Miami Marlins got the return they needed for J.T. Realmuto

Everyone knew that the Miami Marlins would eventually trade J.T. Realmut, but they needed to get a premium return. The marlins got exactly the return they needed.

Quite simply, the Miami Marlins could not afford to receive anything less than an incredible return for disgruntled catcher J.T. Realmuto. They had traded their All Star outfield, as well as Dee Gordon, for a return that was, at best, underwhelming. Lewis Brinson, who was expected to be one of the faces of the revamped Marlins franchise, struggled in his first full season. Marlins fans, understandably, were irritated with ownership, especially after their numerous public relations missteps along the way.

That left the front office in a predicament with Realmuto. He was vocal about his refusal to stay with the Marlins, regardless of whether or not they tried to offer an extension. His trade demands were well known, and with two years left before free agency, he was at the peak of his value. Anything less than a victory in trading Realmuto would be a disaster.

As it turned out, the Marlins ended up acquiescing to Realmuto’s demand to be traded. Surprisingly, they sent their All Star catcher to the division rival Philadelphia Phillies, where they will be reminded on a constant basis of what they had.

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Yet, in making that move, the Marlins received exactly the type of return they needed. Not only did they receive a young catcher in Jorge Alfaro, but they also got back a top pitching prospect in Sixto Sanchez and minor league arm Will Stewart.

Although the bloom had fallen off of Alfaro as a prospect, he still has potential to develop as envisioned. While his 138:18 K:BB ratio in 377 plate appearances was hardly inspiring, he produced a solid .262/.324/.407 batting line, hitting ten homers and 16 doubles. Alfaro has also drawn praise on the defensive side, particularly with his pitch framing and tremendous arm.

Stewart really blossomed as a prospect this past year, as the former 20th round draft pick posted an 8-1 record, along with a 2.06 ERA and a .0977 WHiP in the South Atlantic League. Over his 113.2 innings, he struck out 90 batters with just 21 walks. Even though Stewart is still a couple of years away from potentially making an impact upon the Marlins, he still appears to be an intriguing piece to the puzzle.

However, the real prize is Sanchez. A consensus top 30 prospect heading into the 2019 campaign, he was limited due to injury last year. However, over his eight starts, he still impressed, showing that power sinker and a fastball that was clocked as high as 101 MPH. Over his 46.2 innings in the Florida State League, Sanchez posted a 2.51 ERA and a 1.071 WHiP, striking out 45 batters with only 11 walks. He is also a bit away, and on the smaller side for a possible top of the rotation starter, but Sanchez certainly has that type of upside.

That is exactly what the Marlins needed to get. In Alfaro, they have a catcher that will be under team command until 2024. Sanchez could be that top of the rotation starter they need, while Stewart could develop into a middle of the rotation arm. Both are areas that the Marlins desperately need to find pieces for in the coming years.

The Miami marlins needed to get their trade of J.T. Realmuto right. For now, it appears as though they did exactly that.