I was thinking...

With the start of Spring Training just around the corner, some observations regarding the Marlins and the rest of MLB

The Marlins haven’t drafted a position player who would go on to become a major league star since both J.T. Realmuto (left) and Christian Yelich (right) were selected in 2010. (Photo courtesy of USA Today.)

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We’ll begin with the Marlins, who made some news last night…

DISASTROUS DRAFTS: As if anyone needed another reminder, last night’s announcement that the Marlins had designated outfielder Peyton Burdick for assignment again points out what a nightmare drafting and developing position players has been for the Marlins over the last decade-plus, but particularly in the 6 drafts since Bruce Sherman purchased the club.

From 2018-23 (the Sherman era), the Marlins have drafted 63 position players, and only 3 have reached the big leagues.

Nick Fortes (194 games), the since-traded JJ Bleday (65 games with the Marlins) and the newly DFA’d Burdick (46 games), have combined to appear in 305 games for Miami while posting a cumulative WAR of 0.5.

This regime has already unloaded 3 of its first 4 first-round picks (2018 #1 Connor Scott, 2019 #1 Bleday and 2021 #1 Kahlil Watson). Also gone from their early drafts: 2019 comp pick Kameron Misner via trade, 2019 2nd rounder Nasim Nunez via the Rule 5 draft, 2019 3rd rounder Burdick (in DFA limbo at the moment) as well as 2020 pitchers #2 pick Kyle Nicolas via trade and #4 pick Jake Eder via trade.

The last position player drafted by the Marlins to make a significant impact in the big leagues is 2015 first rounder Josh Naylor, who never played a game for the Marlins but broke in with the Padres and has established himself as a dangerous slugger with the Guardians.

The last position player drafted by the Marlins to make an impact in Miami is 2014 3rd rounder Brian Anderson.

And the last position players drafted by the Marlins to establish themselves as legitimate big league stars were Christian Yelich and J.T. Realmuto, both drafted in 2010 and both traded away after Sherman bought the club.

Any surprise the Marlins are last in MLB in runs scored, home runs, slugging percentage and OPS since the beginning of the 2010 season?