JJ Bleday

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Miami Marlins #10 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Bleday led the nation in home runs for Vanderbilt in 2019 and played a starring role as the Commodores won the College World Series. The Marlins drafted him fourth overall and signed him for $6.67 million. Bleday moved to Double-A Pensacola and scuffled badly to a .212/.323/.373 slash line, but he made a swing adjustment after the year and redeemed himself with a star showing in the Arizona Fall League that included the Top Star award in the league’s annual Fall Stars Game and a key role on the league-champion Mesa Solar Sox.
  
  Scouting Report: Bleday’s 2021 was rough, but he still maintained a strong knowledge of the strike zone and used the whole field. After he lowered his hands in his stance in the AFL, his barrel became more adjustable and he started driving balls in the middle of the strike zone he’d been missing all season long. The Marlins also worked with Bleday to stand taller at address in order to keep him from getting stuck on his backside and making weak contact on pitches he should hit hard. The adjustments give Bleday a chance to be a fringe-average hitter, although he needs to prove he can maintain them over a full season. Bleday’s power also became amplified with the changes and he began to show average power potential for the first time. Bleday is a potentially plus defender in right field with the average speed and plus arm strength to stick at the position. With his offensive changes, he now has a chance to profile at the position.
  
  The Future: Bleday still has a ways to go to look like the hitter the Marlins thought they were drafting, but he’s at least on the right track. He’ll head to Triple-A in 2022, where he’ll hope to build on the outstanding showing he had in the AFL.
  
• 
  Ranked Miami Marlins #2 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 60.Power: 60. Run: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
  TRACK RECORD: The Marlins drafted Bleday fourth overall in 2019 and signed him for a franchise-record $6.67 million after he led Vanderbilt to a national championship his junior season and led the nation with 27 home runs. Following his pro debut at high Class A Jupiter in 2019, Bleday was slated to play in Double-A in 2020. Instead he faced the organization’s top-level pitchers at the alternate training site.
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bleday uses a fluid swing and solid bat speed to project as a middle-of-the-order hitter with plus power from the left side. He also shows above-average defense and arm strength. Bleday made positive strides when it came to his outfield reads and jumps, according to scouts, while playing both corner spots as well as center field. Bleday has the fundamentally sound mechanics and speed to handle center but still projects as a corner outfielder, most likely in right field. He also shows above-average strike-zone discipline that complements his above-average defensive skills and average-to-above speed on the bases.
  THE FUTURE: Bleday could start the 2021 season at Double-A. He has a chance to fast-track to Miami and secure a starting corner outfield spot before the end of the season.
• 
  Ranked Miami Marlins #2 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Bleday enjoyed a breakout junior campaign at Vanderbilt before the Marlins signed him for a franchise-record $6.67 million as the No. 4 overall pick. A first-team All-American, Bleday led all Division I hitters with 27 home runs in 2019 and helped the Commodores win the program's second College World Series championship with a .347/.465/.701 slash line and more walks (61) than strikeouts (58). He made his pro debut for high Class A Jupiter on July 20 and posted a .747 OPS in August.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bleday is an advanced hitter with a smooth lefthanded swing and refined approach. As he showed in his final season at Vanderbilt, he can drive the ball with plus raw power when he connects, and he gets his barrel on the ball often. Bleday is an average runner with an above-average arm who profiles as an above-average defender in either outfield corner. Scouts routinely praise Bleday for his overall makeup, noting that his continued improvement over his three years at Vanderbilt was hardly a surprise when considering his work ethic and maturity.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bleday has the pedigree, experience and talent to move quickly. After playing 38 games in the Florida State League in 2019, he should see plenty of time at Double-A in 2020. Bleday has the potential to be a high-average, middle-of-the-order hitter who should be able to hold down a corner outfield spot for years to come in Miami.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #6 prospect in 2019 draft
  Bleday entered his junior season in 2019 as one of the most respected college hitters in the country. After pacing the Commodores in hitting during his sophomore season last spring (.368/.494/.511), Bleday went to the Cape Cod League. There, he showed solid power and hitting ability with a wood bat, posting a .311/.374/.500 slash line with five home runs in 36 games. With a balanced stance, smooth swing, solid bat speed and a refined approach with more walks than strikeouts in his college career, Bleday had the look of a high-floor hitter with a plus hit tool. However, there were initially some questions surrounding his ability to consistently impact the baseball. Bleday has answered those question this spring, as he has regularly tapped into the plus raw power that he'd previously been unable to reach during games. After hitting just six home runs through his first 90 games with Vanderbilt in 2017 and 2018, Bleday is among the country's leaders in home runs in 2019. He hit 20 home runs through his first 41 games--upping his isolated power from .143 as a sophomore to over .420 as a junior--while continuing to post impressive strikeout and walk rates. Bleday's power surge has increased his draft stock, going from a likely first-round corner outfield prospect with an impressive track record of hitting to one of the best impacts bats in the class and a player who should be selected at the top of the first round. Defensively, Bleday moves well and could handle center field in a pinch, but he profiles best as a corner outfielder--where his newfound power should allow him to succeed.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Florida State League #5 prospect in 2019
  Calling Bleday’s 2019 season a whirlwind would be an understatement. He played his first game on Feb. 15 in Scottsdale, Ariz., hit 26 homers in 65 games for Vanderbilt after totaling just four through his first two seasons, was drafted by the Marlins with the fourth overall pick, won the College World Series, made his pro debut in high Class A less than a month later and finally finished his season with his 108th game, on Aug. 29 in Jupiter, Fla. The biggest reason Bleday shot up draft boards was his power outburst, which was accomplished in part by adding strength behind what was always a smooth, balanced swing on a frame that looked like it was built for a profile corner outfielder. More than the power potential, Bleday projects to hit for plenty of average as well. After an initial adjustment to the FSL, Bleday turned in an August slash line of .274/.337/.411, which is more than excellent for a player thrust into an extreme pitcher’s league after the longest season of his career. It’s early, but the Marlins look like they’ve reeled in prime catch.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #43 prospect in 2021
• Ranked Baseball America's #46 prospect in 2020

• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Track Record: It&#39s easy to forget that 2021 was Bleday&#39s first full season as a pro. He was the No. 4 overall pick in 2019, when he helped lead his Vanderbilt team to the College World Series, then jumped all the way to High-A for his pro debut. He moved to Double-A in 2021 and showed flashes of the potential the Marlins saw as an amateur, albeit with plenty of valleys in between.
  
  Scouting Report: There&#39s simply no way around it: Bleday&#39s 2021 was rough. He hit for neither average nor power and is likely limited to a corner-outfield spot. Those who still keep Bleday alive as a prospect note that he showed a strong knowledge of the strike zone and uses the whole field, which are positive indicators of things to come. Scouts in the Arizona Fall League also noted that Bleday had lowered his hand-set from the regular season. The move allowed him to make his barrel more adjustable and helped him get to impactable balls in the middle of the zone he&#39d been missing all season long. The Marlins, too, worked with Bleday to stand taller at address in order to keep him from getting stuck on his backside and making weak contact on pitches he should hit hard. His raw power also looked amplified during his early time in the AFL. He&#39s still a potentially plus defender in right field with average speed and the plus arm strength to stick at the position.
  
  The Future: Understandably, there were a lot of mulligans handed out in 2021. Bleday will gladly take one and hope he can come back next year looking like the hitter the Marlins thought they were drafting.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 45. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Bleday led the nation in home runs for Vanderbilt in 2019 and played a starring role as the Commodores won the College World Series. The Marlins drafted him fourth overall and signed him for $6.67 million. Bleday moved to Double-A Pensacola and scuffled badly to a .212/.323/.373 slash line, but he made a swing adjustment after the year and redeemed himself with a star showing in the Arizona Fall League that included the Top Star award in the league’s annual Fall Stars Game and a key role on the league-champion Mesa Solar Sox.
  
