Feedback, reaction from MLB people on Marlins trades. And behind-the-scenes details

The Marlins reshaped their farm system by acquiring 15 prospects in eight trades over the past week. Some tidbits on the deals and the fallout, now that the July 30 trade deadline has passed:

▪ Former Nationals general manager Jim Bowden, now with Sirius XM and The Athletic, called the Marlins and Tampa Bay “huge winners” as trade deadline sellers.

“I think the Fish made the right calls on trading all the players because it was a seller’s market to the extent that it may never happen again to this degree with these types of returns,” Bowden told The Miami Herald. “This could be a one-off type year...especially if they move the trade deadline back to August 15th.”

Two other former general managers, speaking on the condition of anonymity, praised the Marlins for their deal with Baltimore (involving Trevor Rogers), calling it one of the best at the deadline. One of the two GMs said beyond the Orioles deal, it appeared the Marlins went for “quantity over quality” and that was riskier given that Miami won’t necessarily have the same type of assets available at next year’s deadline.

▪ The Marlins believe the top player acquired from the Yankees in the Jazz Chisholm trade – Agustin Ramirez – will be a big-league catcher, even though some have raised questions about his defense.

He’s a bat-first prospect, but the Marlins are comfortable playing him at catcher and believe he can be developed there.

“They got their long term catcher in Agustin Ramirez who can hit with 25 home run power,” Bowden said. “He’s an average defender who’s getting better. His prospect status skyrocketed the last year and a half.”

Neither of the two other players in the deal is viewed as a sure-fire starter. Infielder Jared Serna is considered a utility player. Infielder Abrahan Ramirez is viewed as a developmental player.

But one of the GMs said Serna is one of the “safest” players the Marlins acquired, adding: “He reminds me of a Martin Prado type. Solid. Can play anywhere in the infield. He will be a major league player.”

The market for Chisholm was unique and fluid. The Yankees, Royals, Pirates and several others expressed interest initially. As conversations continued, some teams began to drop out after they did due diligence on Chisholm. But interest from the Yankees remained strong, and they offered a package built around Agustin Ramirez, who they knew the Marlins coveted.

The Marlins decided to make the move on Saturday so they could focus on other needs in trades on Tuesday.

▪ Dealing Rogers to Baltimore for two potential everyday players (Connor Norby, right fielder Kyle Stowers) was Miami’s best deal of the week, according to those two former GMs.

While Norby’s bat is big league ready, the Marlins are sending him to Triple A to get more experience playing third base. He has played mostly second base in the Orioles organization. He has a good chance to be Miami’s opening day third baseman next season.

“Gamer, tough player, high IQ winner,” Bowden said of Norby.

Stowers, who has joined the Marlins, has appeared in 67 games in the majors, going 36 for 157 (.229), with four homers, 20 RBI, 54 strikeouts and eight walks. But he has hit .306 in limited work this season.

Former Marlins amateur scouting director D.J. Svihlik told the Miami Herald this week of Stowers: “We really liked him in the 2019 draft. The hit power combination and left handed swing were obvious when we scouted him in Cape Cod and Stanford.

“While he started slowly his junior season with a very undisciplined approach at the plate, we continued to scout him through the Pac 12 tournament. It was there he convinced us of his ability to make adjustments. He landed on our board at the time right where he should have been and was a target with our comp and second round pick.”

The Marlins decided that they would deal Rogers if the right package became available. Talks intensified Monday night with several teams.

The Marlins had three offers they liked for Rogers – from the Mets, Reds and Orioles.

The Reds offered one of their top pitching prospects, but the Orioles were willing to go a step further by offering two promising position prospects.

▪ The Tanner Scott trade with San Diego, for pitchers Robby Snelling and Adam Mazur and infielder Graham Pauley (all players who were ranked top five in San Diego’s system entering the season) and second baseman Jay Beshears:

The Phillies, Mets, Dodgers, Orioles and Padres were the primary suitors for Scott. The Marlins were looking for multiple prospects in every trade they made and the Padres offer satisfied that objective.

An industry source said Mazur could be the best player in the deal but he might significant time in the minor leagues; he was rushed to the big leagues recently.

Bowden said Snelling, in his view, was the “Padres best pitching prospect…[Miami] only got him because of a down year...Fastball is 93-97 with a wicked deceptive change up and a plus curveball. He has below average control and command. However, when the control and command arrives, he has the potential of being their third starter after [Sandy] Alcantara and [Eury] Perez.”

Bowden said “the Padres rushed” Mazur but “he profiles as a mid rotation starter when fully developed. Give him a couple more years.”

▪ From the A.J. Puk deal with Arizona: The Marlins believe corner infielder Deyvison De Los Santos, who’s only 21, can help them as early as 2025, as a first baseman primarily. He hit 48 homers in 200 games since the start of 2023, before reporting to Triple A Jacksonville in recent days.

He has had swing-and-miss issues, but the Marlins believe they can work on that with him in the minors.

“I actually think De Los Santos has a chance to hit with power,” Bowden said. “He’s got a violent swing that’s out of control at times but loud sweet spot contact.”

Center fielder Andrew Pintar, also acquired in the deal, profiles as a fourth outfielder.

▪ The Bryan De La Cruz trade: This was the one trade that was questioned by some industry sources, because Miami gave up a starting outfielder for an average prospect (Garret Forrester) and a highly-regarded pitcher who has been mostly injured (Jun-Seok Shim).

There were mixed views internally about whether to trade De La Cruz, but the Marlins ultimately did it because Shim was considered one of the top international prospects in baseball before multiple injuries derailed him. He hasn’t pitched this season because of a shoulder problem.

Shim was also someone who came up in Marlins talks with Pittsburgh on Chisholm, but that never drew close.

As for Forrester, Bowden notes he has a “high on base percentage. First baseman with average power that could improve in time. The Marlins [are] making it clear that they want hitters that work the count, draw walks and hit line drives for their park.

“Forrester walks more than he K’s and although De La Cruz has more power...Forrester profiles as a better run producer and hitter.”

Forrester, drafted in the third round out of Oregon State in 2023, is hitting .273 (.413 on base) with nine doubles and nine RBI in 34 games at High A Bradenton. He hit .326 with 26 homers and 144 RBI in three seasons at Oregon State.

▪ The Marlins believe the low-level prospects they acquired from the Mariners for JT Chargois (right-handed relief pitcher Will Schomberg) and from the Mets for Huascar Brazoban (infielder Wilfredo Lara) were better than some prospects in their own organization.

▪ Of players acquired by trade this summer (including four in the Luis Arraez) trade, eight are now rated among the Marlins’ top 12 prospects by MLB Pipeline.

Those eight: Snelling second, Norby fifth, Ramirez sixth, De Los Santos seventh, Mazur eighth, Dillon Head (acquired in the Arraez deal) 10th, Serna 11th and Pauley 12th.

The other four in the Marlins’ top 12 prospects were drafted or signed by Miami: pitchers Noble Meyer (first), Thomas White (third) and Max Meyer (fourth) and outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. (ninth).

Among other players acquired in the past week, Shim is rated 20th among Marlins prospects and Pintar 26th.

Craig Mish is The Herald senior baseball correspondent. Follow him at @CraigMish and follow Barry Jackson at @flasportsbuzz