The Miami Marlins looked ahead again at the trade deadline and, this time, found two names who could end up being much more important than the move that brought them to the organization suggests: Jace Beck and Jonathon Long.
Miami sent the Puppies left-handed Braxton Garrett and received in return right-hander Beck and infielder Long. Garrett became an important piece of the Marlins’ rotation, but his physical problems and irregularity had reduced his prominence. Miami’s bet was different: getting rid of a known piece to get two players with room for growth.
Beck couldn’t have made a better first impression. In his first presentation with Triple-A Jacksonville He pitched five no-hit, no-run innings in a rain-shortened game. He retired 15 consecutive batters after a defensive error in the first inning, striking out five and reaching 97.3 miles per hour. Additionally, the game represented his fourth no-hitter of the season.
The 26-year-old, 2.06-meter-tall right-hander had already shown potential during the campaign. In Double-A he posted a 2.87 ERA and had 102 strikeouts in 20 appearances, six of them as a starter. His subsequent time in Triple-A was more complicated, but his repertoire and his ability to generate strikeouts explain why Miami decided to bet on him.
Long represents another kind of project. The 24-year-old right-handed hitter had a solid season in Triple-A Iowa, where he combined a .283 average with 12 home runs and 62 RBIs. In addition to his offensive production, he can play first and third base and in the outfield, an especially valuable versatility for an organization trying to build a young roster.
The most interesting thing for the Marlins is the cost of the operation. They didn’t have to part with a collection of prospects or mortgage the future to get them.
Garrett, a talented pitcher, but whose time in Miami seemed to need a change of scenery, ended up being the piece used to add two players who can still grow within the organization.
Solid track record
History shows that Miami knows how to take advantage of this type of bet. Gary Sheffield came from San Diego in 1993 and ended up becoming one of the great figures of the then Florida Marlinsas well as a key part of the 1997 champion team. Craig Counsell He was acquired during the 1997 season and ended up playing a decisive role in that World Series. In 2003, Ugueth Urbina came from Texas midway through the campaign and contributed to the franchise’s second championship.
Beck and Long are still far from worthy of similar comparisons. But the formula is once again recognizable: young players, talent to develop and a price that, on paper, does not seem disproportionate.
If Beck converts his power into results at the highest level and Long confirms with the bat what he has shown in the minors, the Marlins could have found more than just two prospects. They could have found two of the pieces on which to build their next generation.
Maybe it’s still too early to call them the future faces of Miami. But the first glance already allows you to imagine it.
