Miami Marlins making the right moves thus far

The Miami Marlins needed to add more talent to the roster, both for the future and the present. They have done that so far this offseason.

As teams rebuild, the focus inevitably begins to turn to the major league roster. Not only do they look at where the prospects fit into the future, but they also look to see what pieces can be a part of that equation. Then, teams look to find those players that could be bounce back candidates, acquiring them on a one year deal with the hopes of flipping them for more talent at the deadline.

The Miami Marlins have begun to do just that. On Monday, they not only signed free agent first baseman Jesus Aguilar, but they also acquired infielder Jonathan Villar from the Orioles for minor league pitcher Easton Lucas.

Chances are, Villar will not be in Miami for the long term. He is in his final year of arbitration, and is expected to earn $10.4 million in this go-around. However, he is also coming off of a solid 2019 campaign, where he produced a .274/.339/.453 batting line, hitting a career best 24 homers and stealing 40 bases. If he can replicate that production in Miami, he could be a hot commodity at the trade deadline.

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Aguilar, on the other hand, could work his way into the Marlins future. He is under team control until 2023, which would constitute the rest of his hypothetical prime. While Aguilar did struggle last season, posting a .236/.325/.389 batting line, hitting just 12 homers, he was an All Star in 2018.

The Marlins also have a gaping hole at first base. Lewin Diaz is their only first baseman listed amongst their top 30 prospects, and he has had an up and down minor league career. If Aguilar can return to the form he showed in 2018, when he produced a .274/.352/.539 batting line with 35 homers, he could be part of the answer in Miami.

Likewise, Aguilar could end up being dealt with a strong season. Should Diaz follow up on his strong 2019 campaign and perform well in 2020, he could force the Marlins into a difficult decision. In that case, Aguilar could help the Marlins future with the players he brings back to the organization.

Even if Jonathan Villar and Jesus Aguilar are not long term pieces for the Miami Marlins, they are the type of players that rebuilding organizations need to take a chance on. The potential return in July is well worth the gamble.