Miami Marlins' Big Trade Deadline Move Can Only Mean One Thing

The Miami Marlins traded outfielder Jesus Sanchez to the Houston Astros right before the MLB trade deadline on Thursday, a deal that really wasn't surprising for Marlins fans.

All along, Sanchez was widely viewed as the most likely "big" name to be moved from South Beach. Not only was he by far the Marlins' most expensive hitter (he was making $4.5 million this season), but he also has not lived up to expectations and seemed to plateau in Miami.

But there is another significant factor that made moving Sanchez such an easy decision for the Marlins: outfield prospect Jakob Marsee.

Miami initially acquired Marsee in the trade that sent Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres last May, which followed a 2023 campaign in which Marsee slashed .274/.413/.428 in the Padres' system.

However, the 24-year-old took a massive step back last season, finishing with a .661 OPS in 137 games, both between San Diego and Miami (minor-league, of course). As a result, Marsee was largely forgotten, and the Arraez trade appeared to be a massive failure as a whole.

But this year, Marsee has re-emerged as a top prospect, slashing .246/.379/.438 with 14 home runs and 37 RBI over 429 plate appearances. He has also stolen 47 bases (he swiped 51 bags last year, too). This made Sanchez exceedingly expendable.

Marsee is expected to join the Marlins' big-league squad at some point very soon, and he could ultimately play a major role in Miami's sudden playoff push. And obviously, he will likely figure into the Marlins' plans in 2026 and beyond.

The former sixth-round pick is also a terrific outfielder, so he does a little bit of everything. Perhaps most impressive is his lifetime .382 OBP in the minors thanks to a magnificent walk rate (he has walked 288 times across 395 games).

The fact that Miami moved Sanchez is a clear indication that it feels Marsee is ready to hit the major-league level, and we should anticipate seeing the youngster promptly.