MIAMI -- The Marlins on Thursday welcomed back one of their most respected veteran leaders.

Martin Prado, who suffered a right hamstring strain on June 12, was reinstated from the 10-day injured list prior to Miami's 4-3 win over San Diego on Thursday afternoon at Marlins Park. In a corresponding move, infielder/center fielder JT Riddle was placed on the IL with a right forearm strain.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly said Prado would be used at first and third base, and be available as a bat off the bench. Prado entered Thursday's game as a pinch-hitter for pitcher Jarlin Garcia, hitting into a groundout in the sixth inning.

Prado will likely play in the weekend series against the Dodgers, which begins Friday night at Dodger Stadium. Left-handers Hyun-Jin Ryu and Clayton Kershaw are scheduled to start on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

“It’s always good to be part of this group of guys,” Prado said.

Injuries have limited Prado to 51 games, and he’s hitting .239. But on a youthful roster, Prado is yet another mentor to players going through their growing pains.

The Marlins have several veterans like Neil Walker, Starlin Castro and Curtis Granderson who are in a similar role. None are part of the organization’s long-term future, and each could potentially be dealt by the July 31 Trade Deadline.

Prado compares the veterans in the clubhouse to the teachers at a school.

“You want to create a base for young kids to be able to build a base for their careers,” Prado said. “For example, if you want your kids to be good at school, you have to put them in a school, where they are teaching them really well.

“We’ve got a little bit of everything. We’ve got Grandy, who was a stud coming up. A guy with power, he used to hit homers. Plays good defense. Good teammate inside the locker room, impact player outside the locker room, on the field.”

Prado and Walker, along with Garrett Cooper, have handled first base this year.

“Neil Walker, he’s played on good teams,” Prado said. “He can play every day, and is a switch-hitter. He’s a guy with a really good attitude. You’ve got the best teachers for these kids.”

Castro has been a workhorse at second base. In Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Padres, Castro broke up Chris Paddack’s no-hit bid with a home run to lead off the eighth inning. He added an RBI single in the ninth.

“Then, you’ve got Castro, who goes up there and plays every day, no matter what,” Prado said. “He just prepares himself every single day. He’s got the same attitude, if he’s hitting .220, or if he’s hitting .340. You’ve got a little bit of everything.”

Castro has been a staple in the lineup since being acquired from the Yankees as part of the Giancarlo Stanton trade after the 2017 season. He’s played in 94 games this year, after appearing in 154 in 2018.

“[Castro] plays every day,” Mattingly said. “That’s what you think about. People don’t realize how hard that is. Star’s out there every day, wants to play every day. He’s been banged up a lot. He’s got injuries, stuff going on, but he plays every day.”