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Marlins' Diaz exits after being hit in head

No. 7 prospect to undergo concussion protocol before returning
Isan Diaz has collected 10 extra-base hits in 37 games with Double-A Jacksonville. (Brian McLeod/MiLB.com)
May 16, 2018

The Marlins had a scary moment with one of their top prospects in a Wednesday matinee.Isan Díaz, the seventh-ranked prospect in the Miami system, was struck in the head by a pitch in the first inning of Double-A Jacksonville's game in Montgomery on Wednesday and exited the game soon after.

The Marlins had a scary moment with one of their top prospects in a Wednesday matinee.
Isan Díaz, the seventh-ranked prospect in the Miami system, was struck in the head by a pitch in the first inning of Double-A Jacksonville's game in Montgomery on Wednesday and exited the game soon after.

Diaz was facing a 2-2 count against Biscuits starting pitcher Kyle Bird, when a 90 mph fastball hit the top of his helmet, causing him to fall to the ground. The 21-year-old second baseman was able to walk off the field with the help of Jumbo Shrimp hitting coach Kevin Witt and strength coach Julio Diaz. 
Gameday box score
Jacksonville manager Randy Ready said afterward that the team did not have an immediate diagnosis for Diaz, but the player will likely undergo a concussion test Thursday when the club returns home.
"It was a direct blow, and [as a] precaution, we took him right out of the game," Ready told the Jacksonville radio broadcast as part of its postgame show. "He was a little woozy at first. But we've been evaluating him over the last couple hours and through the game, keeping guys up here and just keeping an eye on him. Right now, he feels tired. But he's alert and conscious. He could see the scoreboard when we asked him on the field before we took him off. But we took him out of the game. Health is our number one concern with the players. Right now, we'll keep a close eye on him, evaluate him tomorrow, probably under the concussion test." 
Because of the unknown nature of a potential injury, the skipper added that there is no immediate timetable for Diaz's return.

"It's hard to say," he said on the broadcast. "It's tough to forecast. He's trying to lean in there with two strikes. There's a little fear factor involved in there too. But number one, let's make sure the kid's going to be OK from a health standpoint, and then get him back out there playing baseball."
Diaz joined the Marlins organization this past offseason as part of a trade with the Brewers that sent Christian Yelich to Milwaukee. He's been struggling in his first taste of Double-A with a .194/.325/.336 line, four homers and 43 strikeouts over 37 games with the Jumbo Shrimp. In the past, Diaz has shown impressive power for his 5-foot-10 frame, hitting 20 homers for Class A Wisconsin in 2016, and has the defensive flexibility to play both second and shortstop, though he's only played the former with Jacksonville. 

Sam Dykstra is a reporter for MiLB.com. Follow and interact with him on Twitter, @SamDykstraMiLB.