With Christian Yelich locked up, Marlins continue playing for present and future
JUPITER, Fla. -- The Miami Marlins often wear a workout shirt with the mantra "Team First" emblazoned on the front.
President of baseball operations Michael Hill made note of it during Sunday morning's press conference formally announcing the contract extension of left fielder Christian Yelich.
Yelich, the 23rd overall pick in the 2010 draft, represents an "organizational success," as Hill put it.
From the scouts who first identified the southern California kid to the minor-league coaches who helped him transition from first base to the outfield, Yelich wouldn't have garnered a seven-year deal with a club option through 2022 without their guidance.
"This one is a special one for us, as this is one of our own," Hill said. "This is one we drafted, we developed, we got to the big leagues and we watched grow in the big leagues."
Now 23, Yelich twice won Marlins’ Minor League Player of the Year (2011-12), becoming the first player in organization history to do so.
General manager Dan Jennings remembers Yelich as a "very advanced hitter, an approach that you really don't see from a young guy that age." He saw -- and still sees -- a young Don Mattingly.
Manager Mike Redmond caught Yelich later on in his development when he played in the Florida State League, observing a hungry guy he "knew was going to be a big leaguer."
His time would come on July 23, 2013, at Coors Field. In his major-league debut, Yelich went 2 for 4 with an RBI. By season’s end, he hit .288 with 12 doubles, a triple, four homers and 16 RBI in 62 games.
Last season, his first full one in the big leagues, Yelich batted .284 (.365 OBP) with 94 runs, 21 stolen bases, 30 doubles, six triples, nine home runs and 54 RBI in 144 games, primarily as the leadoff batter. He became the first Marlins outfielder to win a Gold Glove award and also was the recipient of the Heart & Hustle Award by the MLB Players Alumni Association.
"He's a tremendous hitter who's only going to get better as he learns the league and the pitchers," Jennings said. "We've seen him hit balls over the batter's eye. There's power there. We just want him to be a complete hitter and let the rest of it take care of itself. The maturity part of who he is and who he was when he first got here enabled us to make a decision that was really easy because of the character he brings."
Yelich offered such an enticing glimpse at his all-around potential that Sunday's setting at Roger Dean Stadium culminated a four-month discussion between both his agent and the Marlins.
Signing a young player with such little service time is unusual for the Marlins, but it signifies the business' growing trend of locking up core guys before arbitration years. It also presents the organization's anticipation of a promising future.
"I'm honored that they believe in me at such a young age to give me this opportunity," Yelich said. "It is unchartered waters for this organization, but it's just the direction we’re headed and why I wanted to be onboard and a part of this."
All-Star slugger Giancarlo Stanton and Yelich, homegrown players part of this generation of Marlins, understand it takes a team to win championships. They can be the names on the back of jerseys little kids grow up in.
A 15-victory improvement from 2013 to 2014 brought proof of a winning mentality, a tease of what could be on the horizon. These long-term commitments, according to Yelich, say "we want to win now and in the future."
"We've got a good young core here," Yelich said. "Really excited to be a part of it. We can do special things. We have exciting times ahead of us."
Added Hill: "I think Christian said it appropriately that we believe in the young core of players that we have in this organization and we want to build with that core. Our goal is to win for not just this year but many years to come. And to have talented players that you know are moving forward with you is exciting for us."
You can follow Christina De Nicola on Twitter @CDeNicola13 or email her at cdenicola13@gmail.com.
