By the end of lefthander Raudel Lazo's first pro season with the Marlins, he was consistently hitting 94 mph. That kind of jump isn't unprecedented, but it was unexpected in his case if for no other reason than his stature.
Marlins minor league first baseman Matt Smith probably won't ever shed the tag of signing as a nondrafted free agent, but after his pro debut, he's at least made sure he no longer is unheralded.
Picking sixth overall in the Rule 5 draft, the Marlins snagged injured outfielder Alfredo Silverio from the Dodgers. The Marlins then joined the Astros as the only club to draft two players in the major league phase of the draft, adding hard-throwing lefthander Braulio Lara from the Rays.
Baseball America
