MIAMI -- JJ Bleday, the Miami Marlins’ No. 1 Draft pick in June, played his first game at Marlins Park on Tuesday but hopes to be playing there regularly in the not-so-distant future.

“I have no pre-set date for getting there,” Bleday said referring to the Major Leagues. “No goals there.”

Bleday was one of 55 instructional league players who came from their home base in Jupiter, Fla., to play at Marlins Park in a special “camp game” that mimicked a real game -- except there were no spectators.

The Marlins were looking for a power hitter, and it appears they got one.

After hitting 29 home runs to lead all of college baseball in that category, the Marlins used the No. 4 overall selection to pick Bleday. On the final day he was eligible to be signed, he put his name to a reported $6.67 million contract.

The Marlins started him off at Jupiter in the Class A Advanced Florida State League.

“It took me a little time to get going,” Bleday said. “I learned that you had to quickly adjust.”

As far as the quality of the competition, he said it was, “like the SEC, but most of the players were more matured.”

In 38 games with the Hammerheads, Bleday batted .257 and hit three home runs.

“Getting better,” Bleday said. “A lot of it is the process of failure.”

The Marlins picked up another potential home run hitter in a trade in July, getting Lewin Diaz from Minnesota for Sergio Romo.

Only 22 years old, Diaz has already played six Minor League seasons. His left-handed bat came alive in 2019 when he hit 27 homers among three teams -- Class A Advanced Fort Myers, Double-A Pensacola and Jacksonville.

A 6-foot-4, 225-pound first baseman, the Marlins hope he puts on some weight and adds muscle. Through an interpreter, he said his goal this coming offseason was to get bigger and stronger.

Notes

The Marlins instructional league camp continues through Sept. 27 in Jupiter. Among the 55 players in Tuesday’s game were the first eight picks in this year’s Draft.