Stock Up, Stock Down for Top 10 Miami Marlins Prospects for Week of August 19

Christian Yelich recorded his 131st at-bat Sunday. 

To the average fan, it probably doesn't mean anything. But for this Stock Up, Stock Down report, it means Yelich is the sixth Marlin to lose his top 10 prospect status this season. The first five were Jose Fernandez, Adeiny Hechavarria, Rob Brantly, Marcell Ozuna and Derek Dietrich.

According to Major League Baseball rules, a player shall be considered a rookie unless, during a previous season or seasons, he has (a) exceeded 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues; or (b) accumulated more than 45 days on the active roster of a Major League club or clubs during the period of 25-player limit (excluding time in the military service and time on the disabled list).

Because of so many promotions, there's plenty of shake up at the bottom half of the list while the upper half of the list climbs up a spot.

Without further ado, in ascending order, here's the latest stock report for the Marlins' top 10 prospects.

3B Zack Cox, Double-A Jacksonville

Stock down

Last week's stats: 2-for-17

2013 stats: .267/.357/.370, 3 HR, 28 RBI, 30 R, 15 2B

Analysis

The last time we had a Stock Up, Stock Down report, Zack Cox had just been promoted to Triple-A New Orleans, according to the Northwest Arkansas Times, and he was the Marlins No. 6 prospect.

Since then, the Marlins drafted third baseman Colin Moran, who plays the same position as Cox, and apparently, Cox's time with New Orleans lasted all of two days. When Cox returned to Jacksonville, he struggled some with a slash line of .245/.316/.368 with two home runs and 11 runs batted in.

LHP Brian Flynn, Triple-A New Orleans

Stock up

Last week's stats: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 3 SO, 6 IP in 1 start

2013 stats: 6-10, 2.86 ERA, 39 BB, 117 SO, 132 IP in 22 starts with New Orleans Zephyrs (AAA); 1-1, 1.57 ERA, 3 BB, 25 SO, 23 IP in 4 starts with Jacksonville Suns (AA)

Analysis

With so many players having lost their prospect status during the course of this season, Brian Flynn finds his way into the Marlins top 10 prospects. 

Flynn was acquired last season with Jacob Turner and Rob Brantly as the Marlins sent Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante to the Detroit Tigers days before the July 31 trade deadline.

Among the Marlins less heard of prospects, Flynn has had the best season as his 2.86 ERA leads the Pacific Coast League, according to the Advocate. 

Moreover, with Fernandez close to his innings limit and with rosters expanding to 40 players next week, Flynn is a possibility to be called up, according to MLB.com.

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"We're still working on that," Marlins manager Mike Redmond told MLB.com. "We've talked about the guys we're going to bring up and trying to finalize the list of guys. We'll be bringing up probably at least a couple of guys that can start. Obviously Jose [Fernandez's] not going to pitch the whole months so we'll need at least one more starter there."

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C J.T. Realmuto, Double-A Jacksonville

Stock down

Last week's stats: 3-for-15, 0 HR, 1 RBI

2013 stats: .238/.306/.355, 5 HR, 36 RBI, 37 R, 21 2B with Jacksonville Suns (AA)

Analysis

J.T. Realmuto's subpar season continues as he had a mediocre week with three hits in 15 at-bats.

About the only good thing going for Realmuto is he gets to catch the Marlins' top three pitching prospects, Andrew Heaney, Justin Nicolino and Adam Conley. He was also the only Jacksonville Sun to reach base when they were no-hit by the Montgomery Biscuits right-hander Victor Mateo on Saturday, according to the Florida Times-Union.

2B Avery Romero, Single-A Greensboro

Stock down

Last week's stats: 7-for-33, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, 3 2B

2013 stats: .231/.286/.308, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R with Greensboro Grasshoppers (Single-A); .297/.357/.411, 2 HR, 30 RBI, 27 R, 18 2B with Batavia Muckdogs (short season Single-A)

Analysis

Avery Romero is moving on up.

