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Miami Marlins 2021 Position Preview: Middle Infield Mash-Up

By Sean Millerick

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 08: Jazz Chisholm #70 of the Miami Marlins and Miguel Rojas #19 celebrate defeating the Atlanta Braves 8-0 at Truist Park on September 8, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 08: Jazz Chisholm #70 of the Miami Marlins and Miguel Rojas #19 celebrate defeating the Atlanta Braves 8-0 at Truist Park on September 8, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – JULY 26: Isan Diaz #1 of the Miami Marlins runs to first base against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 26, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 2020 season had been postponed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Marlins defeated the Phillies 11-6. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JULY 26: Isan Diaz #1 of the Miami Marlins runs to first base against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 26, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 2020 season had been postponed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Marlins defeated the Phillies 11-6. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Two middle infielders will start for the Miami Marlins on Opening Day 2021, but how long those players keep the job is anyone’s guess.

For a team projected to finish dead last in their division, there’s actually not a lot of uncertainty when it comes to the Miami Marlins roster.

With the one massive exception of whatever is going on at middle infield.

Our second 2021 Miami Marlins position preview is a total mash-up of players, running the gamut from proven veteran to promising prospect. It is also, as you can see, a combination of two positions: second base and shortstop. Now, this is not about taking a fantasy baseball approach view of the position- where you’re either a corner, middle, or outfielder.

No, this is about the fact that Miami’s middle infield is extremely interchangeable.

Three of the four players we’re going to review today enjoy multi-position eligibility. Three of these four players made multiple appearances at both second and short for the Miami Marlins as recently as the 2020 MLB season. Yet only one of these players is regarded as a lock for getting the nod on Opening Day, and only of these players is widely regarded as having the potential to be an above average MLB player. And just to be clear, those last two are not the same player.

Nor are any of these players the big money, second base eligible free agent Miami signed last offseason, only to ship off before the trade deadline due to dramatically underperforming and never getting on the same page with NL Manager of the Year Don Mattingly. Thanks for nothing, Jonathan Villar.

Bottom-line, there’s a lot for the Miami Marlins to figure out in between the corners in 2021, with only the success of the season riding on the answers. Two positions needing to be filled, with four candidates: Jon Berti, Jazz Chisholm, Isan Diaz, and Miguel Rojas. We’ll take them in turn and see what sense can be made of this jumble.

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