Blue Wahoos Shine With Majority Of Marlins' Organization All-Stars 

Four players on the Blue Wahoos opening-day roster in 2021 – Peyton Burdick, Jake Eder, Nick Fortes and Max Meyer – were part of the team’s special connection on the Miami Marlins Organizational All-Stars.

That foursome, along with Griffin Conine, who played the second half of last season in Pensacola, plus reliever Jackson Rose, who joined in the final week, gave the Blue Wahoos six connections on the 11-member team, announced by MILB.com.

Meyer, who the Marlins chose as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 Major League Baseball draft, and Burdick, whose 2021 season earned him the Marlins’ Minor League Player of the Year, both played a whole season with the Blue Wahoos.

Fortes climbed three levels in 2021, beginning with his first half with the Blue Wahoos, then elevated to Triple-A Jacksonville. He made his big-league debut with the Miami Marlins on September 18, collecting two hits, including a home run, in that game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Miami’s loanDepot Park.

Eder’s season as a left-handed starter was cut short by an elbow injury. He was sensational prior to the setback, dominating in his 15 starts. His 1.77 ERA finished as the best across all minor league levels among pitchers with 70 or more innings pitched. Included in his 3-5 record were 99 strikeouts in 71.3 innings.

Conine, 24, son of former Marlins’ star and fan-favorite Jeff Conine, blasted the second-most home runs (36) across all levels of Minor League Baseball during his combined season at High-A Beloit and the Blue Wahoos.

Rose was a teammate of Max Meyer at the University of Minnesota. He played in three levels during the 2021 season, beginning a Low-A Jupiter (3 games), then Beloit the bulk of the season, before coming to Pensacola for the team’s final three games.

The Blue Wahoos’ link with the Marlins MILB Organization All-Stars continues an acclaimed off-season.

Outfielder J.J. Bleday, who followed his Blue Wahoos season by playing in the Arizona Fall League, was named the MVP of the AFL All-Star Game and a co-player of the year after helping his team, Mesa Solar Sox, to the AFL championship.

All of these players are considered part of Miami’s big-league future.

Burdick’s rise in 2021 included breaking the Blue Wahoos team record for most home runs (23) in a single-season. That was second-most in the Marlins’ system. He led the organization in walks (79) and runs scored (76).

"He actually showed us that he was the best player in the league," said Blue Wahoos manager Kevin Randel, speaking to MILB.com. "He's an exciting player. He's an impact player. Every time he steps in the box something exciting can happen. He took over games for us."

Meyer’s season in Pensacola resulted in one of the top performances in all minor league levels. He finished 6-4 with a 2.27 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 111 innings. His ERA was fourth-lowest by any minor league pitcher with 100 or more innings pitched.

He was named the MILB Marlins’ Organization All Star as righthanded pitcher with Eder being the left-hander choice.

"(Meyer) was able to hold his velocity and his command really took off throughout the season," Randel said, speaking to MILB.com

"You saw really good spurts from here and there on command with his slider working both sides of the plate. The changeup really took off as well. And one of his biggest things was kind of working his fastball, trying to get more outs with the fastball."

Conine’s next step will be to improve his batting average, after finishing at .218 overall, and reduce his strikeout total (185).

"I think it's more of an approach-based thing that he needs to change, really nothing mechanical," Randel told MILB.com. "The power was there. Man, he just has that swing that's short and compact, and he needs to learn how to use it more consistently. Try not to add on more. He could really hit."

In addition to the six players with Blue Wahoos ties, the other players earning spots on the Marlins MILB Organization All-Start team were first baseman Troy Johnston (Beliot, Jupiter), second baseman Ian Lewis (Jupiter-Rookie League), third baseman Bennett Hostetler (Beloit, Jupiter). Shortstop Bryson Bigman (Jacksonville) and outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. (Jupiter).