Marlins tap Brinson

Coral Springs High alum to start in center field.

JUPITER – Growing up in Coral Springs, Lewis Brinson was an enthusiastic Marlins fan but never attended an Opening Day game.

His first will come Thursday in uniform, batting first and starting in center field against the Chicago Cubs at Marlins Park.

Brinson, the key acquisition in the trade with Milwaukee for Christian Yelich, got the word from manager Don Mattingly prior to Sunday’s Grapefruit League finale.

It was the payoff for an outstanding spring training and a quest that began at Coral Springs High before being drafted by the Texas Rangers in the first round (29th overall) in 2012.

“Growing up loving the Marlins and now to get the opportunity to play for them Opening Day with all the guys that we’ve grown as a family just in spring training, it tells me where I’ve come from,” Brinson said. “It’s going to be an emotional day for me and my parents and everybody who has been with me through the ride.”

A year ago Brinson bought a ticket to the Arizona Diamondbacks’ season opener in Phoenix. He was in the Brewers’ minor league camp nearby and decided to attend along with a teammate.

“Very humbling,” he said. “First Opening Day, I’m very excited about that.”

Although the Marlins broke camp after split-squad losses to the Houston Astros and New York Mets, a number of roster moves remain. They have until an hour before the opener to set the 25-man roster.

On Sunday, left-hander Justin Nicolino was designated for assignment and claimed by the Cincinnati Reds. Nicolino was the last player remaining with the Marlins among seven who came in the controversial 12-player trade with Toronto in November 2012.

He was 10-13 with a 4.65 ERA in 50 appearances (33 starts) with Miami and was out of minor league options.

In addition to Brinson, rookie Garrett Cooper was also informed before the game that he made the team. Cooper, acquired in a trade with the New York Yankees, showed some power as spring training progressed. He will be a reserve at first base and in the outfield.

Mattingly hasn’t revealed any starting pitchers beyond Jose Urena on Opening Day. Right-handers Odrisamer Despaigne and Jacob Turner and left-hander Caleb Smith are possibilities. The Marlins may also be looking outside the organization.

Lefty Dillon Peters, who had been optioned to Triple-A, will start Tuesday’s exhibition against the University of Miami and could figure in plans with Dan Straily (forearm inflammation) not ready to begin the season.

“Some of the things we went through health-wise have clouded the water a little bit,” Mattingly said.

While none of the pitching candidates distinguished themselves in camp, Brinson made the decision easy with his performance and progress.

At 23, he has a chance to become the face of a Marlins franchise rebuilding under a new ownership group that traded away its most prominent players in the offseason.

Brinson is the most charismatic personality to join the Marlins since Jose Fernandez was National League Rookie of the Year in 2013.

He has the skill and athleticism to go with it on a powerfully built 6-foot-3 frame. This spring he batted .328 with two home runs, seven doubles and a triple in 23 games.

“He’s been impressive personality-wise and on the field,” Mattingly said while praising the work Brinson has put in to improve himself. “It’s nice to know you’ve got a kid that still feels like he’s working, getting better, but also feels the confidence that he’s ready. It’s a nice combination with Lewis right now.”

Mattingly pointed out to Brinson that the work is only beginning.

“Donnie said, ‘Congrats, but work doesn’t stop here.’ Still got to work to try to win as many games as we can,” Brinson said. “But I take this opportunity and run with it. Very humbling.”

Cooper got off to a slow start but finished strong with a .296 average and three homers in 24 games.

“Any guy who gets traded the first couple games you’re trying to do a little too much to show you belong up here,” Cooper said. “These last few weeks I hit the ball pretty hard and a couple homers I hit off a couple of the bigger guys.”

Chen encouraged

On the final day of spring training, the Marlins’ highest paid player pitched for this first time this year to hitters that included the team’s second-highest paid player.

Wei-Yin Chen came off the field smiling after throwing 16 pitches on a back field, encouraged by progress in his long struggle with a troublesome left elbow.

It’s still anyone’s guess when the enigmatic lefthander will pitch again in Miami. Same with veteran third baseman Martin

Prado, who got his bat on a couple of Chen’s pitches, including one hit sharply back to the mound, as he continued to creep back from knee surgery.

“During the past two years I feel like I’ve been trying to be too fine, too perfect with the injury, so I couldn’t throw as I wanted to. I kept trying harder and harder but the thing just didn’t go away,” Chen said via translator Louis Chao. “But now I feel like I kind of got my rhythm back.”

Asked if his arm feels better than at any time in the past two years, he said, “As of now it is, but I can’t predict the future.

“I feel happy because during the past two years the way I’ve been pitching and the feel when I pitch it wasn’t ideal. But today I feel like I kind of got my feeling back [to] the old days.”

Brinson