MIAMI -- A contingent of Marlins executives has traveled to Japan this week on what the club has termed a "goodwill" visit. The trip is expected to conclude later this week.
Representing the Marlins are team president David Samson, president of baseball operations Michael Hill, special assistant to the president Jeff Conine, senior vice president of communications and broadcasting P.J. Loyello and senior vice president of corporate partnerships Brendan Cunningham.
The Marlins are using the trip to expand their brand and increase exposure internationally.
Miami features one of the most popular players ever to come out of Japan, outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, who is 65 hits shy of reaching 3,000 in his MLB career.
Along with having 2,935 big league hits, Suzuki also has 498 stolen bases. The 42-year-old is on the brink of reaching some impressive milestones. In January 2015, when the Marlins initially signed him, team officials traveled to Japan for the introductory news conference.