First 5 rounds: Connor Scott (1-13), Osiris Johnson (2-53), Will Banfield (CBB-69), Tristan Pompey (3-89), Nick Fortes (4-117), Chris Vallimont (5-147)
Also notable: Peyton Culbertson (8-237), Sam Bordner (16-477), Garrett McDaniels (30-897)
The Marlins clearly went looking for upside in this draft, although aside from first round pick Connor Scott, I don't think they got as much as they could have. I don't think it's as bad as last year's draft, which was awful in my opinion, but they just seem to have an aversion to guys I like (aside from Scott) and an attraction towards players I don't think all that highly of. I do think Tristan Pompey in the third round was a pretty decent grab, but I don't like going $1 million over slot for Will Banfield and I think Osiris Johnson belonged just a hair lower in the draft. Additionally, it looks like they wanted to focus on bats, taking five straight hitters at the top of the draft (including the competitive balance round) before popping Mercyhurst righty Chris Vallimont in the fifth round.
1-13: OF Connor Scott (my rank: 11)
This is easily my favorite pick in the draft. Scott is a high schooler from the same Plant High School (Tampa) that produced Wade Boggs and Astros top prospect Kyle Tucker, and Scott's quirky swing is actually pretty similar to Tucker's. Scott is an ultra-athletic, 6'4" string bean with great speed, a great arm, and the potential for a great bat. That bat is the biggest question mark, but even though the mechanics are a bit awkward, I like that he leaves his hands back and then flings the bat through the zone with great bat speed. He needs to incorporate his lower half more, which will improve his currently average power considerably, but I see enough projection in the swing to profile him as a potential plus hitter. The Marlins' player development isn't the best, but the fact that he can definitely stick in center field buys the bat some time. He signed right at slot for just over $4 million.
2-53: SS Osiris Johnson (my rank: 79)
Johnson is a high schooler out of the Oakland, California area, and he's a cousin of Jimmy Rollins. He's a fairly similar player to Rangers third rounder Jonathan Ornelas, who went 91st overall, though I do like Ornelas better. Like Ornelas, Osiris is an infielder with a big swing that generates more power than you'd expect for a six footer, though it does lead to a lot of swings and misses. He's a capable defender in the infield and should be able to stay there, though shortstop looks unlikely at this point. One thing he does have going for him is his age, as he does not turn 18 until October, making him one of the youngest players in the draft. It's a high risk, high reward pick, though I think the risk is just a bit high for the 53rd pick. He signed for $1.35 million, which is $31,500 over slot.
CBB-69: C Will Banfield (my rank: 52)
I wouldn't mind the Banfield pick here if the Marlins didn't go so far over slot to sign him. He's a high school catcher, a traditionally risky demographic, and his glove is ahead of his bat, making him even riskier. The Atlanta area high schooler is known for his great arm and great blocking skills, so he'll stick behind the plate and be above average there, but he struggled to make consistent contact during his senior season and that's worrisome. There is power potential there, and I can see him hitting 20-30 home runs per season if he makes enough contact, but he simply hasn't done enough to make me feel comfortable that he will make that much contact. He signed for $1.8 million, which is $905,400 above slot for the 69th pick. He has played two games so far and has one hit in seven at bats (.143 AVG), striking out three times in the rookie level Gulf Coast League.
3-89: OF Tristan Pompey (my rank: 60)
This is a pretty decent pick here in my opinion. Pompey is an outfielder at Kentucky, standing out for his high level of performance in the SEC. As a sophomore in 2017, he slashed .361/.464/.541 with ten home runs and a 56/46 strikeout to walk ratio, then followed it up in 2018 with a .335/.448/.557 line with seven home runs and a 47/33 ratio. He was more inconsistent in 2018, going through hot stretches but also looking lost at the plate at times, and his strikeout rates have always been high (17.5% in 2017, 21% in 2018). While his walk rates have also been high (14.4% in 2017, 14.7% in 2018), he doesn't seem to have much of a plan at the plate, which explains his inconsistency. He has gotten by so far on his athleticism and natural skill, though it will take pro coaching to get him over the hump and to reach his potential. Still, I like the combination of SEC production and projection for a third round pick. He reminds me of Padres 2016 second rounder Buddy Reed, another athletic, switch hitting SEC outfielder who played better in his sophomore year than his junior year. Reed struggled out of the gate in his pro career (.234/.290/.396 in 2017) but has turned it around in the hitter-friendly California League this year (.327/.377/.544). Pompey signed for $645,000, which is $2,400 above slot.
4-117: C Nick Fortes (unranked)
If Scott, Johnson, Banfield, and Pompey were the upside picks, Nick Fortes is the safety pick. He's a do-it-all catcher out of Ole Miss, coming off a junior season where he slashed .319/.435/.519 with 11 home runs, 14 stolen bases, and a 25/46 strikeout to walk ratio. All of his tools grade out as average, as he looks to be a good-fielding catcher with some power, the ability to get on base, and even some speed so that he doesn't clog the bases like most catchers. His swing is simple, and while I don't see him hitting 20 home runs in a season, he'll hit for enough power and make enough contact to get by. That 15.8% walk rate, combined with the low 8.6% strikeout rate, will help him move through the minors and be able to match up against advanced pitching. Most importantly, he is reportedly a good leader from behind the plate, and it all adds up to a back-up catcher profile, albeit one with a high floor. He signed for $425,000, which is $49,000 below slot. He went 1-4 with a single and a walk in his New York-Penn League debut.
Others: 8th rounder Peyton Culbertson is a 6'1" right handed pitcher out of Arkansas State, where he went 2-5 with a 3.73 ERA, a 1.56 WHIP, and a 48/31 strikeout to walk ratio in 50.2 innings. He has battled some injuries but and his stuff is ahead of his command at this point, with his sinking mid 90's fastball and good slider getting hit more than they should when he falls behind in the count. If he converts to the bullpen, he could sit in the upper 90's and be fast tracked to the majors. 16th rounder Sam Bordner has been a valuable reliever for three years at Louisville, standing out more for his exceptional sophomore season (0.41 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, 39/10 K/BB) than his comparatively pedestrian junior year (3.37 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 28/4 K/BB). He's a 6'6" righty that has battled injuries this year and who hasn't pitched since April, showing a fastball around 90 and a decent slider that should pick up with pro coaching. He relies on deception for his success, and could climb the ladder as a middle reliever if he gets back to his 2017 form. 30th rounder Garrett McDaniels is a top five rounds talent who slid to the 30th due to signability issues, and with the Marlins blowing all of their over slot space on Will Banfield, it's essentially certain that he'll head to Coastal Carolina rather than sign. The skinny 6'2" lefty out of high school in rural South Carolina has a high three quarters delivery that puts deception on his fastball/curveball combination, though he's very raw as it is. He doesn't always get his fastball up to 90 and the control is a work in progress, but I do like the curveball and a few years at Coastal could do him a lot of good.
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