The Marlins have talked about Jonathan Villar as a potential center field option since the day they acquired him, and manager Don Mattingly confirmed to reporters today that the organization’s plan is to work the speedster out as a potential center fielder this spring (Twitter link via Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald). Villar will still get some work in the infield, and the club has other options to fall back on if the results aren’t favorable.
Villar, 29, started six games in center field for the Brewers in 2017 and has only 39 career innings at the position. He’s traditionally been a middle infielder, but with Miguel Rojas penciled in at shortstop, well-regarded prospect Isan Diaz hopefully emerging at second base and Brian Anderson lined up at the hot corner, the Marlins will hope that Villar can make the transition to the outfield.
The situation, of course, is still fluid. Diaz has yet to establish himself as a Major Leaguer, and if he doesn’t show well this spring, a move back to second base could be sensible for Villar. The mix in right field also features several unproven players — Lewis Brinson, Monte Harrison, Jesus Sanchez, Harold Ramirez — so the team could opt to move Anderson back to right field. In that case Villar could also yet be infield-bound. Alternatives in center include Brinson, Harrison, Sanchez, Jon Berti and Magneuris Sierra.
If Villar is able to make the move to center field, he could position himself quite favorably heading into free agency next winter. The switch-hitting Villar batted .270/.338/.438 with Baltimore in 216 games from 2018-19 before the tanking Orioles dumped in late November. Dating back to his first full season in 2016, Villar is a .268/.336/.423 hitter through 2344 plate appearances. He’s been able to provide league-average offense — and more, at times — in addition to excellent baseruning value. If he can add capable center field defense to his resume, that’d serve as a notable boost to his earning power.
Look what the Mariners started (with Dee Gordon). Put the very fast 2b in CF.
Gordon was terrible in CF and the experiment ended after a year.
Would have been swell if it worked, though. Too bad it was absolutely abysmal and the trade has done nothing but clog up the Mariners roster going on three seasons now.
Nick Nedeirt and Robert Duggar should also be competing for the ML ball club this year.
With Nediert hopefully a solid #4.
Yep. I never said it was a success.
Technically the experiment ended when Robinson Cano was suspended. But to your point Gordon was awful and a full season of him the Outfield would have been brutal.
Air Bud >>> Lewis Brinson
Lol! True
underrated
A joy to watch too. Just don’t think he makes for a good CF.
Very joyful watching him overrun 1B and get thrown out.
Seems unnecessary. Villar should be 3B, Anderson RF, Brinson CF.
Ideally Brinson is the regular CF, but the man has to start producing at the plate. I hope it’s this year, but given his struggles I can see why MIA is doing this.
Brinson is a bust
You’re probably a bust at your job, but at an significantly less amount of money.
statistically it’s almost impossible this commenter is worse at his job than Brinson is at his. yep, Brinson is a bust.
When you provide less value than Jon Lester batting, then you are a bust until further notice. That’s not an exaggration either
Jon Lester’s 2019 batting: .188/.264/.292, 20/5 K/BB, 44 OPS+, 1 home run
Brinson: 173/.221/.221, 74/13 K/BB, 24 OPS+, 0 home runs
In the real world you get fired if you are a bust at your job. In MLB you just go play for the Marlins.
Sounds like someone roots for a team that hasn’t won a title in your lifetime
Statistically, both can be busts, there you go.
Spoken like someone who has never watched Villar play an inning of baseball. If you put Villar at 3B, close your eyes.
If it sticks hes in line to make some coin in FA.
The Orioles won that trade from Brewers getting Villar for Schoop. Villar was one of the best on the team last season even with his constant baserunning mistakes. Just to costly for a rebuilding team to carry when winning isn’t important He was pretty athletic and quick so I think he will be fine in CF. Not sure if he is the best option out there everyday though.
His contract isn’t costly for any team. The Orioles organization is a joke and could’ve gotten at least something for him in a trade to try to improve their talent deprived organization.
U are obviously clueless.
If Villar can play CF, I’d like to see Texas go after him next winter.
If he can play CF and has a decent offensive season Marlins will QO him. So doubt Texas signs him if he’s QO.
I am surprised Texas wasn’t in on Margot or Marsinick or Pham this off season.
