1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 1: Hey, Marlins fans, Welcome to a new edition of Big 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:10,240 Speaker 1: Fish Small Pod or Monday, June tenth, here on the 3 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: Fish on First podcast Channel, presented by MPT College Consulting. 4 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:19,159 Speaker 1: I'm Eli Sussman. The usual routine on Mondays here on 5 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 1: the Small Pod is to do a Marlins Prospect spotlight, 6 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: picking out a different player of interest from each full 7 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: season level of the Marlins farm system. Had to switch 8 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: up the formatting a little bit this time because there 9 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: are two guys who have risen head and shoulders above 10 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: the rest over this past week. Let's get into both 11 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:45,839 Speaker 1: Joe Mack and Griffin Conine. The numbers on both of 12 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 1: them absolutely staggering over this past series that they had. 13 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: Both of them played all six games, both of them 14 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 1: homered four times a piece. Conine for Triple A Jacksonville, 15 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 1: Joe Mack for Double A Pensacola. Conine slash line a 16 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: five hundred batting average, six hundred on base in eleven 17 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:11,680 Speaker 1: fifty slugging percentage. That's an ops of one seven five zero, 18 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 1: and Mac it's almost a carbon copy of that. He 19 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 1: slashed four fifty five, five point thirty nine ten ninety 20 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: one for an ops of sixteen twenty nine. Just incredible. 21 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: We'll start with Mac, who at least is ranked on 22 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: our Fish on First Top thirty list. He was number 23 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: twenty five when we updated those rankings last month, and 24 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:35,479 Speaker 1: we had to bring this up last night on the 25 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:37,920 Speaker 1: State of the Fish call in show for people that 26 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: aren't familiar on Sunday nights, we have one of those 27 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: shows that typically branches into prospects as well as the 28 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 1: big league team, and I think just informally, we've reached 29 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: a point where he has emerged as the top catching 30 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: prospect in this organization. Started the year in High A Boloites, 31 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 1: coming off a twenty twenty three season in Beloit where 32 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 1: he was terrible offensively, it was no surprise that he 33 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: had to repeat the level, still just twenty one years old. 34 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: Within just a couple of weeks of the start of 35 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: the season, he got off to an outstanding start and 36 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,080 Speaker 1: the Marlins moved him up to Pensacola, where he is 37 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 1: the youngest player on that Blue Wahu's team. And it 38 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 1: was an interesting roster fit because even now they have 39 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: three catchers on that roster including Gay that we were 40 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 1: not too we were pretty excited about not too long 41 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: Ago and Paul McIntosh, but Mac has usurped p Mac 42 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 1: as their primary catcher over there, kind of pushing even 43 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 1: Bennett Hostetlert to a mostly infield DH position. They've made 44 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: room for Mac because that's what you do when you 45 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: have somebody that's finally living up to his initial prospect pedigree. 46 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: Mac has been drafted and developed by the Marlins organization 47 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 1: since twenty twenty one. They paid him a bonus of 48 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: two and a half million dollars just a few years ago. 49 00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: And when he's finally showing the combination of catching fundamentals 50 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: and really exciting run production, that that's when you really 51 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: start reconsidering where he falls in this whole organizational picture. 52 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 1: He got off to a hot start upon that promotion 53 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 1: to Pensacola way back in late April, but then went 54 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: through a lull for a little while as well. It's 55 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 1: only been the last few weeks where once again he 56 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: has caught fire again all things considered, but the season 57 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: overall combines his little taste of Bulloyd and longer. Now 58 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: to this point in Pensacola, he said ten home runs. 59 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 1: He's slashing two seventy three, three point fifty four to 60 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 1: five oh two. Mac leads the entire Marlins organization in 61 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: total bases this season with one to oh five. My 62 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: splitting time pretty evenly between catcher and DH in order 63 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 1: to keep himself in the lineup as often as possible. 