Call to the pen
Fansided

Miami Marlins close book on disastrous Christian Yelich trade

By David Hill

Sep 7, 2021; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins third baseman Isan Diaz (1) catches a ground ball before throwing out New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (not pictured) during the fifth inning of the game at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 7, 2021; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins third baseman Isan Diaz (1) catches a ground ball before throwing out New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (not pictured) during the fifth inning of the game at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports /
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It was all up to Isan Diaz. If the Miami Marlins were to get anything out of their return for Christian Yelich, it would need to come from the formerly well regarded infielder. He was the last man standing from that trade, the last chance for the Marlins to prove that deal was not a mistake.

That chance ended on Tuesday. Diaz was designated for assignment to make room for Jorge Soler on the 40 man roster. While this may not end his time in Miami, it is entirely possible that a team will take a flier on the former top prospect.

Miami Marlins walk away from Isan Diaz

There really was not much sense to keeping Diaz on the 40 man roster. He was blocked by Jazz Chisholm, Brian Anderson, and Miguel Rojas for spots in the starting lineup. Jon Berti and Joey Wendle had surpassed Diaz on the pecking order as utility options.

Diaz also had not done himself any favors with his performance. He had produced a .185/.275/.287 batting line in 501 plate appearances over parts of three seasons in the majors, hitting nine homers and 14 doubles. While he had a strong 10.6% walk rate in that time, Diaz also struck out in 27.7% of his plate appearances.

Even with those struggles, Diaz could still be an intriguing target for a team willing to take a chance on his pedigree. He was a consensus top 100 prospect prior to the 2017 season, has experience around the infield, and has put together a .272/.359/.514 batting line with 34 homers and 33 doubles in 706 Triple-A plate appearances. He would certainly be worth taking a chance on to see if a change of scenery will allow him to tap into his potential.

It is clear that will not happen in Miami. For whatever reason, none of the players received for Yelich were able to develop as expected. If Diaz, or any of those other players, do take off in their new environments, it would speak volumes about the Marlins’ ability to develop bats.

dark. Next. Mesa running out of time with Marlins

The Miami Marlins are walking away from Isan Diaz. The last piece of the Christian Yelich trade has been designated for assignment.

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