Homegrown Javier Sanoja dominates at the plate and in the field, emerging as a versatile spark plug for the Marlins.
MIAMI -- On a team built on players and prospects imported from more prestigious organizations, a homegrown product is rapidly emerging.
Javier Sanoja went 3-for-4 and had two RBI to help the Miami Marlins win 8-1 and split a four-game series at home against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday. Through the first 10 games of the season, the 23-year-old infielder is batting .406 with seven RBI in 32 at-bats.
He has reached base on a hit in six of his eight starts, and in bunches. He has three multi-RBI and five multi-hit games during that stretch.
Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said after the game that he “trusts the at-bat Javy's going to get” regardless of the pitcher, especially when there are runners in scoring position.
“He's just good,” McCullough said. “This is probably when he's at his best. He's slashing those line drives all over the place, and the contact ability has always been something that he's had. It's a real superpower of his.”
Sanoja’s bat wasn’t quite there yet during his rookie season last year, but he earned a Gold Glove as a utility player. His versatility was on display Thursday, when he started in centerfield after playing at third base earlier in the series against the Reds. The only positions he hasn’t played this season are right field, first base, and catcher.
His bat has matched his glove now and with that, McCullough said, comes with far more opportunities to get him on the field, “because of just the versatility and the skill level.”
“His ability to play all over the field and as good a player as he is, it makes it easy,” McCullough said.
Sanoja was an unlikely hero for World Baseball Classic champion Venezuela. On a team full of stars, he stood out with a stolen base and scoring the go-ahead run against the United States in the final round at a packed loanDepot park.
Sanoja, speaking through Marlins interpreter Luis Dorante Jr., said after Thursday’s game that the belief he feels this season is a byproduct of the experience of playing in the WBC.
“I think that's something that really helped me,” he said. “That got me a little loose with a lot of confidence now to start the season.”
Like fellow rising star Owen Caissie, Sanoja thrived in the WBC and used it as a springboard to his hot start to the season. Sanoja compared the tournament to what he calls "Caribbean baseball," because "you have to play the highest level of baseball."
“We need to continue being ourselves, play some Caribbean baseball,” Sanoja said. “I think we're going to be in a good spot.”
The Marlins (8-5) have been above .500 since opening day and will travel to Detroit to take on a Tigers team that entered the season with high expectations, but has struggled out of the gate with a 4-9 record.
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