24. Chris Leroux

24. Chris Leroux -RHP - 6'6 - 210lbs
(last year: 28)

Chris Leroux was drafted in the 7th round of the pitcher-heavy 2005 draft. He was the 8th pitcher taken by the Marlins that year, and he was signed for $152,000. Even though he was an easy sign out of Winthrop University, Chris didn’t throw a pitch for the Marlins until 2006. Midway through his final season at Winthrop, he underwent Tommy John surgery and only threw 24.1 innings for the Eagles. Even though he was older than most of his future teammates in that draft, he would not be on the fast track because of how raw a pitcher he was.

In college, Leroux was actually a two way player, catching on days he didn’t pitch. In 2004, Chris hit .288/.382/.407 with 3 homeruns in 118 at bats. Even though he was considered a strong defensive catcher, the Marlins decided to make him a full time pitcher. In his final season at Winthrop, Leroux went 2-0 with a 3.70era and a 1.17whip in those 24.1 innings. In 2006, Chris got into 11 games between rookie ball, Jamestown and Greensboro, finishing with a 0-4 record and a 6.19era in 32 innings of work. That would be the last time he would be pitching as a starter.

Before the 2007 season, the Marlins turned him into a reliever, believing it would be better for him to throw an inning or two every other day or so, than try and go 6-7 innings deep every 5th day. The 6′6 Canadian throws a mid 90s fastball with an emerging slider. Because of how tall he is, along with his release point, the ball catches up to opposing batter very quickly. Back to full strength in 2007, Chris went 2-3 with a 4.14era and a 1.41whip in 71.2 innings out of the pen. He struck out 76 while walking 29. His 3.64 walks per 9 were the lowest he had since his high school days, while his strikeouts were on the rise too.

2008 was a bit of a breakout season for Leroux. He threw 74 innings in Jupiter, giving up just 60 hits while walking 26 and striking out 78. Opposing Florida State League batters hit just .225 against him, including just .208 after the All-Star break. Chris will be 25 in 2009 and will be a key member of the Jacksonville Suns bullpen. He is totally recovered from TJ Surgery and will be placed one of the first arms the Marlins look to if there is injury in the major league bullpen as he is now on the 40 man roster. Many believe he will make an above average closer, especially if his changeup improves over the next year or so. Leroux is definitely someone to keep an eye on in 2009 and could make an impact on the big league roster late in the season.

25. Jacob Marceaux

25. Jacob Marceaux -RHP - 6'1 - 195lbs
(last year: 20)

In 2005, the Marlins took 5 pitchers in the first 44 overall picks. The only college pitcher of the five, Jacob Marceaux, is the one who has shown the least. He had a terrible pro debut between Jamestown and Greensboro where he went 3-8 with a 7.56era and a 1.77whip in 66.2 innings. Still with a four pitch arsenal, he was rated pretty high by scouts and Baseball America alike.

All of his numbers improved from Greensboro to Jupiter in 2006, including dropping his whip from 2.49 to 1.40 and improving his k/9 from 5.49 to 6.14. His fastball sits at the 88-92 range, but his problem early on was overthrowing. The Marlins blame themselves for his early struggles because they made an adjustment to his delivery, which made him close his front side. After months of struggles, they told him to go back to his old form and his numbers showed much improvement in his second year.

The 2007 season was yet another filled with struggles for Marceaux. He suffered an arm injury and only was able to record 40 innings of work. Of note was the fact he was used only as a reliever that season as that is what many believe best suits him. His numbers declined from 2006 to 2007 because of his lack of command. He was walking nearly 6 per 9. He didn't give up a homerun, and opposing batters hit just .238 off of him. So he was still missing bats and making hitters pound the ball into the dirt. Jacob had a stint in the Arizona Fall League to end the year and while is era was down to 4.38, his walks and hits allowed were still up in his 17.1 innings of work.

This season in Carolina was much of the same for Jacob. He was unhittable again but he walked just about as many as he struck out.All four of his pitches have been graded out as + pitches at some point. To go along with his fastball, he has a mid 80s slider, a mid 70s spike curveball and a changeup. Marceaux will join many of his former Mudcats teammates in New Orleans. His prospect status hinges directly on his control of the four pitches.

