Miami Marlins: Top three first round MLB draft picks

Jose Fernandez: Pick 14, 2011 MLB Draft

Let’s not mince words, Miami Marlins fans. If Jose Fernandez were alive today, he’d be at the top of this list by a mile.

And it is the combination of that potential, mixed with the unquestioned dominance in a Marlins uniform we were fortunate enough to see, that lets Jose settle into this spot over the competition.

That competition, by the way, was Christian Yelich and Adrian Gonzalez. Yelich has a higher Marlins career WAR and has developed into one of the top three hitters in all of baseball since being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. Gonzalez was a perennial All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner with the San Diego Padres. He was also the only No. 1 overall pick ever made by the Marlins. Yelich had plenty of Marlins heroics before departing though. Gonzalez never played for Miami but was the key piece in the Ugueth Urbina trade that helped cement the Marlins 2003 championship. Plus, it gave me a chance to learn how to spell Ugueth.

But despite that 17.6 to 14.2 Marlins WAR edge, and becoming a fantasy baseball superstar, Yelich can’t get the nod here. Remember, Jose missed a ton of time due to Tommy John recovery. Fernandez blows Yelich out of the water if he had played full seasons in 2014 and 2015, and indeed, would do the same with most of MLB.

Only Kevin Brown ever posted a better single-season ERA. And no one is close to touching Jose’s franchise record of 253 strikeouts in a single season. He was electrifying to watch, infectious in the clubhouse, and overpowering on the mound. Nearly invincible when playing at Marlins Park, creating a carnival atmosphere with every home start.

And of the three names on this list, he’s the only one to ever find himself regularly in the conversation as the best player at his position in the sport. Were he still with us, there’s a good chance it wouldn’t even be a conversation anymore.