Miami’s haul high on impact hitters, experience

DJ Svihlik can finally take a step back and breathe.

After three days and 41 picks, the Marlins’ 2019 MLB Draft class — the first under Svihlik director as the Marlins’ director of amateur scouting — is complete.

“While it’s a long process and a long year, there’s nothing like draft day” Svihlik said Wednesday after the 30-round final day concluded. “I really appreciate all the work from the scouts.”

And while the draft class’ success won’t be determined for at least a few years, the early takeaway from a pair of national analysts is that the Marlins had a solid three days.

National analyst Jim Bowden wrote on Twitter as the draft neared its end on Wednesday that the Marlins had the best draft of all 30 teams, while MLB Network’s Jon Heyman ranked the Marlins as No. 3 based on their first 10 rounds.

“When you go into the draft, you try to do the best job you can,” Svihlik said. “We’re proud every year of the players that we select. This being my first draft and the first draft with this group of scouts, I’m really proud of it . ... These players now have to come in and they have to do what we think they can do.”

Regardless, there are a few noticeable takeaways.

The Marlins valued experience while taking a best-player-available approach this year.

Of the Marlins’ 41 picks, 33 were taken from either four-year universities or junior colleges. Eleven of those 33 players competed in either the Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference or Pac-12.

Quality offensive players were a priority, too, with the Marlins taking 25 position players overall and 13 in their first 22 picks.

“It just fell that way,” Svihlik said. “After we took JJ Bleday, we just tried to take the most impactful players. It tended to fall college, but there were a lot of high school players that we liked as well. Things just didn’t quite fall right.”

A couple notable players from Day 3: Air Force third baseman Nic Ready and Alvin (Texas) community college center fielder Javeon Cody.

Ready, the Marlins’ 23rd round pick, posted a career .327 batting average with 50 home runs. He tallied at least 50 RBI each of his four years and is a guy Svihlik said “has serious juice.” He is available to the Marlins this summer and then they will have to work through his military commitments.

Cody, the Marlins’ 15thround pick, hit .349 with nine home runs, 37 RBI and 52 runs scored as a sophomore in 2019. Svihlik said he is someone “player development will love.”

“This guy is in the crosshairs of impact tools,” Svihlik said. “He can absolutely fly and he’s an elite athlete.”

On the pitching side, Svihlik made a point to highlight Chris Mokma, the team’s 12th round pick out of Holland Christian High in Michigan. Momka, a Michigan State signee, was ranked as Baseball America’s No. 477 overall prospect this draft cycle.

“He sits 90-93 mph with solid control for his age and he’s shown some feel for spinning a breaking ball,” according to his Baseball America scouting report.

The Marlins also had an opportunity to add some local flair to their draft class on Day 3 by selecting three South Florida natives in BethuneCookman right-handed pitcher Anthony Maldonado (West Palm Beach), FIU outfielder Lorenzo Hampton (Miami Lakes native and Monsignor Pace alumnus) and Vanderbilt first baseman Julian Infante (Miami native and Westminster Christian alumnus) in the 36th round.

The Marlins took Maldonado in the 11th round, Hampton in the 28th and Infante in the 36th.

MARLINS DAY 3 PICKS