26. Thomas Hickman

26. Thomas Hickman - Outfield - 6'1 - 180lbs - Throws: Left - Bats: Left
(last year: 27)

With the 63rd overall pick in the 2006 draft, the Marlins selected outfielder Thomas Hickman. A two way player in high school, the Marlins decided he was more projectable as a hitter, so pitching was quickly scrapped from his resume. Like many left handed hitters, he has a smooth stroke and allows ball to travel deep before centering them. His first 175 professional at bats with the Gulf Coast League Marlins were promising as he hit .263/.377/.411. After that season, some in the Marlins organization began calling him "Baby Hermida” because of his swing and good eye at the plate.

Signing for $575,000 out of Pepperell HS in Georgia, Hickman hit .183/.278/.256 in 164 at bats while in short season Jamestown. On the one hand, he again showed a strong walk rate; on the other hand, he also struck out at an astronomical pace. Making any kind of contact was an issue for Thomas, and when he did get a hit, rarely did he provide any power. Not blessed with blazing speed, he’ll be relegated to one of the corner outfield spots, although he has good instincts. Because of his strong arm, to go along with promising power, he could develop into a real good right fielder. These things were also said about the Marlins current right fielder, Jeremy Hermida. Of note in his season in Greensboro this year, his OPS improved every month, culminating in a .872 August. He also managed to have a .250 increase in OPS (.897) with runners on base as opposed to the bases empty in just about the same amount of at bats.

Because of his youth and his walk rate, there is still a bit of promise for Hickman as scouts believe as he matures and gains more muscle, he will show significant gap and homerun power. He has a good confidence about him and the Marlins love his makeup. Many believe he will be a prototype 2 hole hitter in the majors, but he needs to make better contact. Just 21 years old, Thomas should spend the season in high-A Jupiter in 2009.

27. Chris Mobley

27. Chris Mobley -RHP - 5'11 - 170lbs
(last year: 45)

After a fantastic 2005 season in Greensboro, the Marlins brass had Chris skip over high-A Jupiter, and put him right into the fire at Double-A Carolina. Mobley had a solid, albeit not stellar 2006 campaign for the Mudcats. The former 22nd round pick out of Middle Tennessee State struggled with his whip all season, finally ending up with a 1.50. He spent the majority of his 2007 season in Carolina, but did see some time in both Jupiter and Carolina. Mobley's second stint in Carolina was definitely a step down from his first season there as his era, hits/9 and whip went up, while his k/9 went down.

One thing he did improve on is that his walks went down, and that is something he had planned on working on in 2007. In 2006, lefties absolutely abused him to a tune of .288/.394/.500 off him in 20 innings of work. In 2007 in Carolina, lefties hit .333/.385/.500. Lefties continued to punish him in 2008 to a tune of .322. Maybe he’s just a ROOGY. Even with his struggles against left-handed hitters, Mobley was dominant all season long in the Southern League. Opposing batters hit just .224 off him and his 1.10whip was a big improvement from his 1.55whip of 2007 in Carolina.

His bread and butter pitch is his slider, but if he has no control of it, opposing hitters will punish is average fastball. most relievers, they need to have two good pitches to get hitters out. At this point, Mobley's slider is considered a plus pitch but his fastball is still quite hittable. It will be his changeup that will be the difference maker if he is to be a quality arm in a major league bullpen. He will now be pitching with an even bigger chip on his shoulder after not being added to the 40 man roster, and then being passed over by every team in the Rule 5 draft. Chris should open the season as New Orleans’ closer.

28. Kyle Kaminska

28. Kyle Kaminska -RHP - 6'4 - 185lbs
(last year: NR)

The Marlins drafted Kyle Kaminska out of Naperville Central High School in Illinois in the 25^th round of the 2007 draft. He fell so far in the draft because most believed he would be tough to lure away from his commitment to Michigan State. The Marlins got him to sign for $120,000. In his first action as a pro, Kaminska was dominant for the Gulf Coast League Marlins. He threw 19 innings of work, allowing 18 hits, walking 4 and striking out 14 in limited duty.

Kyle has a projectable body at 6’4, 185lbs and his clean arm actions allows him the ability to throw his three pitches for strikes. Some have said he throws too many strikes. He’s comfortable throwing his fastball in the 88-91mph range, while keeping his slider in the low 80s. He could never quite get into a groove all season long and because of how much throwing he was doing; his fastball was in the 86-87mph range to end the season. In his last 45.1 innings to end the year, he gave up 70 hits.

