Marlins' No. 12 prospect among Miami's Fall League crew
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Kemp Alderman may have more raw power and more on his to-do list than any player in the Arizona Fall League.
An outfielder in the Marlins system, Alderman homered in each of his first four games with the Peoria Javelinas, going deep a total of five times. Last season, Twins prospects Kala'i Rosario and Aaron Sabato tied for the Fall League lead with seven homers over the 30-game schedule.
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While making up for some lost at-bats after missing the first two months of the season to a broken hamate in his left hand is Alderman's primary focus at the moment, it's not the most important item on his October agenda. He'll marry Sailor Selby on Oct. 26 back home in Mississippi.
The Marlins' No. 12 prospect got engaged well before he knew he was coming to the Fall League, an assignment that necessitated some changes in his wedding plans. His bachelor party will happen later in the offseason and he'll cut his Antigua honeymoon one day short to fly back to Arizona on Nov. 3. Having an understanding fianc¨¦e helps.
"She's going to be a great wife," Alderman said. "She loves baseball. She knew getting into this relationship that baseball was my life, it's what I do every single day. It's what I take passion in and she loves that, and when I got the [Fall League] call, she was like, 'I'm blessed that you get that opportunity to go out there and play and showcase your skills.¡¯"
Alderman has plenty of skills. His most obvious is his massive raw pop, which earns top-of-scale grades from some evaluators. He's a 6-foot-3, 250 pounder with plenty of strength and leverage in his right-handed swing, but he's also more than just a masher.
Alderman has the patience to draw walks when pitchers refuse to challenge him and he's more athletic than most players his size. He's at least an average runner once he gets going and has a strong arm that produced fastballs as hot as 94 mph when he pitched briefly in college at Mississippi. He also caught sporadically for the Rebels and helped them win the 2022 College World Series before Miami made him a second-round pick in 2023.
The hamate injury sapped Alderman's power for part of his first full season, and he tried to do too much at the plate at times. He finished with a .242/.306/.391 slash line with eight homers and 78 strikeouts in 77 games across four levels. He has been more dialed in the Fall League, where he's looking to refine his approach at the plate and defense on the outfield corners.
"I'm really trying to work on my defense and swing decisions at the plate," he said. "I'm trying to change my approach from as a college hitter, [when] you're always swinging, ready to swing more. I'm getting to the approach of hunting pitches that I can drive and I can handle . . .
"Just trying to work on my sights more to right-center. I'm not trying to let the ball travel, but if I catch it deep, that's all right too."
Marlins hitters in the Fall League
Andrew Pintar, OF (No. 18): Part of the A.J. Puk deal with the Diamondbacks in July, Pintar is a center fielder with plus speed and average raw power. He batted .255/.353/.394 with nine homers and 24 steals (in 25 attempts) in 102 games this year between four teams, mostly in High-A and Double-A.
Jay Beshears, SS/3B: Drafted in the sixth round out of Duke by the Padres in 2023, Beshears joined the Marlins as part of a trade package for Tanner Scott and Bryan Hoeing in July. An offensive-minded utility type with fringy to average tools, he slashed .238/.338/.338 while advancing from Single-A to Double-A.
Marlins pitchers in the Fall League
Jun-Seok Shim, RHP (No. 27): Yet another July trade acquisition (from the Pirates for Bryan de la Cruz), Shim was MLB Pipeline's second-highest ranked pitcher in the 2023 international class and signed for $750,000 out of South Korea. He can flash upper-90s heat and generate high spin rates on a pair of solid breaking balls, but he has missed most of his first two pro seasons with pectoral and shoulder injuries.
Justin King, LHP: Released by the Brewers in July, King signed with the Marlins four days later and posted a 6.08 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 37 innings between two Double-A clubs. He works with a mid-90s fastball that touches 99 mph and a mid-80s slider.
Patrick Monteverde, LHP: A 2021 eighth-rounder from Texas Tech, Monteverde was the organization's Minor League pitcher of the year and made the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game in 2023 before taking a step back with a 5.50 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 113 innings between three levels (mostly Triple-A) this year. His best offering is a low-80s changeup with depth, which he sets up with 89-91 mph four-seam fastball that peaks at 93.
Justin Storm, LHP: Storm helped Southern Mississippi to back-to-back NCAA Super Regional appearances before the Marlins drafted him in the seventh round in 2023. Armed with a riding 92-94 mph fastball and a lively 82-85 mph slider, he compiled a 1.97 ERA, .171 opponents' average and 72 strikeouts in 50 1/3 innings while advancing from Single-A to Double-A.
Brandon White, RHP: Selected in the 12th round out of Washington State in 2021, White had his pro debut delayed for two years by Tommy John surgery. He commands his 92-95 mph fastball well and possesses good feel for his 77-82 mph changeup. He logged a 4.98 ERA with a 72/23 K/BB ratio in 81 1/3 innings in Single-A.