Maybin latest addition to Marlins' speedy OF

JUPITER, Fla. -- In just two days, Cameron Maybin picked up on what the Marlins' front office spent an entire offseason assembling -- swift and athletic outfielders. As part of their organizational reconstruction, Miami has targeted high-impact athletes with plus speed to help cover ground in the outfield and create havoc on the bases.
Maybin is the latest burner to join the group. The 30-year-old signed as a free agent with Miami on Wednesday, and Thursday was his second day practicing on the back fields of the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium complex.
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"I noticed it before we started running around, just the athletes," Maybin said. "In individual defense, I was talking about this might be one of the most athletic outfields I've ever been a part of. Just from an athletic standpoint. That's fun for me."
Maybin split time with the Angels and Astros last year and stole 33 bases in total.
In his second stint with the Marlins, Maybin may be the fourth-fastest outfielder in camp. Lewis Brinson, Magneuris Sierra and Braxton Lee are each on the 40-man roster and they have plus speed.

"It's no coincidence. We're looking for players that play in the middle of the field that have speed and power and strength, defensive ability, hit ability [and] potential to hit for power down the road," Marlins vice president of player development and scouting Gary Denbo said. "If we have four or five really good shortstops in player development, then we'll see who emerges as the best of that group. The same thing with the center fielders."
In relay drills on Thursday, the Marlins had Derek Dietrich in left, Brinson in center and Maybin in right.
"I'm usually the guy who is trying to help out the corner guy," Maybin said. "This here should be fun, with all the talent and young legs."
To get his bat in the lineup, Dietrich projects in left, while Maybin -- who signed a guaranteed big-league contract -- can play all three outfield spots.
"That's a big asset, picking up Cam," Brinson said. "Being the veteran he is, the veteran presence we need being such a young team. With Braxton and Sierra and myself and Cam, that's a lot of speed out there."
Sierra appears to be the fastest of the group. Statcast™ measures sprint speed by feet per second in a player's fastest one-second window, and while Sierra didn't have enough examples to qualify among the league leaders, his average sprint speed of 29.9 feet per second was tied with Bradley Zimmer for third highest. Byron Buxton (30.2) and Billy Hamilton (30.1) are the only times faster.

With the Brewers last year, Brinson hit a triple on June 16 against the Padres and was clocked from home to third at 11.08 seconds, which was tied for the 23rd-fastest triple in the Majors last year. His sprint speed on that hit was 29.3 feet per second. The MLB average is 27 feet per second.
"I take ultimate pride in that," Brinson said of his speed. "I want to be an all-around player. I want to steal more bases. I want to cover more ground. I want to throw more people out."

Maybin sprint speed was 27.8 feet per second. When he needs to, he can kick his speed into another gear. His fastest home to first time was 3.79 seconds.
"I think I can help these guys with a lot of stuff, as far as, how to become better baserunners," Maybin said. "Little things, I think this team will have to do, like take extra bases, and be aggressive. We're going to have to be aggressive, but it's fun when you have a lot of athletes to do so."