Because of his age and struggles, there is a great chance Kaminska returns to Greensboro and pitches there before seeing Jupiter late in the year if warranted. He needs to learn to throw inside more and also needs to learn its ok to go outside of the strikezone as well. As he gets older and matures this should come naturally to him. He’s got a lot of upside to him, he just needs to throw the ball in the dirt now and again.

29. Dallas Trahern

29. Dallas Trahern -RHP - 6'3 - 190lbs
(last year: 16)

Dallas Trahern was left until the 34th round of the 2004 drafted because teams believed he was going to play ball at the University of Oklahoma. With Sooners pitching coach Ray Hayward being fired, and $160,000 on the table from the Tigers, Dallas decided to go pro. He was a bit unlucky in 2006 as he was in the top 10 in the Florida State League in ERA but also in most losses. 2007 was a bit of a step back for Trahern in AA Erie. His ERA went up, along with his hits allowed, walks, homeruns and whip. His strikeouts decreased as well.

Trahern’s best pitch is a low-90s sinker that he has shown he can throw for strikes. Hitters have trouble lifting it, as evidenced by his 3.3 ground/fly ratio in high Class A. His slider is an average pitch but he uses it to his advantage to help get more groundball outs. He is quite athletic and his delivery is repeatable. When his sinker ball is on, he can be unhittable. His changeup needs to keep improving though as lefties have hit .289, .301, and .310 against him the last three seasons. As good as his stuff is, it’s hard to believe he’s not a bigger strikeout pitcher.

He's in an interesting spot heading into the 2009 season. At just 23, he'll be in the starting rotation out in AAA New Orleans. Trahern was absolutely horrible in 2009 in Albuquerque and perhaps a new venue to call home will give him more confidence in his sinker. The lack of elevation will actually allow his sinker to have that downward boring motion that scouts are used to seeing. Dallas will be one of the first to get a look at the bigs if there is injury to the Fireballing Five.

30. Blake Brewer

30. Blake Brewer -RHP - 6'5 - 177lbs
(last year: NR)

The Marlins believe they got quite the steal when they selected right handed pitcher Blake Brewer in the 11^th round of the 2008 amateur draft. The lanky righty fell so far in the draft because most teams deemed him unsignable, as he was committed to playing baseball at the University of Kentucky. He comes from a good baseball family, as his brother Brent plays in the Milwaukee organization.

He would eventually sign for $150,000 before being sent to extended spring training and the Gulf Coast League Marlins. The 6’5 right hander dominated in 7 outings (4 starts) in the GCL, giving up just 15 hits in 25 innings. He walked 13, struck out 32 and held GCL batters to a .172baa. Brewer is a projection-pitcher with a long, loose and easy arm action and a present 87-90 mph fastball. His mid-70s curveball gets proper rotation and occasional hard spin and it has the potential to be a strike out pitch in the future. Like many 18 year olds, his changeup needs work to make it a viable secondary pitch.

Brewer should see time in both Jamestown and Greensboro this season.

31. Greg Burns

31. Greg Burns - Outfield - 6'2 - 185lbs - Throws: Left - Bats: Left
(last year: 22)

It’s hard to believe, but Greg Burns is going to be just 22 and there is a good chance that he is the starting center fielder in Double-A Carolina in 2009. He’s been talked about by scouts since signing as a 17 year old a few years ago. Still as of now, Greg still hasn’t put together that break out campaign but some believe Carolina may be his launching pad into being that lead-off prospect many believe he will someday be.

Burns finally showed some of what scouts have been talking about since he was drafted a few years ago. He set career highs in batting average, obp, slg, ops, rbi, sb, walks, hits, doubles, and homeruns. He definitely showed some maturation as he left his teen years behind. One that that went up which was a bad thing was that his strikeout rate increased a little. His 122 strikeouts were 13 more than his previous high. In 2008, his strikeouts would again increase to a staggering 143.

The Marlins drafted Greg with the 98th overall pick (3rd round) of the 2004 amateur draft. He was signed for $395,000 and was quickly compared to a young Kenny Lofton but with more gap power. His speed was graded an 80 on the 20/80 scale by all scouts, as he can get from home to first in a lighting fast 3.9 seconds. He has showed much improvement in his base-running since coming becoming a professional, stealing 73 bases in his last 91 attempts. He has worked on his jumps while trying to learn how to read pitcher’s movements better and the results have been positive.

