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Miami Marlins young slugger Jacob Massey wasn’t a big name in college. He attended Central Michigan University and played summer ball in the Northwoods League.
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He then came to the attention of the San Diego Padres, who ultimately selected him in the sixth round of the 2022 MLB Draft.
He spent two years in San Diego before being traded to the Miami Marlins along with Dillon Hyde, Nathan Martorella and Wu-Sook Wu in exchange for Luis Alaes.
More: Marlins expected to trade All-Stars for $12M, batting champs to upgrade from Griffin Conine, Graham Pauley
MLB analysts view Marlins young players as prime extension candidates
Miami then offered Massie a chance in August of last season. In 55 games, the slugger hit .292/.363/.478 with five homers, 33 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases.
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He went on to win the National League Rookie of the Month for August.
In addition to his performance with the bat, his work in the outfield has been equally impressive. He racked up an impressive 4 OAA, which would match the pace of a top-10 defensive outfielder all season long.
With the young slugger moving forward, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand makes the case for Miami to re-sign him.
“Having only played 55 games in his rookie season, Massey has six more seasons under club control, so there’s no rush to re-sign him anytime soon. But we’re seeing teams in smaller markets roll the dice with early-career deals, which creates financial certainty for clubs and some security for players. Massey was outstanding last season, posting an 842 OPS and a 1.9 OPS in his 55 debut games. bWAR, it shows the type of player the Marlins can build around.”
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We’ve seen teams lock down their young talent early, so why wouldn’t the Marlins do the same? This would save them money and give Massie a financial boost while still allowing him to hit free agency later.