  Scouting Report: Bleday’s 2021 was rough, but he still maintained a strong knowledge of the strike zone and used the whole field. After he lowered his hands in his stance in the AFL, his barrel became more adjustable and he started driving balls in the middle of the strike zone he’d been missing all season long. The Marlins also worked with Bleday to stand taller at address in order to keep him from getting stuck on his backside and making weak contact on pitches he should hit hard. The adjustments give Bleday a chance to be a fringe-average hitter, although he needs to prove he can maintain them over a full season. Bleday’s power also became amplified with the changes and he began to show average power potential for the first time. Bleday is a potentially plus defender in right field with the average speed and plus arm strength to stick at the position. With his offensive changes, he now has a chance to profile at the position.
  
  The Future: Bleday still has a ways to go to look like the hitter the Marlins thought they were drafting, but he’s at least on the right track. He’ll head to Triple-A in 2022, where he’ll hope to build on the outstanding showing he had in the AFL.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 60.Power: 60. Run: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
  TRACK RECORD: The Marlins drafted Bleday fourth overall in 2019 and signed him for a franchise-record $6.67 million after he led Vanderbilt to a national championship his junior season and led the nation with 27 home runs. Following his pro debut at high Class A Jupiter in 2019, Bleday was slated to play in Double-A in 2020. Instead he faced the organization's top-level pitchers at the alternate training site.
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bleday uses a fluid swing and solid bat speed to project as a middle-of-the-order hitter with plus power from the left side. He also shows above-average defense and arm strength. Bleday made positive strides when it came to his outfield reads and jumps, according to scouts, while playing both corner spots as well as center field. Bleday has the fundamentally sound mechanics and speed to handle center but still projects as a corner outfielder, most likely in right field. He also shows above-average strike-zone discipline that complements his above-average defensive skills and average-to-above speed on the bases.
  THE FUTURE: Bleday could start the 2021 season at Double-A. He has a chance to fast-track to Miami and secure a starting corner outfield spot before the end of the season.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 60.Power: 60. Run: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
  TRACK RECORD: The Marlins drafted Bleday fourth overall in 2019 and signed him for a franchise-record $6.67 million after he led Vanderbilt to a national championship his junior season and led the nation with 27 home runs. Following his pro debut at high Class A Jupiter in 2019, Bleday was slated to play in Double-A in 2020. Instead he faced the organization’s top-level pitchers at the alternate training site.
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bleday uses a fluid swing and solid bat speed to project as a middle-of-the-order hitter with plus power from the left side. He also shows above-average defense and arm strength. Bleday made positive strides when it came to his outfield reads and jumps, according to scouts, while playing both corner spots as well as center field. Bleday has the fundamentally sound mechanics and speed to handle center but still projects as a corner outfielder, most likely in right field. He also shows above-average strike-zone discipline that complements his above-average defensive skills and average-to-above speed on the bases.
  THE FUTURE: Bleday could start the 2021 season at Double-A. He has a chance to fast-track to Miami and secure a starting corner outfield spot before the end of the season.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 60.Power: 60. Run: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
  TRACK RECORD: The Marlins drafted Bleday fourth overall in 2019 and signed him for a franchise-record $6.67 million after he led Vanderbilt to a national championship his junior season and led the nation with 27 home runs. Following his pro debut at high Class A Jupiter in 2019, Bleday was slated to play in Double-A in 2020. Instead he faced the organization’s top-level pitchers at the alternate training site.
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bleday uses a fluid swing and solid bat speed to project as a middle-of-the-order hitter with plus power from the left side. He also shows above-average defense and arm strength. Bleday made positive strides when it came to his outfield reads and jumps, according to scouts, while playing both corner spots as well as center field. Bleday has the fundamentally sound mechanics and speed to handle center but still projects as a corner outfielder, most likely in right field. He also shows above-average strike-zone discipline that complements his above-average defensive skills and average-to-above speed on the bases.