At the plate, Burns has a real clean swing. He has very strong hands which tend to make some scouts believe he could develop into a 10-15 homerun guy down the line. Just out of his teens, he still has a projectable body and should gain some more strength to all fields as he matures. He is a very coachable player that just wants to keep getting better. It was suggested by Assistant GM Jim Fleming, for Greg to bring a 4×4 piece of wood with him into the batting cages to properly align his feet. He did that no questions asked. Not coincidentally, his numbers began to improve late in the year. In August of 2006, he hit .299/.379/.468 which helped him end his 2006 season on a high note. Definitely a positive in his career so far is his willingness to take a walk. Plate discipline is so hard to teach, and while he strikes out more than he should, him being able to take a walk certainly improves his prospect stock.

In the field, Burns is a plus defender out in centerfield. We all know about his tremendous speed, and because of that he has great range as well. Add in his good instincts, and he can get to any ball that stays in the park. He has a strong and accurate arm, even though he has a bit of a funky delivery. 2007 was a very big year in the development of Burns, while 2008 was a step in the wrong direction. He could start the year in either Carolina or Jupiter, depending on if the front office wants to challenge Burns further or believe he will need a second season in high-A ball.

32. Jesus Delgado

32. Jesus Delgado -RHP - 6'1 - 200lbs
(last year: 24)

Another arm acquired in the payroll slash a few years ago, Jesus Delgado was rated by Baseball America as one of the best pure arms in the Red Sox system. He was originally an outfielder in Boston’s organization. After pitching strictly out of the bullpen the two prior seasons, Delgado started in 16 of his 31 appearances. The object was to see if by stretching out his arm it would help to lower his walk rate but that was not the case as he walked just about his career average a 4.32 per 9. With Carolina in 2007, he went 5-7 with a 4.80era and a 1.52whip in 93.2ip.

Delgado had Tommy John surgery in 2002, and spent most of 2003 rehabbing. His velocity has shot up since then, as he hits 95-96mph routinely and sometimes can reach 98mph. He’s still considered more of a thrower than a pitcher as he relies mostly on his explosive fastball. To go with his fastball, he has a 78-82mph curveball and a fantastic changeup that he needs to utilize more. Both secondary pitches have a chance to be plus pitches. It all depends on his control of the pitch on that day.

Marlins Vice President of Player Development and Scouting Jim Fleming absolutely raves about him. He has a great work ethic and scouts love his makeup. Florida State League hitters connected at just a .231 clip against him in 2006, while he has held Southern League hitters to a .266 and .229 baa the last two seasons. His ceiling was once as a lights out closer but now it looks like he’ll be a solid arm out of the pen. He just needs that chance, something he could get with a strong spring in 2009.

33. Todd Doolittle

33. Todd Doolittle -RHP - 5'10 - 175lbs
(last year: 30)

Going undrafted out of Mississippi State University, Todd Doolittle was considered a huge long shot to even make it to single A, let alone become a solid prospect. All that changed in 2006 when Doolittle, relieving for the first time (a pure starter in college), caught fire and dominated both Greensboro and Jupiter. Combining both stints in A ball, opposing batters hit a measly .171 off of him as he struck out nearly 11.5 batters per 9 innings. A bit old for the level of competition he was pitching against, it was still hard to ignore those kinds of numbers.

Enter 2007. I actually thought he would spend the year in Carolina, but instead he spent the year in the Florida State League with the Hammerheads. It was a tale of two halves for Todd as he was dominant before the break and terrible after it. In 27 innings before the All Star Break, Doolittle went 1-3 with a 2.33era, 9 walks and 24 strikeouts. After the break (in which he was a FSL All Star), he went 2-2 with a 5.18era in 24.1 innings. Interestingly enough, his batting average against went from .290 to .258, yet his numbers suffered because he gave up 5 homeruns, as opposed to 0 in the first half.

Last year was more of the same for Doolittle. He spent the season in Carolina and was unhittable much of the year. Southern league batters hit just .229 off him, and he struck out an awesome 61 in 44 innings of work. He threw 14 innings in the Arizona Fall League, giving up 13 hits, 6er, while allowing 5 walks and striking out 13.

