit .224 through 125 games with Double A Pensacola but had a .341 on-base percentage thanks to his 87 walks and hit five home runs. He stole 52 bases while being caught just seven times.

Nunez was the MVP of the All-Star Futures Game this season after hitting a three-run double and being part of turning the game-ending double play. The 23-year-old also participated in the Arizona Fall League after the season ended.

While the Marlins lost Nunez, there has to be a sigh of relief knowing that one of their other top unprotected prospects in first baseman Troy Johnston went unselected for a second consecutive year.

Johnston led all of minor-league baseball in 2023 with 116 RBI while also hitting .307 with a .948 OPS, 26 home runs, 102 runs scored and 24 stolen bases through 134 games split between Double A Pensacola (83 games) and Triple A Jacksonville (51 games). He safely reached base in 46 of his 51 games played with Jacksonville.

Johnston, 26, seems poised to get a crack to make the Marlins’ roster in spring training considering how he played in the minors last season and the Marlins’ current first base situation. Josh Bell is the Marlins’ primary option to play first base right now. Second baseman Luis Arraez can also play there if needed. The Marlins also have an opening in the lineup at designated hitter with Jorge Soler testing the free agent market.

Not selecting a player in MLB phase

The last time the Marlins did not pick a player in the MLB phase of the Rule 5 Draft when one was held was 2016.

(A note: There was no MLB Phase of the Rule 5 Draft in 2021 due to the league lockout while MLB and the MLB Players Association worked out a new collective bargaining agreement.)

Players who are not on a team’s 40-man roster and been in professional baseball for at least four years (five if he was 18 years old or younger when he signed his first contract) are eligible to be selected. Players selected in the Rule 5 draft must remain on a team’s active roster for the duration of the next season. Teams are paid $100,000 if one of their players is drafted.

The list of players the Marlins selected in that span: Right-handed pitcher Nic Enright in 2022, right-handed pitcher Paul Campbell in 2020 (in addition to trading for right-handed pitcher Zach Pop shortly after he was selected in the Rule 5 Draft), right-handed pitcher Sterling Sharp in 2019, right-handed pitcher Riley Ferrell in 2018, and right-handed pitchers Elieser Hernandez and Brett Graves in 2017.

Marlins select five in minor-league phase

While the Marlins did not select a player in the MLB phase of the Rule 5 Draft, they did pick up five players in the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 Draft.

Those five:

▪ Yeral Martinez, a 21-year-old outfielder who posted a .727 OPS and 42 RBI in 86 games for the Mets’ Single A affiliate last season.

▪ Marty Costes, a 27-year-old who has played 154 games at the Triple A level in the Houston Astros organization over the past three seasons.

▪ Sean Roby, a 25-year-old third baseman and former 12th-round pick by the San Francisco Giants who has reached Double A.

▪ Adam Laskey, a 25-year-old left-handed pitcher who has struck out 166 over 149 career innings in three minor-league seasons in the Cubs organization but has played just five of 91 games above High A.

▪ Julio Dilone, a 23-year-old right-handed pitcher from the Mariners organization who has played just four games above rookie-level.