Miami Marlins’ Draft Recap
By
Texas high schooler Austin Dean
The 2012 MLB Draft has officially come to an end and it provided its fair share of drama, as we got a first look at how the new CBA and altered draft rules affected teams’ draft strategies. I discussed the Marlins’ first-round pick, left-hander Andrew Heaney out of Oklahoma State, and now I’ll be taking a look at how the Fish fared on days two and three of this year’s draft.
The Marlins had to wait 95 picks after the Heaney selection to take local Florida high schooler Avery Romero in the third round. Romero played shortstop in high school but most think he has the bat to be able to stick at second or third base in the pro ranks.
Another one of the more intriguing Marlins’ picks on Day 2 was Louisiana prep outfielder Kolby Copeland. An athletic, toolsy outfielder, some were comparing Copeland before the draft to White Sox first round pick Courtney Hawkins. The Marlins were also linked to Hawkins in the days leading up to the draft, but perhaps the club felt they had the chance to get a similarly-skilled player in a later round, thus part of the reasoning behind taking Heaney ninth overall.
In the fifth round, the Marlins grabbed another high school bat in Austin Dean out of Klein Collins HS in Texas. Though he played third base in high school, the club selected Dean as an outfielder. In watching video of Dean at the plate, you can see that he has a bit of a funky stance and gets out on his front side a bit too much, but he also generates tremendous bat speed that should translate into power in the pro ranks. He’s committed to play at the University of Texas, so he could be one of the Marlins’ tougher signs from the first ten rounds.
I got a chance to watch a bit of LSU shortstop Austin Nola, the Marlins’ fifth-round selection, in the Tigers’ regional matchup against Oregon State and came away very impressed. Nola is a standout defensively, showing good range and a strong arm. He also swung the bat well in 2012, hitting .313 and posting a .433 OBP. If he can continue to develop as a hitter, he should be a valuable piece of the organization in the future.
In all, the Marlins used exactly half of their 40 selections in the 2012 MLB Draft on position players. Of the 20 pitchers taken, just four of them were left-handed.
One of the few widely-praised aspects of the new CBA is the expedited signing date (about a month earlier than before), which will allow draftees to have a better chance at getting some experience in short-season leagues this year instead of having to wait until the Fall League or Spring Training in 2013.
For a list of all 40 Marlins 2012 Draft picks, go here.