Because of his overall size and throwing motion, he has garnered comparisons to former big league closer Jeff Brantley. His fastball runs about 92mph but because of his short arms, it appears to be a bit quicker. His slider is a plus pitch, registering at 55-60 on the 80 scale. He pitches with a chip on his shoulder because of how overlooked he was when he left MSU. Because of when he was signed, Todd was eligible to be taken in this season’s rule 5 draft. The Marlins caught a break as he was not taken. He’ll begin the season in AAA New Orleans and could be a contributor to the Marlins pen in 2009.

34. Garrett Parcell

34. Garrett Parcell -RHP - 6'5 - 220lbs
(last year: 46)

Garrett Parcell was one of seven San Diego State Aztecs to be taken in the 2007 amateur draft. There were some that believed the Marlins selected him too high, as he was expected to last past the 12^th round. In his final season at SD State, he only threw 9.2 innings, giving up 7 runs on 11 hits while walking 5. The low inning total was due to an arm injury which hampered him throughout the season. Before transferring to San Diego State, Garrett spent two seasons at Cypress Junior College, leading the team in saves both seasons, striking out 25 batters in 24 2/3 innings pitched his sophomore year. He was named to the All-Orange Empire Conference second team during his junior college career. Prior to the Marlins drafting him in 2007, Parcell was drafted in the 41st round by the Seattle Mariners in 2004 before deciding to attend SDSU.

The 6′5 Parcell has an easy delivery with a classic 3/4 arm slot that allows him to repeat his throwing motion. His fastball runs in the high 80s, low 90s range but it’s his 2 other pitches which allow him to miss as many bats as he does. He can throw his changeup as low as 69mph and his curveball in the mid 70s. He mixes all 3 pitches in well and that led to him to great success in his first tour of duty in Jamestown in 2007.

As the Jammers’ closer, Garrett went 4-1 with a 1.24era and a 0.99whip in 36.1 innings. He gave up 26 hits, walked just 10, while striking out 36. Like many collegiate pitchers, Jamestown was easy work for Parcell, while the SALLY would provide him a much bigger challenge. He struck out just under 9 per 9 innings and kept lefties to a .196baa (righties hit .300). He will go into 2009 as the Hammerheads closer and could see time in Carolina based on team need.

35. Edgar Olmos

35. Edgar Olmos -LHP - 6'5 - 180lbs
(last year: NR)

In the third round of the 2008 draft, the Marlins selected left handed pitcher Edgar Olmos out of Birmingham HS in Van Nuys, California. The 6’5 southpaw throws his fastball in the upper 80's with a funky whip motion. It looks like a cleaner version of Dontrelle Willis’ old delivery, with the leg kick not going as high. He has a projectable body and his loose arm action make many believe his velocity will increase over the next few seasons. Because of his delivery, his curveball shows the beginnings of having extreme table drop movement. His changeup also has the potential to be a plus pitch.

He’s going to have a lot of work to do to fix some of his mechanics but no major overhaul will be needed. In his one outing with the GCL Marlins, he struck out 5 of the 7 batters he faced. Olmos had a few nagging injuries after that, none of which had to do with his arm or elbow. He then finished off his season in extended spring training. Just 19 years old, the Marlins will take it easy with him and he’ll more than likely see more time in the GCL before heading out to Jamestown. If the Marlins feel like pushing him, he will make it up to Greensboro as well.

36. Jeff Allison

36. Jeff Allison -RHP - 6'2 - 195lbs
(last year: 37)

Because of the Marlins record in 2002, they had the 16th overall pick in the 2003 draft. They decided on the right-handed Jeff Allison from Veterans Memorial HS, in Peabody, Massachusetts. In his senior season at VMHS, Allison went 9-0, 0,00era with 142 strikeouts in 64 innings, giving up just 13 hits, nine walked and 1 unearned run. He only fell to the Marlins at 16 because of bonus demands, but that didn’t scare the Marlins away as they gave him a $1.85mil bonus. Right away he was compared to Marlins pitcher Josh Beckett and some believed he would be on the same kind of fast track that Josh was on. Allison had the best fastball (92-97mph) and curveball (80-86mph with nasty break) of any pitcher in the draft. In his first 9 major league innings, Allison didn’t allow a run. He was slated to debut for the low-A Greensboro Grasshoppers in 2004, but he took a major detour. Jeff nearly died after overdosing on the drugs oxycontin and heroine. After what looked he got his act together, Jeff made his Greensboro debut in 2005. Because of the layoff Allison’s stuff wasn’t nearly as good, but there were flashes of brilliance. His fastball was down to the high 80s-low 90s, but the big curveball was still there. He improved start by start and by the end of the year, he was going 6-7 innings in each start.

