The Miami Marlins Hope They Found a Star in Agustin Ramirez

It has been quite a roller coaster for the Miami Marlins organization over the past couple of years, to say the least. From ending seasons at the bottom of the National League East to making postseason runs in two of the last five years, it still seems they have not been able to find their true identity.

As we head into year two of the Peter Bendix era of Marlins baseball. we are starting to see what many hope are positive signs of a winner being built from the bottom up through a litany of trades to revamp the organization from top to bottom.

We have seen contributions from those acquisitions from time to time, but the latest call-up has the baseball world marveled with what he has done from game one of his Major League career.

Marlins Have a Newfound Star in Agustin Ramirez?

The Marlins’ new catcher, Agustin Ramirez, has been on a tear from his first game, where he found himself right in the middle of the Marlins’ lineup. Ramirez was well known as a bat-first prospect as he made his way through the Yankees and, most recently Marlins’ farm system.

After his breakout in 2023, where he was performing at a 123 wRC+ across two levels, Ramirez put his name on the map for prospectors. There was no question as to why the Marlins targeted him as the headliner in the return for Jazz Chisholm last season.

Entering May, in eight games played, Ramirez is slashing .290/.333/.710 with three home runs, a .389 xwOBA, and has already accumulated 0.3 fWAR. He also has an 81.4% contact rate and a hard hit rate at 46.2%.

It has been quite some time since the Marlins had a catching prospect even close to the level of Agustin Ramirez. In fact, other than JT Realmuto, it is tough to even think of another one. Nonetheless, Ramirez has quickly made a name for himself across the league.

Not only has he already had a multi-homerun game in his young career, but the young backstop tied a Major League record with 7 XBH in his first five career games and became the second player in the modern era to have an OBP over .750, with 5+ XBH, and no strikeouts.

The only other player to accomplish that was Barry Bonds back in 2022.

What the young backstop has been able to accomplish so far is truly remarkable. While teams will inevitably begin to adjust to him, the true test will be how quickly he can adjust back.

Based on what we have seen thus far, it is clear that Ramirez has a mature approach at the dish and, if he can become just a bit more well-rounded behind the plate, he has the chance to become one of the better young catchers in the game today.