Miami Marlins: Lewis Brinson is on fire in Spring Training
By Johnny Casey
Spring Training may be just getting underway, but Miami Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson looks like a different player.
While it is understandable for Miami Marlins fans to temper their expectations when it comes to 24-year-old Lewis Brinson—who has underperformed to start his Marlins career—it is also understandable to be encouraged by Brinson’s scorching-hot start in spring training action.
He’s now hitting .438 with 5 home runs—which leads the Grapefruit League—through only 7 games. A career .189 hitter in his 130-game MLB career, Brinson came over to the Marlins as part of the Christian Yelich trade last January.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
Due to that torrid stretch in AAA to finish 2017, this time last year, he was still regarded by many establishments as the top prospect in the Marlins system. Though much like his fellow outfielder counterpart Byron Buxton (who, it should be noted, is also on a tear to start spring training), Brinson has been unable to consistently translate his minor league success to the Major League level.
The obvious rebuttal to this argument is that Brinson has only totaled 130 games in MLB action, and will not be 25-years-old until this May.
Also of note here is the Marlins’ February signing of Curtis Granderson on a minor-league deal.
Our own Chris Henderson advocated for the Blue Jays to bring him back, citing Granderson’s role as a “super mentor”.
It’s very likely that Marlins President of Baseball Ops Mike Hill brought Granderson on board as a non-roster invitee with the hopes of him serving as a role model to the highly-touted Brinson. It appears as if an effect has already been made on the young toolsy outfielder.
Next. Mattingly at a crossroads in his tenure. dark
Miami Marlins fans hope that this hot start is merely the beginning of a long and successful career for Lewis Brinson.