Marlins corner-outfield prospects JJ Bleday (MLB Pipeline's No. 15 overall) and Peyton Burdick (Miami's No. 12) have been seeing time in center at Double-A Pensacola. When asked about this development, Geoffrey DeGroot, the Marlins' director of Minor League operations, pointed to the Major League club.

Adam Duvall, who had just one inning in center entering 2021, has started there six times this season, including on Wednesday night against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

"I think it's something we try to do for all of our outfielders," DeGroot told MLB.com. "There comes a time when guys are going to be called upon to do that. That's a real thing for Adam right now, and it could be just as real for JJ or Peyton or whoever in the future, where they may be called upon to play center field. We definitely want to make sure that they're prepared for that should something happen rather than throwing them into a fire."

Bleday already has started six times in center -- his first reps at the position since a one-game appearance in the New England Collegiate Baseball League in 2017. He also played center as a two-way prep star at A. Crawford Mosley in Lynn Haven, Fla.

According to MLB Pipeline's scouting report, Bleday has the following grades on a 20-80 scale: 45 (run), 55 (field) and 60 (arm). It goes on to say that he is a fringy runner whose instincts allow him to play faster on the bases and in the outfield. Though Bleday saw time at all three spots last summer at the alternate training site, he profiles as a right fielder because of his plus arm.

The 23-year-old showcased that tool as the center fielder with a strong throw in Pensacola's game against Birmingham on May 11. He has made 16 of 17 chances in center, with one error across 54 innings. While right field was his primary position at Vanderbilt and through his first season of professional baseball in 2019, Bleday has just two games there in '21. Another four have been in left.

"I played center in high school and I loved it, and I've been adjusting a lot better than I thought I would in pro ball with center field," Bleday told MLB.com. "Obviously I played corner in college, pretty much the majority of my career, but center field, you might have to cover a little bit more ground, but the reads are a lot more true. You've really got to home in on that first step and attack that baseball. I might not be the fastest guy on the field, but I think my arm makes up for it. My routes make up for it as well."

Burdick, who has started consecutive games in center, has recorded all three chances across 23 innings. The 24-year-old last appeared at the position for seven games in 2018 in the Cape Cod League.

MLB Pipeline's scouting report of Burdick gives him a better grade for run (50) but slightly lower marks for field (50) and arm (55) than Bleday. Burdick projects as providing at least average defense at either outfield corner; the majority of his time was spent in left in 2019, when he notched 10 assists in 59 games. In '21, he has six starts in right and three in left to go along with three in center.

Bleday and Burdick are part of a five-man outfield rotation with No. 21 prospect Jerar Encarnación, Víctor Víctor Mesa and Tristan Pompey. The designated-hitter spot in the lineup is being used to give the outfielders' legs a rest, according to Double-A manager Kevin Randel.

"Honestly, I really don't mind it at all," Burdick said. "It's fun being out there because in the outfield, the center fielder gets the reins to the whole outfield, so you get to kind of control everything a little bit better and move accordingly. It's fun for sure. The last time I played center field was in high school, so it's fun to get back out there in center."