Marlins: BP in tweets
Man On Second Baseball takes you inside Marlins’ batting practice before Miami faces the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium
By Joe Frisaro @ManOn2nd
JUPITER, Fla. — The Marlins took batting practice on the main field at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Tuesday morning, and the starters went through their drills.
Pretty general stuff in preparation to facing the St. Louis Cardinals, so we’ll use pictures to help tell the story.
The Marlins lineup on Tuesday featured Jon Berti at shortstop and Jazz Chisholm at second base. These two will be playing multiple positions throughout the spring. Chisholm is a candidate for the starting second base job, but also has played shortstop.
Berti plays all over the infield, as well as outfield.
The starting infield for Tuesday: Jose Devers at third, Jon Berti at short, Jazz Chisholm at second and Garrett Cooper at first.
Devers was acquired from the Yankees in the Giancarlo Stanton trade. Now 21, the left-handed hitting infielder made the start at third base. Devers is a natural shortstop who projects early in his career as a utility player. He’s played mostly short and second, and getting a Grapefruit League start at third will help him get at-bats and allow him to show his versatility.
Not a power threat, Devers did swat a few balls over the right field fence in batting practice.
I could see Devers being a Miguel Rojas-type player. When Rojas broke in, he was considered more of a defensive specialist. Rojas has elevated his game from utility player to starting shortstop.
Devers has a high baseball aptitude, and leadership qualities. To me, he is an unsung Miami prospect.
Garrett Cooper is one of Miami’s main power threats. The right-handed hitting slugger got the start at first base on Tuesday, and also could see some action in right field.
As of now, the National League isn’t expected to have the designated hitter for the regular season. But if that changes before Opening Day, and a DH is in place, Cooper is a DH candidate as well.