Again it looked like his career was getting back on track. Then in August of 2006 he overdosed again. Massachusetts police found Allison unconscious in an apartment building. Rescue workers revived Allison at the scene, and he was hospitalized in Winchester, Mass., and later released. In October of 2006, Jeff was arrested after an officer found him driving what was reportedly a stolen Dodge Ram. Inside the truck were heroin and drug paraphernalia, specifically syringes. He was facing 3 felony charges. He has since been able to get his life back on track.

His season in Jupiter this year was a mixed bag. He pitched great in his first10 starts of the year and then got hit hard towards the end of May and all of June. His arm got tired down the stretch but that was to be expected of him. Jeff no longer has the 95mph fastball he once had as he mainly works in the upper 80s and can reach 91-92 on occasion. His curveball shows glimpses of the table-dropper he once had. His changeup is still an above average pitch. The Marlins chose not to place him on the 40 man roster this year, meaning he is eligible to be taken in the Rule 5 Draft. There’s a great chance that he is not selected and if that is the case, he will spend the season in AA Carolina.

37. Jai Miller

37. Jai Miller - Outfield - 6'4 - 195lbs - Throws: Right - Bats: Right
(last year: 18)

Jai Miller was the first three sport All Star in Alabama prep history. He had signed a letter of intent to go to Stanford, where he would play wide receiver and point guard for the Cardinal. The Marlins drafted him in the 4th round (113) of the 2003 amateur draft. He fell a bit because teams believed he really wanted to play the other two sports in college. Area scout Dave Dangler had a strong relationship with Jai’s father, and this allowed the Marlins to sign him for $250,000. Jai has had much to deal with, as his mother and grandmother were tragically killed in a car accident, but he decided to continue on his dream to play professional baseball. Based on size alone, the 6′4 right hander has drawn many comparisons to former Marlins outfielder, Preston Wilson. Blessed with a quick pair of hands Jai has fantastic bad speed. There isn’t a fastball that can be thrown by him. Unfortunately, opposing pitchers know this, so they throw him a steady diet of breaking balls. Miller was rated as having 70 speed (20-80 scale). He has been timed as fast as 4.05 from home to first base. Even though he has that tremendous speed, this has not translated into a great stolen base success rate. His problem is that he doesn’t get good enough jumps from first base, but he has been working on this.

In 2006, Jai took a new approach with him to Jupiter. Instead of swinging for the fences as he had done in his first four season in the minors, he decided to just concentrate on putting the ball in play. On the one hand, his strikeouts went down for the third straight year (163-139-115) but on the flipside, he hit zero homeruns. We all know the Florida State League isn’t exactly a hitter’s paradise, but was a bit alarming that he couldn’t even “luck” into a homerun. While he still struck out much too often, he still showed an ability to get on base via the walk. From 2005-2007, Jai’s walk rate (OBP-AVG) has been .098, .099 and .093 which are all well above average. The bad part is that he can't seem to hit a high enough average where his walk rate can boost his OBP towards the .370-.380 range. Never projected as a batting champion, I said before the season that he would need to hit atleast .260 with power in order to become a legit prospect in my eyes. 2007 was somewhat of a breakout for Jai as he hit .261/.354/.438 in his Southern League (AA) debut.

Because of his world class speed, Jai tends to drift under balls, instead of running to a spot and waiting for the ball to get there. He has a very strong arm, although he has an odd grip which tends to make the ball fade a bit. He has no problems running to either side, or straight back to the wall, but he needs to improve coming in on low liners and bloops. Miller’s 2008 season was somewhat disappointing considering he played in the Pacific Coast League. With the Marlins doing their spring cleaning early, there’s a potential bench spot to be had and if not, he could get a call early on if there is an injury. He has the luxury of being on the 40 man roster, so he could get a look before other higher touted prospects. Jai should begin the season in the Marlins new AAA affiliate, New Orleans.

