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2019 NL East Positional Preview: Center Field

By Clint Manry

ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 29: Ender Inciarte #11 of the Atlanta Braves attempts to make a play on a two-RBI single hit by Joey Wendle #18 of the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning at SunTrust Park on August 29, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 29: Ender Inciarte #11 of the Atlanta Braves attempts to make a play on a two-RBI single hit by Joey Wendle #18 of the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning at SunTrust Park on August 29, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)

#5. Miami Marlins

Lewis Brinson / Rosell Herrera 

This is an absolute no-doubter, unfortunately for the rebuilding Marlins. Things were unbearable last season for them at center field, and I don’t see the 2019 season as much of an exciting one either.

The Marlins couldn’t even break into ‘replacement’ level in 2018, as literally every player they put out there just couldn’t really contribute any value.

The 25-year-old, and 2012 first-round draftee, Lewis Brinson was the first-stringer at the center field spot last season; and let’s just say it wasn’t his best season. Brinson was worth a whopping… -1.5 fWAR in 2018. Yes, that’s a minus.

Only Baltimore’s Chris Davis finished with a lower wRC+ last year, as Lewis Brinson finished with a disastrous 56 wRC+. Brinson’s slash line was just as bad, featuring a .199 batting average in 109 dreadful games for the Marlins.

I suppose one bright spot was Brinson’s 11 home runs, which could possibly play nicely with the extreme speed that he possesses. However, the problem with his speed is that he only attempted three stolen bases last season.

But it has to be hard to find steals when you strike out 29.6 percent of the time and only walk in 4.2 percent of your at-bats. Though, I’m not going to bash this guy any longer.

Lewis Brinson is actually a toolsy player. He wouldn’t have been the 29th overall pick if he weren’t. He just had a terrible 2018 season, and when you’re playing on a terrible team it just makes it look even worse.

Rosell Herrera is slated to backup Brinson, and he played quite a bit in 2018. Herrera is a 26-year-old from the Dominican Republic, and has spent time with the Reds and the Royals as well.

Herrera didn’t have too great of a season, either, in 2018; as he posted a .234 batting average, one home run, a 63 wRC+ and 0.2 fWAR in 86 games for the Marlins.

He’s not much of a threat at the plate, but Herrera is a plus-defender and also is gifted with the ability to fly, though his speed has been successful only in the Minors thus far.

The Verdict

I’ve been pretty negative to start out this column, but the numbers were, and are, what they are. I don’t expect 2019 to be as terrible, just for the simple fact that it’s going to be hard to match such a bad season at one specific position.

ZiPS and Steamer offer a glimmer of hope (except ZiPS predicts-0.4 fWAR from backup player, Herrera in 2019, while Steamer says 0.1).

Even with the tough 2019 projection for Rosell Herrera from ZiPS, both players put together equals a projection of 0.1 fWAR using that particular system.

I’m going to have a little faith and predict a small rebound for Brinson, so call it 0.5 fWAR total between the two. Still a rough season for Miami at center field.

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