Four Suns Recieve AFL Invites

Heaney, Olmos, Dietrich & Keys Chosen For AFL Season

By Andrew Green

August 27, 2013

The Miami Marlins honored four Jacksonville Suns players, left-handed pitchers Andrew Heaney and Edgar Olmos, along with infielder Derek Dietrich and outfielder Brent Keys, with invitations to represent the club in the prestigious Arizona Fall League following the 2013 regular season.

Heaney, who was rated prior to this season as the Marlins' No. four prospect and the No. 43 overall prospect by Baseball America, has recorded a 4-1 record and 2.60 ERA (8 ER in 27.2 IP) in five starts with the Suns this season. In 18 games (17 starts) between Jacksonville and High-A Jupiter this season, the lefty has accumulated a 9-3 mark and 1.41 ERA (14 ER in 89.1 IP). Heaney was drafted by the Marlins in the first round (ninth overall) in 2012 out of Oklahoma State University.

The 23-year-old Olmos is one of six Jacksonville Suns players to have been promoted directly to the Major League level by the Marlins from the Suns' roster this season, and owns a 4-2 clip and 2.55 ERA (14 ER in 49.1 IP) in 37 appearances for Jacksonville. Olmos was selected by the Marlins in the third round of the 2008 draft out of Birmingham High School in California.

Dietrich also acquired Major League experience with Miami in 2013, and was also rated the No. 12 prospect in the Marlins' system by Baseball America before the 2013 campaign. In 61 contests for the Suns this year, the 24-year-old has posted a .258 average (55-213) with ten homers and 34 RBI. Dietrich was acquired by the Marlins from the Tampa Bay Rays in a December 4, 2012, trade for INF Yunel Escobar.

Keys leads all Marlins farmhands this season with a .344 average between Jacksonville and High-A Jupiter, and also ranked first in the Florida State League with a .346 clip (132-381) at the time of his promotion to the Suns on August 25. The 23-year-old was rated by Baseball America as Miami's No. 30 prospect before this season, and was selected by the Marlins in the 17th round of the 2009 draft out of Simi Valley High School in California.

The four players will also join fellow Marlins prospect and 2013 first round pick Colin Moran on the Glendale Desert Dogs, along with other top prospects from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox organizations. The season begins on October 8, 2013 and culminates in its annual championship game on November 16.