Business doesn’t include All-Star
Marlins make minor moves, but Realmuto remains for now
LAS VEGAS — On the final day of Mjaor League Baseball’s winter meetings, the Marlins finally made a pair of moves.
None, however, pertained to J.T. Realmuto.
While trade discussions surrounding the All-Star catcher continued Thursday, Realmuto remained a Miami Marlin as team executives bid farewell to Las Vegas and returned to South Florida. Six teams are still in the mix for Realmuto: the Mets, Reds, Rays, Braves, Dodgers and Padres, per the Miami Herald. No trade was expected to be made Thursday.
“Anything can gain traction at any moment,” Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill said of the trade rumors surrounding Realmuto. “I think we have a solid understanding of where our counterparts are, and we’ll go on our way to continue to try and improve our club.”
The Marlins were active in the morning’s Rule 5 draft, choosing Houston Astros minor-league reliever Riley Ferrell with the No. 4 selection. The 25-year-old right-hander spent the 2018 season in the team’s farm system, splitting time between Double A and Triple A.
“As we looked at options for us in the Rule 5 draft, we think we’ll have opportunity in the bullpen,” Hill said. “This is a guy who’s pitched high-leverage situations [and who] has well-above-average stuff, so we’re pretty excited . ... [He’s a] big [velocity] guy with a power slider. It’s a skill set similar to Tyler Kinley.”
Hill said Ferrell’s fastball surpasses 95 mph, with the team clocking him as high as 99 mph.
A third-round pick out of TCU in the 2015 MLB draft, Ferrell was sharp in Double-A Corpus Christi but struggled after being promoted to Triple-A Round Rock midway through the season.
In Double A, Ferrell posted a 1.90 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and .171 opposing batting average in 23 2⁄3 innings. At Round Rock, his ERA increased to 6.75 with opponents hitting .296 off him in 28 innings.
Under Rule 5 draft requirements, Ferrell must remain on the Marlins’ 25-man roster for the entire year or he’ll be returned to the Astros. Miami also has a second Rule 5 commitment in pitcher Julian Fernandez, who was acquired off waivers in November from the Giants.
In Thursday’s proceedings, the Marlins lost minor-league outfielder Braxton Lee to the New York Mets in the Triple-A phase of the draft. While the 25-year-old opened the season on Miami’s roster, he spent the majority of the season in the minors.
Lee struggled in 2018, posting a .233/.316/.294 line across three levels. In eight MLB games, he was 3-for-17 with eight strikeouts and one walk.
“[Lee] took a little bit of a step backward last year, [but he] still has ability,” Hill said. “We felt like we didn’t need to protect him at Triple A.”