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Miami Marlins left fielder Christian Yelich made his major league debut with the team July 23, and his impact with the club was immediately felt.
Yelich was the No. 1 prospect in the organization and he came up at the right time to help the team try to win ball games. His performance definitely made him an Opening Day starter in 2014. The 21-year-old played in 62 games for the Marlins. In those games, he batted .288/.370/.396, becoming one of the best players on team quickly.
He hit four home runs, batted in 16 runs and recorded 12 doubles. Miami won 26 games since Yelich’s call-up, which shows that the young players like him made an impact and are ready to be the team’s future.
The way Yelich plays from here on out will be a direct indication of how the next few years are going to be for Miami. His position in the lineup is going to impact the rest of the hitters in the order as well. He mainly batted toward the top of the lineup, but placing him somewhere even closer to Giancarlo Stanton could make both of the youngsters thrive in the lineup.
Miami is striving for someone who can offer protection to Stanton and who can help him get better pitches. Yelich could help Stanton do those things once he comes around. He has immense potential and he will excel in the years to come.
Ryan Gaydos is an MLB columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, “like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