Romero parlayed a scorching hot start with the Batavia Muckdogs into a promotion Friday, according to the News & Record, to the Greensboro Grasshoppers, the Marlins' Single-A club. 

From June 17 to July 8, Romero's slash line was .394/.443/.521 with one home run and 12 runs batted in. From July 9 to August 7, Romero's slash line was .306/.383/.439 with one home run and 16 runs batted in. But since August 7, Romero's slash line is .132/.164/.189 with no home runs and four runs batted in.

While Romero deserved the promotion, he has been on a slow decline that bears watching.

RHP Jose Urena, Advanced Single-A Jupiter

Stock down

Last week's stats: 0-1, 6.75 ERA, 4 ER, 8 H, 1 BB, 3 SO, 5.1 IP in 1 start

2013 stats: 10-7, 3.79 ERA, 29 BB, 101 SO, 142.2 IP in 26 games (25 starts)

Analysis

After four consecutive quality starts, Jose Urena fell back to Earth as he yielded four earned runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings in the Jupiter Hammerheads 4-3 loss Wednesday to the Bradenton Marauders. 

With the promotion of Heaney and Nicolino, Urena has become the Hammerheads' ace.

3B Colin Moran, Single-A Greensboro

Stock up

Last week's stats: 12-for-27, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 6 R, 5 BB

2013 stats: .301/.359/.436, 4 HR, 22 RBI, 17 R, 14 BB

Analysis

Colin Moran, welcome to professional baseball.

Moran hit a walk-off home run Wednesday in the Greensboro Grasshoppers 4-3, 10-inning victory against the Delmarva Shorebirds, according to the Sun-Sentinel.

The next night, Delmarva got revenge as it plunked Moran with a pitch.

According to the News & Record, Moran stared into the visitors dugout on his way to first base after reliever Harry Marino hit him. Grasshoppers manager Jorge Hernandez was irate and argued with home plate umpire Lewis Williams III at length about the warning. Delmarva manager Luis Pujols, a former big-league catcher, waited his turn, got a short explanation and went back to his dugout.

Speculation is the incident stemmed from when Moran admired his towering, game-winning home run over the right-field fence off Delmarva relief pitcher Casey Upperman, a right-hander who had allowed just one other home run this season.

Moran, who signed for $3.52 million after being drafted sixth overall in June's amateur draft, got off to a slow start as his slash line was .232/.287/.347 with two home runs and 18 RBI in his first 26 games. But in the last 10 days, Moran has gotten hot as his slash line during that stretch is .474/.533/.658 with two homers and four runs batted in.

"I've played more games and I feel more comfortable," Moran told MILB.com, via the Sun-Sentinel. "Getting ready to play every day has been the biggest adjustment from college."

LHP Adam Conley, Double-A Jacksonville

Stock up

Last week's stats: 0-2, 2.63 ERA, 4 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 11 SO, 13.2 IP in 2 starts

2013 stats: 11-7, 3.23 ERA, 36 BB, 123 SO, 133.2 IP in 25 games (24 starts)

Analysis

Adam Conley pitched a career-high 7.2 innings Sunday, but it was all for naught as he received the loss (3-0) against the Montgomery Biscuits. According to the Florida Times-Union, Conley pitched a shutout into the eighth inning, but was relieved by Collin Cargill with two runners aboard. Five pitches later, Cargill surrendered a three-run home run to Ryan Brett.

Earlier in the week, Conley pitched six solid innings, but he took the complete-game 2-0 loss to the Chattanooga Lookouts.

Among the Marlins top pitching prospects, Conley gets lost in the shuffle thanks to Heaney's dominance and first-round pick status, and Nicolino's inclusion in the big 12-player fire sale trade this past offseason. However, Conley might be the most advanced of the three left-handers after spending all of this season in Double-A.

