As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
This Marlins system is really good and deep. I hope Marlins fans will get to see some of these prospects make an impact on a team they deeply love and support. This system is in a good spot thanks to intelligent trades and good drafting by the Peter Bendix regime. There’s a bit of everything in this system, so let’s jump right into the prospects who didn’t make the cut for the top 20 but are still worthy of discussing honorable mentions, some might say.
Part of this series is to spotlight lesser-known prospects, and Ryan Ignoffo fits that bill perfectly—a 24-year-old, old-for-level catcher with a potential plus hit tool. Drafted in the 20th round out of Eastern Illinois, Ignoffo has only reached High-A so far, which does raise concerns about whether his success stems from facing younger competition. However, the consistency in his hitting can't be ignored: he's only hit below .300 once in his minor league career, and that was .298 in the complex league. In Single-A, he posted an impressive 90.7% in-zone contact rate and held a strong 85% rate in High-A, hinting that his bat-to-ball skills could be a legitimate plus tool.
The real question for Ignoffo is his power ceiling. Despite excellent contact skills, he slugged just six homers this past season, which may reflect the Marlins' Single-A and High-A parks, known for being tough on power numbers. For Ignoffo to push his ceiling, he might need to give up some of that contact ability to generate more power by lifting and pulling the ball. Without that, his profile is limited.
Defensively, Ignoffo offers significant value as an average backstop. He moves well behind the plate, makes the necessary blocks, and frames nicely—qualities that make him quietly effective. When watching Single-A games for the Daily Sheet, his consistency behind the dish stood out; he's "average" in a way you don't notice, which is a positive sign for a catcher.
Regarding Ignoffo's upside, think Keibert Ruiz—a catcher who might not wow with power but has enough contact skill and reliability to be intriguing for fantasy and real-life purposes, even in a time-share.
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
