Marlins exploring options in search for 3 new bats

M Aarlins chatter, with the offseason looming: The Marlins plan to be very aggressive in their search for at least three starting position players when free agency starts on Monday, but the lack of appealing free-agent options in center field and catcher could make a trade the more sensible route to fill those holes.

At catcher, the only free agent that would be a significant upgrade is Oakland’s Yan Gomes (.252, 14 homers, 52 RBI for Washington and Oakland this past season). Boston is expected to exercise a $7 million option on Christian Vazquez.

So unless Gomes is pursued, Miami likely will need to address catcher in a trade. ( Nick Fortes and

Alex Jackson will compete for the backup job.)

The Marlins always have liked Pittsburgh’s

Jacob Stallings, who’s average offensively (.246) but very good handling a pitching staff and calling a game. Though he’s 31, he’s under team control for three more years and the Pirates — with top prospect Henry Davis — might move Stallings.

Then there are the Chicago trade options, including two catchers about whom the Marlins previously inquired.

The Marlins called last winter about Yermin Mercedes, who was brilliant for the White Sox to start the season (15 hits in the first six games), cooled off and finished the season at Triple A. Mercedes, 29, is under team control for five more seasons. Chicago could keep him behind Yasmani Grandal or trade him.

Mercedes ended up hitting .271 with seven homers and 37 RBI in 68 games for the White Sox but didn’t appear in the majors after June 30. He hit .275 with 11 homers and 29 RBI in 59 games at Triple A Charlotte. He’s lost a lot of luster since his torrid start.

The Marlins also have inquired about the Cubs’

Willson Contreras in the past, but he’ll be a free agent after 2022, and it wouldn’t make sense to acquire him as a rental without a willingness to pay what it costs to keep him beyond that. Contreras, 29, hit .237 with 21 homers and 57 RBI this past season.

Two other names to keep an eye on: Arizona’s

Carson Kelly and Minnesota’s Mitch Garver. Kelly, 27, is under team control for three more seasons. He hit .240 with 13 homers and 46 RBI in 98 games last season.

Garver hit .256 with 13 homers and 34 RBI in 68 games last season. He can become a free agent after 2023 and the Marlins have some interest.

A In center field, the free agent class is weak, with just two high-end players: Oakland’s Starling Marte

(likely not returning, regrettably), and the Dodgers’ Chris Taylor (.254, 20 homers, 73 RBI), who can play the middle infield and outfield.

There are probably only two other free agent fulltime starting center field options: Oakland’s Mark Canha (.231, 17 HR, 61 RBI and walks a lot), and the Mets’ Michael Conforto

(.232, 14 HR, 55 RBI)

Canha has played 62, 56 and 23 games in center over the past three 162game seasons (excluding the 2020 COVID season). Conforto played entirely in right field for the Mets this past season; his most recent extensive work in center was 39 games in 2019.

Then there’s the Giants’ Kris Bryant, who’s going to get a huge contract because of his bat. He has played only 29 career games in center field and is better suited to play third base or a corner outfield spot.

Couple other free agents to keep in mind: 1) Philadelphia’s Odubel Herrera,

who hit .260, 13 homers, 51 RBI in 124 games, and 2) Atlanta’s Joc Pederson,

who hit .238 with 18 homers and 61 RBI for the Braves and Cubs this past season.

As for trades for a center fielder, two realistic targets are 1) Manuel Margot,

who hit .254 with 10 homers and 57 RBI in 125 games for the Rays, and 2) Minnesota’s Byron Buxton, who hit .306 with 19 homers and 32 RBI in just 61 games this past season. He had 13 homers in 39 games in 2020. Miami likes Buxton, who can become a free agent after next season.

As far as corner outfielders go, I expect the Marlins to find one in free agency. The Reds’ Nick Castellanos, who grew up in Davie, would be an expensive but high-impact and logical option. So would Milwaukee free agent Avisail Garcia.

Jesus Sanchez likely will be one corner outfield starter.

A The hope is to add offense without sacrificing a top pitching prospect. But merely trading a Nick Neidert or Braxton Garrett won’t be enough. The Marlins could part with

Elieser Hernandez or one of the 2020 draft picks ( Zach McCambley or Dax Fulton or Kyle Nicolas); it’s highly unlikely they would trade Sandy Alcantara or Trevor Rogers.

They offered Max Meyer for outfielder Brandon Marsh in July — the Angels said no — but

Meyer or Edward Cabrera or Sixto Sanchez or

Eury Perez would be dealt only for an elite prospect. And it would take a lot to give up Pablo Lopez.

A Geoff DeGroot, the Marlins’ director of minor league operations, raved about Meyer (6-3, with a 2.41 ERA in Pensacola) but said he needs more development before being bigleague ready. … He said he’s “not worried about Edward Cabrera,” the ballyhooed prospect who had a high ERA (5.81) in seven Marlins starts, with 24 hits, 19 walks and 28 strikeouts in 26 1⁄ innings:

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“If you just grade out his stuff, this guy is going to be an above average major leaguer. He’s going to be a rotation piece for us for a long time.” …

He called Jake Eder

(1.77 ERA in 15 starts at Pensacola; out for 2022 after Tommy John surgery) and Perez (1.96 ERA in 20 starts at A and AA) the biggest surprises in the system. Of the 6-9 Perez, DeGroot said: “Not only can he get it up to the mid to upper 90s at 18 years old, [but] … the control and command he has over all his pitches at such a young age stands out for me. Special package.”

CHATTER

A Dolphins opponents are fully aware that Miami doesn’t want Tua Tagovailoa throwing deep a lot. That makes Miami’s offense more predictable. “He’s trying to find his groove into the NFL, so they’re taking care of him with the short passes, RPOs,” Houston safety

Justin Reid said. “Talented kid. I feel bad for him he’s struggled with so many injuries. As far as a QB talent, I think he has an accurate arm. He’s a solid guy. He’s trying to find his wings and become their guy.”

A Tagovailoa’s handling of Deshaun Watson rumors earned him respect from teammates. “Tua has the ability to put blinders on — I’ve gained respect for him how he’s handled the situation,” tight end

Durham Smythe said. “He’s the same guy, day in and day out.”

A Not only are the Dolphins struggling in run blocking, but the running backs also do them no favors. In the stat of yards after contact, injured Malcolm Brown is 51st (2.79),

Myles Gaskin 87th (2.26) and Salvon Ahmed 91st (2.20). The league’s top 21 in that category including two backs the Dolphins bypassed drafting: the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor

(15th) and Denver’s Javonte Williams (21st).