38. Paul Gran

38. Paul Gran - Third Base - 5'11 - 182lbs - Throws: Right - Bats: Left
(last year: NR)

In the seventh round of the 2008 draft, the Marlins selected third baseman Paul Gran. The senior out of Washington State was signed to a $40,000 bonus. In his final year at Wazzou, he hit .313 and was named Pac-10 defensive player of the year.

Gran’s best tool at this point is his defense at third base. He has excellent range and an above average arm for the position. His left handed bat along with his above average speed (rated 55 on the 20-80 scale) projects him to be a future all around utility guy although some believe he could be a starting caliber player at second base. He’s a smart hitter and has surprising pull power for a smaller player.

Gran impressed in his debut after being signed. He hit .322/.387/.460 with 23 extra base hits, and 23 walks. He struck out 56 times in 276 at bats. He’ll be 23 when he goes to Greensboro in 2009, but he could spend half the year in Jupiter if he hits well enough.

39. Steven Cishek

39. Steven Cishek -RHP - 6'6 - 200lbs
(last year: 33)

The Marlins selected Steven Cishek in the 5th round of the 2007 draft out of Carson-Newman College, a small school in Tennessee. He pitched mostly out of the bullpen with CNC. In 43 innings, Cishek struck out 43 against 10 walks, posted a 3.14 ERA and held opposing hitters to a .228 batting average. The 6'6 righty really impressed after being drafted and making 25 appearances in short-season Jamestown. He absolutely dominated the New York-Penn League, giving up just 20 hits in 32.1 innings. He struck out nearly 1 per inning, and walked 19. The walks are a bit of a concern, but some believe he is just "effectively wild". Opposing batters hit just .175 off of him.

While his era was high in Greensboro, the rest of his peripheral numbers were pretty good. He struck out just under one batter per inning and gave up fewer hits than innings pitched. The walks are still high but it’s an improvement over his walk rate from a season ago.

When scouts looked at him as a senior in high school, he was throwing in the low 80s but as he has gotten stronger over the past 3 seasons, he now hits in the low 90s, but has been clocked at 95mph. His slider is still average at this point but it made great strides last year, while his changeup has all the makings of a plus pitch. His college coach suggested that if he was at a bigger school, he would have been a 1st rounder.

Cishek should take on Jupiter this year; with a chance at a promotion to Carolina if the situation warrants. The continued development of his slider should help him climb the relief pitcher prospect ladder in this organization.

40. Torre Langley

40. Torre Langley - Catcher - 5'9 - 175lbs - Throws: Right - Bats: Right
(last year: 29)



Standing at 5-9 and weighing just 175 pounds, there is nothing too striking about Torre Langley. One of the top rated catchers in the 2006 draft, the Marlins took him in the 3rd round and rewarded him with a $422,500 signing bonus. He struggled in his professional debut in 2006, hitting a combined .172/.202/.381 which is certainly nothing to write home about. His career thus far has been a disappointment as well.

Torre Langley was named after former Yankees manager Joe Torre. Compared to Jorge Posada on the offensive end and Pudge Rodriguez on the defensive side, Langley was said to have all the potential in the world. Scouts suggested he would eventually turn into a good power prospect as well, but at this point he is mostly a gap to gap hitter. Although Torre just started catching in high school, his catch and throw skills are well above average, and he has an extremely strong arm as well. He has alot of confidence in himself, bordering on cockiness, but scouts love that about him. He excels on the big stage and isn’t afraid to make a snap throw to first base every now and then.

2007 was definitely an improvement off 2006. He spent the majority of the year in Jamestown, and had a decent .715ops. Of note is that in his short 319 at bat career, Torre has just 20 walks. That's Miguel Olivo territory right there. That's certainly something to pay attention to as his career as a prospect won't last too long if his on base percentage is mainly determined by his batting average.

This season was a definite step back in the development of Langley. He couldn’t hit for average or for power and he couldn’t get on base. His defense has improved but 2009 is now going to be quite pivotal for Torre. He’s still young at 21 years old, but he’ll be repeating Greensboro again and if the numbers don’t show significant signs of improvement, he could be passed on the depth chart by numerous other catchers.