  THE FUTURE: Bleday could start the 2021 season at Double-A. He has a chance to fast-track to Miami and secure a starting corner outfield spot before the end of the season.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Bleday enjoyed a breakout junior campaign at Vanderbilt before the Marlins signed him for a franchise-record $6.67 million as the No. 4 overall pick. A first-team All-American, Bleday led all Division I hitters with 27 home runs in 2019 and helped the Commodores win the program’s second College World Series championship with a .347/.465/.701 slash line and more walks (61) than strikeouts (58). He made his pro debut for high Class A Jupiter on July 20 and posted a .747 OPS in August.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bleday is an advanced hitter with a smooth lefthanded swing and refined approach. As he showed in his final season at Vanderbilt, he can drive the ball with plus raw power when he connects, and he gets his barrel on the ball often. Bleday is an average runner with an above-average arm who profiles as an above-average defender in either outfield corner. Scouts routinely praise Bleday for his overall makeup, noting that his continued improvement over his three years at Vanderbilt was hardly a surprise when considering his work ethic and maturity.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bleday has the pedigree, experience and talent to move quickly. After playing 38 games in the Florida State League in 2019, he should see plenty of time at Double-A in 2020. Bleday has the potential to be a high-average, middle-of-the-order hitter who should be able to hold down a corner outfield spot for years to come in Miami.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Bleday enjoyed a breakout junior campaign at Vanderbilt before the Marlins signed him for a franchise-record $6.67 million as the No. 4 overall pick. A first-team All-American, Bleday led all Division I hitters with 27 home runs in 2019 and helped the Commodores win the program's second College World Series championship with a .347/.465/.701 slash line and more walks (61) than strikeouts (58). He made his pro debut for high Class A Jupiter on July 20 and posted a .747 OPS in August.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bleday is an advanced hitter with a smooth lefthanded swing and refined approach. As he showed in his final season at Vanderbilt, he can drive the ball with plus raw power when he connects, and he gets his barrel on the ball often. Bleday is an average runner with an above-average arm who profiles as an above-average defender in either outfield corner. Scouts routinely praise Bleday for his overall makeup, noting that his continued improvement over his three years at Vanderbilt was hardly a surprise when considering his work ethic and maturity.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bleday has the pedigree, experience and talent to move quickly. After playing 38 games in the Florida State League in 2019, he should see plenty of time at Double-A in 2020. Bleday has the potential to be a high-average, middle-of-the-order hitter who should be able to hold down a corner outfield spot for years to come in Miami.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Bleday entered his junior season in 2019 as one of the most respected college hitters in the country. After pacing the Commodores in hitting during his sophomore season last spring (.368/.494/.511), Bleday went to the Cape Cod League. There, he showed solid power and hitting ability with a wood bat, posting a .311/.374/.500 slash line with five home runs in 36 games. With a balanced stance, smooth swing, solid bat speed and a refined approach with more walks than strikeouts in his college career, Bleday had the look of a high-floor hitter with a plus hit tool. However, there were initially some questions surrounding his ability to consistently impact the baseball. Bleday has answered those question this spring, as he has regularly tapped into the plus raw power that he'd previously been unable to reach during games. After hitting just six home runs through his first 90 games with Vanderbilt in 2017 and 2018, Bleday is among the country's leaders in home runs in 2019. He hit 20 home runs through his first 41 games--upping his isolated power from .143 as a sophomore to over .420 as a junior--while continuing to post impressive strikeout and walk rates. Bleday's power surge has increased his draft stock, going from a likely first-round corner outfield prospect with an impressive track record of hitting to one of the best impacts bats in the class and a player who should be selected at the top of the first round. Defensively, Bleday moves well and could handle center field in a pinch, but he profiles best as a corner outfielder--where his newfound power should allow him to succeed.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Calling Bleday’s 2019 season a whirlwind would be an understatement. He played his first game on Feb. 15 in Scottsdale, Ariz., hit 26 homers in 65 games for Vanderbilt after totaling just four through his first two seasons, was drafted by the Marlins with the fourth overall pick, won the College World Series, made his pro debut in high Class A less than a month later and finally finished his season with his 108th game, on Aug. 29 in Jupiter, Fla. The biggest reason Bleday shot up draft boards was his power outburst, which was accomplished in part by adding strength behind what was always a smooth, balanced swing on a frame that looked like it was built for a profile corner outfielder. More than the power potential, Bleday projects to hit for plenty of average as well. After an initial adjustment to the FSL, Bleday turned in an August slash line of .274/.337/.411, which is more than excellent for a player thrust into an extreme pitcher’s league after the longest season of his career. It’s early, but the Marlins look like they’ve reeled in prime catch.