It’s Time To Take the Marlins’ Dane Myers Seriously
The center fielder is making the most of his big league opportunity this season.
Everyone loves an underdog story. The player with a remarkable comeback, or a guy who has beaten the odds and reached success. The fact of the matter is, these underdog stories typically fade. Rarely do players find sustained success and build upon it. However, Dane Myers is doing just that.
Myers was originally a sixth-round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers in 2017. After a number of seasons in the minors, he made his way to the Miami Marlins organization via the minor league Rule 5 draft in December of 2022. At 27 years old, Myers debuted without much success before returning to the minors in 2023.
Miami was scuffling and once again turned to Myers in 2024, when he slashed .263/.333/.442, good for a 112 wRC+ across 44 games. Although Myers was most likely seen as something closer to minor league depth than a serious part of the lineup going forward, he has earned another opportunity this season and made the most of it.
Stats updated prior to games on June 12.
Myers’ Strong 2025
Without prospect pedigree, past success, or a big market, Myers’ season has flown under the radar. Yet, the now 29-year-old has taken over center field in Miami and is breaking out in a significant way. Through 41 games, Myers is slashing .302/.352/.431 with three home runs, eight stolen bases, and a 119 wRC+.
What Myers has provided the Marlins is more than just a flash in the pan, but a player who is actually earning a role and making a case to be the Marlins’ representative at the All-Star Game. I’m sure Kyle Stowers is currently the frontrunner, but Myers’ name even being worthy of discussion shows how good of a season he is having.
Myers has now put together a sample of roughly 80 games over the past two seasons that points towards his production being legit. The improvements he has made from last year to this year only help his argument.
After striking out 33% of the time last season, Myers has cut that number to 24.0% while also cutting his whiff rate. He’s chasing less and making more contact in the zone as well. Not only is he hitting the ball more, but he’s hitting it hard.
Myers has seen his average exit velocity take a major step forward from 88.9 mph last season to 92.2 mph this season. That level of hard contact is often going to lead to better results, which we are seeing in his .302 batting average. But, where’s the power?
Power is not and has not been a major part of Myers’ game. He’s matched his home run total of three from last season, but you would think the better contact would lead to more home runs or at least extra base hits. His problem, if you want to call it that, is that he’s more of a line drive hitter and does not lift the ball (9.3-degree average launch angle).
One has to wonder if Myers can tap into more power. Although he is on the older side, he’s still inexperienced and can possibly make an adjustment in order to gain more gap power. For a player who’s mostly fought for a roster spot, I doubt making what could be a risky change is top of mind. Regardless, his value shows either way.
A superb athlete, Myers has enough speed to be a factor on the bases. He’s running more this year and is on pace for over 20 stolen bases. His speed also carries over into the field, where he’s already been worth four defensive runs saved, and his arm has graded out as one of the best in the game.
What’s Next for Myers?
An above-average defender in center with speed and a good feel to hit is a great piece to have on a team. Not to mention, Myers has hit lefties very well, with a career .874 OPS against southpaws. I’m sure the Marlins love having Myers around, but at what point does he need to be considered a tradeable asset?
Miami is more than a year or two away from contending, and Myers is already 29 years old. Sure, his athletic ability tells me he’ll be a useful player into his thirties, but he does not really line up with Miami’s timeline. That’s not to say having Myers around during the next few years wouldn’t bring value, but will better value come from trading him?
He is arbitration-eligible in 2027 and will not hit free agency until after 2029. Teams are always looking for players who can cover center and/or hit lefties well. I doubt the cost to acquire Myers will be too significant, which brings us back to the question of whether he is more valuable on the Marlins or as a trade chip.
On the Marlins or another team, Myers should continue to be a very solid player. He earned his opportunity, and so far, he has capitalized on it.
Final Thoughts
Tons of credit goes out to the Marlins for the improvements they have made since Peter Bendix took over. To identify and develop Myers is pretty impressive. Even bigger props to Myers for putting in the work and continuing to improve even when the odds were against him.
Trying to predict what a player can become when he has played so few games and is already nearly thirty years old is difficult. However, if you just watch Myers play, you will see the skill set and understand why he’s been such a useful piece.
I’ll continue to root for this underdog no matter where he is, and Myers deserves everything that’s come his way.
Written by