64 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: He's got power to all fields. He homered this past week. 65 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 1: Those four home runs came in four consecutive days, the 66 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 1: last of which went out to the dead center field, 67 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: well over four hundred feet away. That's just immensely exciting 68 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: for a guy who only homeward six total times in 69 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 1: twenty twenty three. I'll reiterate that he is deching almost 70 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: half of his games, and I think that sets that 71 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: is helping no doubt his offensive production. Whereas if you 72 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:24,479 Speaker 1: have somebody that is catching almost exclusively, the wear and 73 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: tear of that position generally bleeds into what you can 74 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: produce at the plate. But that being said, I mean 75 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:33,279 Speaker 1: you look around baseball, Not to get hyperbolic, but some 76 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 1: of the best catchers out there, Adlie Rushman, William Contreras, 77 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: will Smith, those are guys that date quite a bit 78 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 1: on their off days in order to keep them in 79 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: the lineup for as many games as possible. So it's 80 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: not necessarily having to point out that his time behind 81 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: the plate is limited. It's you know that if you 82 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 1: have a player that is one of your better offensive 83 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 1: players in the organization, then that's a great problem to 84 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 1: have in order to occupy the DH spot a lot 85 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 1: of the time. But in terms of catching, even this 86 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 1: past week a couple runners caught stealing on on target 87 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 1: and strong throws from behind the plate, I don't think 88 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 1: it's been much of a question that he is competent 89 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: defensively behind the plate in a way that should last 90 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: even as he moves up the organization as well. And 91 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: it should go without saying that the Marlins are in desperate, 92 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 1: desperate need of some sort of long term potential answer 93 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 1: behind the plate, because right now, in twenty twenty four, 94 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:35,720 Speaker 1: and among the guys that are closest to the big leagues, 95 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:40,720 Speaker 1: there's no comforting answer there. And Mack has pretty obviously 96 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: now immergs as the guy that you're most excited about 97 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:45,040 Speaker 1: not an option for the big leagues this year, as 98 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 1: aggressive as they were promoting him to double A. And 99 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:49,279 Speaker 1: I wouldn't even rule out that he makes it up 100 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 1: to Jacksonville by the end of the year. He's not 101 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 1: going to be a major league option until next year 102 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 1: at the very earliest. But Buddy, that has more so 103 00:05:57,920 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 1: than I think anybody else in the organization, he is 104 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:03,719 Speaker 1: really raised his prospect stock through these first couple months 105 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 1: of the season. Now getting over to Conine, a name 106 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 1: that you're all familiar with. He is indeed the son 107 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 1: of Jeff Conine, and he's been in this organization longer 108 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:15,840 Speaker 1: than Mac has since a twenty twenty trade with the 109 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:19,839 Speaker 1: Blue Jays, and with Conine it's just been the same 110 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 1: story almost every single step of the way with organization 111 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:28,839 Speaker 1: where his power is even mightier than Max's with all 112 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 1: due respect, and that has been backed up not just 113 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:33,599 Speaker 1: by seeing the ball go out to all fields, but 114 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 1: the kind of exit velocities he's producing this season pretty consistently. 115 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 1: One eight, one oh nine, one ten, one eleven miles 116 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 1: per hour off the bat. Those are the kind of 117 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 1: numbers that are really impressive even for a big league regular, 118 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: and uh that has always been there. It's just the strikeouts. 119 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:58,000 Speaker 1: The strikeout rate has just been totally untenable for somebody 120 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 1: to strike out in more than one third of their 121 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:04,479 Speaker 1: played appearances in the minors. History shows that those type 122 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 1: of players just cannot survive in the big leagues because 123 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: they're having enough trouble with the stuff that those lesser 124 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: talents are throwing. They just might not have the coordination 125 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: they need in order to survive at the big league level, 126 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: where especially in a situation where you're being advanced scouted 127 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 1: so much more precisely and teams know your strengths and weaknesses. 128 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 1: But co nine, twenty six years young, about to turn 129 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: twenty seven years old, he has seemingly turned a corner. 130 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:34,480 Speaker 1: He has cut down on that strikeout right in a 131 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: way that he hasn't done since short season ball, back 132 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 1: when he was a Blue Jays prospect about a year 133 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 1: removed from the draft. Now he's the guy that already 134 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: had a taste of triple A last year, and I 135 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: think that helps. He's somebody that has pretty consistently struggled 136 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: in his early taste of new levels of competition before 137 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: getting more acclimated with more time. But he's doing it 138 00:07:57,240 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: in a way where it's not just about that power production. 