SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Marlins No. 16 prospect Jordan Yamamato has come a long way.
The right-hander started the season with Class A Advanced Jupiter and was promoted to Double-A Jacksonville before the end of the year. In a stellar 2018 campaign, Yamamoto posted a 1.83 ERA in 68 2/3 innings across three levels in the Minors.
2018 Arizona Fall League rosters
And now, with the Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League, he's picked up where he left off a season ago -- getting outs.
Yamamoto tossed three innings against the Mesa Solar Sox on Wednesday night in his second AFL start, allowing one run on two hits and one walk while striking out six. He has given up five hits in six innings so far in the Fall League, allowing only one run and striking out 11.
After the outing, Yamamoto said the reason for his success isn't complicated.
"Just learning to pitch, just learning who I am and what I can do and using that to my advantage," Yamamoto said. "Throwing the ball in the zone, getting hitters out, trusting my defense and let the bats do their work."
Yamamoto's repertoire is focused on movement featuring a fastball topping out in the low 90s. His high tempo is an emphasis as a crafty pitcher who constantly attack hitters.
"I like to work fast. ... I'm not trying to be out here for 3 1/2 hours, I don't think anyone wants to be out here for 3 1/2 hours," Yamamoto said. "A hitter is going to get himself out seven out of 10 times, and that's a Hall of Famer, so my advantage is to throw the ball in the zone and hopefully it all goes well."
Yamamato got some offensive help from the Marlins' No. 1 prospect, Monte Harrison, early in the game.
Harrison sharply grounded a ball up the middle for an RBI single in the first inning and later scored to increase Salt River's lead to 3-0. He added a second RBI single on a ground ball through the left side of the infield in the seventh.
Harrison's two-hit night increased his average to .318, and he now has six RBIs in the Fall League.
Both Yamamoto and Harrison were part of the trade that sent Christian Yelich to the Brewers prior to the start of the season. And both could potentially be a big part of the Marlins' future as the franchise continues to rebuild.