LHP Justin Nicolino, Double-A Jacksonville

Stock up

Last week's stats: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 2 SO, 7 IP in 1 start

2013 stats: 3-2, 4.46 ERA, 10 BB, 28 SO, 36.1 IP in 7 starts with Jacksonville Suns (AA); 5-2, 2.23 ERA, 18 BB, 64 SO, 96.2 IP in 18 starts with Jupiter Hammerheads (Advanced Single-A)

Analysis

It looks like Justin Nicolino is getting the hang of pitching in Double-A.

In his most recent start, Nicolino pitched seven shutout innings, allowing five hits, but he received a no-decision in Jacksonville's 3-1 loss to the Chattanooga Lookouts on Wednesday. This performance came on the heels of being named, according to the Florida Times-Union, the Southern League’s Pitcher of the Week after he struck out a career-high 13 in six scoreless innings against Birmingham on Aug. 16.

The accolades don't end there. Nicolino was also named Florida State League Pitcher of the Year, according to the Sun-Sentinel. Before his promotion, Nicolino was 5-2 with a 2.23 ERA, 18 walks and 64 strikeouts in 18 starts for the Jupiter Hammerheads, the Marlins' advanced Single-A club.

Prior to his last two outings, Nicolino was 2-2 with a 6.75 ERA with just 13 strikeouts in his first five starts with Jacksonville.

LHP Andrew Heaney, Double-A Jacksonville

Stock up

Last week's stats: 1-0, 1.29 ERA, 1 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 SO, 7 IP in 1 start

2013 stats: 4-1, 2.60 ERA, 8 BB, 19 SO, 27.2 IP in 5 starts with Jacksonville Suns (AA); 5-2, 0.88 ERA, 17 BB, 66 SO, 61.2 IP in 13 games (12 starts) with Jupiter Hammerheads (Advanced Single-A)

Analysis

If it wasn't for Marisnick not having enough at-bats to be eligible for the National League Rookie of the Year award, Andrew Heaney would have a great argument to be the team's top prospect.

In his only outing of the week, Heaney continued to be his dominant self as he gave up one earned run on five hits in seven innings in the Suns 8-1 victory against the Montgomery Biscuits. 

“Heaney is special,” Suns second baseman Derek Dietrich told the Montgomery Advertiser after the win. “He’s a very good competitor, not to mention his stuff, which is outstanding.”

Promoted to Double-A a few weeks ago, according to MLB.com, Heaney has won four of his five starts while posting a 2.60 ERA. With one more start to go, August has been Heaney's worst month of the season thus far. Keep in mind, most pitchers would love to win four of five starts and post a 2.60 ERA. 

Oh, and did we mention Heaney had a 33-inning scoreless streak earlier this season and was a perfect 4-0 with a 0.00 ERA in five July starts? Just saying...

CF Jake Marisnick, Miami Marlins

Stock down

Last week's stats: 1-for-15, 1 3B

2013 stats: .181/.228/.245, 1 HR, 5 RBI with Miami Marlins; .294/.358/.502, 12 HR. 46 RBI, 43 R, 13 2B, 11 SB with Jacksonville Suns (AA)

Analysis

With another 36 at-bats, Jake Marisnick would no longer be considered a prospect. But until then, he will get to enjoy his status as the Marlins' top prospect.

After all, performance-wise, Marisnick hasn't proven he belongs in the majors yet. The good news is he seems to know what's wrong.

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"I've done it at every level I've been at once I'm called up. I don't know if it's when I first get there I try to do too much and I lose focus of what I've been trying to do," Marisnick told MLB.com. "I think that has something to do with it. I came up here wanting to hit home runs and got my swing pulling off the ball and trying to do too much. I think over time it won't be a big problem."

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In his first 26 games with Double-A Jacksonville earlier this season, Marisnick's slash line was .231/.287/.365 with four home runs and 15 runs batted in. From that point forward until his promotion to the big leagues July 23, Marisnick's slash line was .335/.403/.590 with eight home runs and 31 RBI. 

So now, we sit and wait for Marisnick to turn on the switch. It could come later this season, next season, or not at all.