But Padres and Texas could line up with Myers and Cordero heading to Texas for Rickey Vanasco and Taylor Hearn and Padres rolling with Pham Grisham Naylor in the OF. Texas stashes myers at 1st and Cordero at CF.
This is a strategy the Marlins hope pays off; they know CF could be a position of need for some top teams and if Villar shows he can play the position he becomes a coveted trade piece so long as he continues to hit. Marlins are simply trying to make Villar more attractable.
Given the way Villar has played the middle infield over the years (poor to ugly), and his general overall level of lackadaisical play, I thought that doing something like this made all the sense in the world. IF he had stayed in the AL, you could have even used his obvious offensive talents as the DH.
Moving him around probably keeps his interests up, and he has higher offensive possibilities than a Ben Zobrist, for example.
Be a little creative. Maybe you can change Villar’s approach to someone who actually plays like he’s interested.
They’d be better of playing him at 2B and letting Isan Diaz start the year at AAA. Give Villar a chance to produce as much as he can to raise his value then trade him at the deadline to a contender for a solid prospect or two…
Proving he can play center fielder will add as much value as you can squeeze out of him.
Strange that you didnt mention Garrett Cooper in the RF mix.
he’ll probably get more 1B spots barring a strong spring from Aguilar
It’s cute that the marlins are trying to win 70 games this year
Cue the “Mets haven’t won since’86” comments
the Marlins litterally just went a decade without a winning record. YIKES.
Still beats not winning any titles
Don’t worry you guys won’t win one in a long time lol. So get comfortable.
The Brewers haven’t won a pennant since 1982
The Indians havent won since 1948. They are now have the longest sports team championship drought. If you count all American sports. I believe the KC Chiefs had the 2nd longest draught..
Theres so many factors though. The Rangers used to be the Sentors.
The 1900s sentors became the twins who havent won since 1991. 29 years 30+ years for the Dodgers. And the Mariners have never won a pennant
I remember Mets fans said a lot of this stuff in 1998. It didn’t work out so well for them. They lost to the Yankees…Marlins didn’t.
Marlins lost to the Yankees all 3 times they played them in 1998 but nobody cares because it was 1998
Exactly. Nobody cares unless you are the champion. Whether you are the worst team in baseball or the team that lost in the World Series, nobody cares and history doesn’t remember. Mets can have so many winning seasons, but if they don’t win a championship, all anyone will see is 1986…and that makes them the NL East team with the longest championship drought.
And honestly, the Mets fan base should be not be the one in the NL East talking about other franchises. Marlins have just as many championships in far far far far less years of existence. Braves have more championships and had a very long string of division championships that may never get matched. Every NL East franchise has developed position players that are better than every single position player that the Mets have ever developed. The Mets had Tom Seaver, but other than the success of him, the rest of the history of pitching development is nothing to brag about, especially since the other NL East teams have developed their treasured pitching talent as well.
Baseball remembers the championships and the players you developed. Mets don’t stand out in either within the NL East.
Speaking of 2B, lets mention Eddy Alvarez. It sure seems like he’s better than I Diaz in every aspect of the game other than power. Could Alvarez win the 2B job?
doubt it, but Id love to see Eddy in the Majors. he deserves at least a cup of coffee for all the work he’s put in.
The Miami South Brewers have a couple of players I think that Milwaukee should have gotten for third and first in Anderson and Cooper
Jonathan VR is desperate to get a deal he signed with the Marlins
Here I thought they only had one Ex-Brewer center fielder lol..
They’ll have 3 in Spring Training this year = Brinson, Villar, and Monte Harrison.
They have ex Brewers in Kintzler, Smith, Yomanto, Aguilar, Diaz, Villar, Brinson, Cooper, Harrison. on the roster
It’s going to be an interesting Spring Training.
As mets fan, I see isan diaz he has the makings of a hit machine it’s all about the reps no reason to rush him give him 600 abs this season and see how he does. Also with brinson all it takes is at bats let him get 600 abs and if hes still striking out 38% of the times then yes hes a bust I doubt it though.
As mets fan, I see isan diaz he has the makings of a hit machine it’s all about the reps no reason to rush him give him 600 abs this season and see how he does. Also with brinson all it takes is at bats let him get 600 abs and if hes still striking out 38% of the times then yes hes a bust I doubt it though.
And the Brewers have ex-Marlin world series hero Craig Counsell as manager.
“It’s a funny game, eh Monty?”.