MIAMI -- This year’s Trade Deadline was much calmer than a year ago, when the Marlins injected their system with 11 prospects from six trades to completely overhaul their personnel.
In a pair of moves this week, Miami added rookie right-hander Ryan Gusto and three prospects. Double-A outfielder Matthew Etzel rounded out Miami’s Top 30 list until the organization acquired High-A middle infielder Chase Jaworsky. Ranked as Houston’s No. 13 prospect, he debuted at No. 15 in Miami’s farm and bumped Etzel for now.
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“We continued to build on the plan that we've had, adding as much talent to this organization as we possibly can, getting the players that we have better and really just continuing on this path that we're really excited about,” president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said.
Here's a look at the additions Miami made to its Minor League system in these deals.
Matthew Etzel, OF, Double-A
Acquired in: Nick Fortes trade with the Rays
ETA: 2026
Pipeline scouting report: Etzel spent a semester at Texas A&M then played two seasons at Panola (Texas) JC, but it was actually a stint in the MLB Draft League that set him up for his professional future. He slashed .371/.463/.586 with 25 steals in 33 games there in 2022, putting himself on scouting radars a year before signing with the Orioles as a 10th-rounder out of Southern Mississippi. Baltimore sent him to the Rays as part of a three-prospect package for starter Zach Eflin in July 2024, then Tampa Bay shipped him to the Marlins for Nick Fortes a year later.
Etzel’s performance dipped after a promotion to Double-A and fell off when he joined the Rays, as he batted .232 with a .692 OPS and a 35 percent strikeout rate in 36 games for Montgomery. The swing-and-miss jump was somewhat alarming, as Etzel typically makes a fair amount of contact (especially against fastballs) and already puts a lot of balls on the ground. Granted, he has the speed to make that work and added value by stealing 45 bases over 119 games last year, but it will require him to boost his slugging percentage with doubles and triples, not home runs.
Despite his above-average speed, Etzel seems likely to settle in at a corner position. He played all three outfield spots at an almost exactly even rate last year and even saw time at first base in an effort to keep his bat in the lineup. He hasn't made much progress at Double-A this year, a telling sign that probably caps his ceiling as a fourth outfielder.
Chase Jaworsky, INF, High-A
Acquired in: Jesús Sánchez trade with the Astros
ETA: 2027
Pipeline scouting report: After Jaworsky impressed with his athleticism at the 2023 MLB Draft Combine, the Astros spent a fifth-round pick and an over-slot $847,500 bonus to lure the Colorado prepster away from a commitment to Utah Valley State. His top priority was to add muscle to his skinny 6-foot-1 frame and he has added about 15 pounds since turning pro. He showed steady improvement as a 19-year-old in Single-A last year before a broken finger ended his first full pro season in late July.
A left-handed hitter, Jaworsky has good bat-to-ball skills but needs to improve his selectivity while continuing to gain strength. While he shows the ability to make adjustments and uses the entire field well, he currently makes a lot of soft groundball contact. Added physical development could result in 12-15 homers per year, though he'll always be a hit-over-power guy.
Jaworsky's most obvious tool is his plus speed, which he used to steal 28 bases in 78 games last season. He has nice actions and range to both sides at shortstop, though there are questions as to whether his average arm will be enough to remain at the position. Houston believed his quick release and good internal clock will help him, while some scouts think second base and center field are more realistic destinations.
Organizational fit: Jaworsky joins a system that features another middle-infield prospect at High-A Beloit (Echedry Vargas, Marlins' No. 18) and a handful of others one level below at Single-A Jupiter: Starlyn Caba (Marlins' No. 4, MLB Pipeline’s No. 97 overall), Andrew Salas (No. 5) and Carter Johnson (No. 20).
Esmil Valencia, OF, Single-A
Acquired in: Jesús Sánchez trade with the Astros
ETA: 2028
Scouting report: The slam-dunk center fielder from Nizaro, Dominican Republic, was slashing .263/.325/.357 with 16 extra-base hits in 83 games at Single-A at the time of the trade. Valencia is a 70-grade runner with some swing and miss in his game. At 19, the athletic Valencia was playing against competition 1 1/2 years older than he.
Organizational fit: Valencia is predominantly a center fielder, though he also has seen time in right. He will join a Single-A Jupiter club that already has center fielder Dillon Head (Marlins' No. 7 prospect), left fielder PJ Morlando (No. 11) and right fielder Andres Valor (No. 19).