139 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: Thirteen home runs this year was leads all Marlins minor 140 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 1: leaguers opsing nine to twenty one on the season. Is 141 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: the fact that now his strikeout raid is twenty eight percent, 142 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 1: still a lot worse than average, but it's palatable. At 143 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 1: the big league level, some of the very best players 144 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: in the sport strike got twenty eight percent of the time, 145 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 1: and it's a significant improvement from where he was at 146 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 1: triple A last year. I think he was at thirty 147 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: eight percent when he got his first chance of action 148 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: in a twenty twenty three at Jacksonville. Also encouraging for 149 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: this left handed hitter is the platoon splits. They really 150 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:38,439 Speaker 1: they've calmed down a little bit. It's still pretty drastic 151 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:39,560 Speaker 1: now that I look at it, but there have been 152 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: years where he was he was essentially being platooned in 153 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:44,679 Speaker 1: Jacksonville in twenty twenty three when he first came up, 154 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:47,680 Speaker 1: and now he's in the lineup almost every day ops 155 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: of seven nineteen against fellow lefties, and it's yeah, it's survivable. 156 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 1: I think, realistically, yeah, you need to uh, the ceiling 157 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:00,599 Speaker 1: is not there with what Mack is because he is 158 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 1: a corner outfielder, and I do think those platoon splits 159 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,440 Speaker 1: still do tell a pretty strong story that he gets 160 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: much better looks against pitchers when he has that advantage. 161 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:14,080 Speaker 1: So he's not going to be an everyday player in 162 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: the big leagues, but the possibility of him actually getting 163 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:21,679 Speaker 1: to the big leagues have has really changed. Especially over 164 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:24,520 Speaker 1: this past month or so, he's been one of the 165 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 1: He has been the hottest hitter if you go back 166 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 1: for an entire month long stretch. He's been phenomenal with 167 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 1: the combination of power and simply putting the ball in 168 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 1: play on a more regular basis. Right here, call up 169 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 1: is not imminent right here there the corner outfield spots 170 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,720 Speaker 1: with the Marlins are pretty crowded, even including the subtraction 171 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 1: of Avi Garcia. This is a situation where you look 172 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 1: at maybe after the trade deadline, if the Marlins are 173 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:55,320 Speaker 1: willing to consider offers for Brian Delacruz and or Heyesu Sanchez, 174 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:59,679 Speaker 1: maybe Conine slides into their opening up the DH spot 175 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: lit a little bit with the trade of Josh Bell would 176 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:04,960 Speaker 1: also help. Or you just never know when injuries, unfortunately 177 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: are going to come along the way in Conine re 178 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: bealle to capitalize on that. This was such a crucial 179 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 1: year for Conin and it was his last year under 180 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 1: club control before potentially becoming a minor league free agent. 181 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: And once you repeat a level more than once that's 182 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:26,200 Speaker 1: when the stats really just become meaningless, to be blunt 183 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 1: about it, So he needed to perform really well this year, 184 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:30,959 Speaker 1: and he has. He's put himself on the radar for 185 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 1: a late season call up at the very least, So 186 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 1: that's going to be assuming he does get up, even 187 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 1: for just one game or one at bat with the 188 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: Marlins with Conine on the back of his jersey, that 189 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 1: would be one of the big bright spots of this 190 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 1: entire season. So I can imagine that so many people 191 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:53,200 Speaker 1: out there are rooting for him to get that look 192 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 1: at the big league level, even if it is under 193 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:59,559 Speaker 1: non competitive circumstances for the Marlins. This has been Big 194 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: Fish from Monday, June tenth, presented by MPT College Consulting. 195 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:10,439 Speaker 1: Check them out MPT Collegeconsulting dot com. I've been Eli, Susman, 196 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 1: and thanks for falling along with our coverage. Love a 197 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:16,079 Speaker 1: more traditional Marlins prospects Dotlight next week, but a whole 198 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:19,120 Speaker 1: lot of programming between now and then on Phish on 199 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 1: First dot com. Thanks for your support and go Fish.