Marcell Ozuna

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Miami Marlins #5 prospect in 2013
  Despite not going deep in July, Ozuna led the Florida State League in homers (24)--as well as in runs (89), RBIs (95) and total bases (233)--in 2012. He has topped 20 homers in each of the least three seasons and nearly replicated his 2011 stat line despite moving from cozy low Class A Greensboro to cavernous Jupiter. Ozuna oozes tools, particularly with his plus-plus raw power and a cannon arm. He has the power to drive the ball well out of any part of the park, though he tends to get pull-happy at times, flying open with his front side instead of staying back and punishing the ball. Plate-discipline issues that plagued him early in his career have eased significantly as he has advanced, though at times he'll revert to guessing and chasing breaking balls down and out of the strike zone. When he swings at strikes, he rarely misses, thanks to excellent hand-eye coordination. With slightly above-average speed and average instincts, Ozuna should reach double figures in stolen bases. He has plus range and a well above-average arm in right field. He plays with an infectious passion at all times. After gaining a spot on Miami's 40-man roster, Ozuna will head to Double-A. If he can lay off bad breaking pitches and trust his swing, he can become an all-star capable of hitting 30 home runs.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #2 prospect in 2012
  Ozuna led the short-season New York-Penn League with 21 home runs and 60 RBIs in 2010 despite striking out in 35 percent of his at-bats. He struggled early in 2011 but put it all together in the second half, hitting .310/.371/.585 with 15 homers. He batted .353 with three homers in seven playoff games as Greensboro won the South Atlantic League title. Ozuna wows scouts with his tools, especially his well above-average raw power and bazooka arm. Before 2011, he had lacked plate discipline and shown a particular susceptibility to breaking balls down and out of the zone. After putting in extra time with Grasshoppers hitting coach Kevin Randel and learning to focus on finding pitches he could drive to the middle of the field, Ozuna took a huge step forward. He has slightly above-average speed and was caught only twice in 19 steal attempts last season. He uses his athleticism well in right field, where he shows above-average range and a strong arm, though his throwing accuracy can improve. The Marlins love his infectious enthusiasm for the game. Ozuna will advance to high Class A and attempt to maintain the gains he showed in the second half of 2011. His ability to manage his strike zone will dictate how quickly he moves.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #9 prospect in 2011
  A cousin of former Marlins infielder Pablo Ozuna, Marcell opened the 2010 season in Greensboro but lasted only a week before breaking a bone in his left wrist on a play in the outfield. When he healed, he headed to short-season Jamestown, where he set franchise records and led the New York-Penn League with 21 homers and 60 RBIs. Ozuna possesses legitimate corner-outfield power. He can drive a fastball out of the park on a rope and can fight off inside pitches to the opposite field. The problem for him is making contact, as he also topped the NY-P with 94 whiffs. He's starting to understand the strike zone better, but he still has a long ways to go. He'll show patience on some days and swing at anything on others. Ozuna runs well, though as his body fills out he may have just average speed. He' still learning how to steal bases. While he has seen time in center field, his future lies in right, where he should be adequate. He has a plus arm, though it's not always accurate. Ozuna will return to Greensboro and take another shot at full-season ball in 2011. As he advances, he'll see fewer and fewer strikes until he demonstrates a more disciplined approach.
• 
  Ranked Miami Marlins #12 prospect in 2010
  A cousin of former Marlins utility player Pablo Ozuna, Marcell has a far more physical presence and a greater upside. Long-levered with a thin waist, he's reminiscent of a young Vladimir Guerrero, and not just in his ability to hit balls out of the zone with authority and to all fields. Ozuna uses a high leg kick and must fight a tendency to rush his stride, a flaw he has worked on with Marlins hitting coordinator John Mallee. For such a raw young player, he handles offspeed pitches surprisingly well and shows improving plate discipline. He's a plus runner who reminds some scouts of Marlins special assistant Andre Dawson, both in his gait and in his over-the-top throwing motion. Ozuna is still learning how to steal bases and working on the nuances of playing right field. A potential five-tool player, he displays infectious energy on the field. He figures to open the year in low Class A, where Greensboro's friendly confines should help him increase his confidence at the plate.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Florida State League #15 prospect in 2012
  Ozuna joins Marisnick as one of the riskiest and highest-ceiling prospects in the league. He has plus-plus raw power--which he parlayed into leading the FSL in homers (24), RBIs (95), total bases (233) and slugging (.476)--and arm strength to match. "He has the best power and the best arm in the league," Truby said. But as with Marisnick, there are concerns about Ozuna's hitting ability. He doesn't recognize breaking balls well and he chases pitches out of the strike zone. He does show signs of making adjustments, so his supporters believe he'll eventually become an average hitter. An average runner, he has succeeded on 40 of his 49 steal attempts as a pro. He's an average defender in right field and capable of filling in in center.
• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #7 prospect in 2011
  Ozuna opened 2010 in Greensboro but broke his left wrist in the first week and wound up spending most of the year in the short-season New York-Penn League. He stayed healthy for the Grasshoppers this season and finished second in the SAL in runs (87), third in total bases (239) and fourth in homers (23). He was at his best in the playoffs, batting .353 with three homers in seven games in the 'Hoppers' title run. Based on his body type and physical ability, he attracts comparisons to Vladimir Guerrero, Raul Mondesi and Sammy Sosa. Though he's still a bit of a free swinger, Ozuna made progress with his discipline and strike-zone knowledge in 2011. He has the power and arm strength desired in a right fielder, and he could have five average to plus tools. "The tools are all there, obviously," Haines said. "He's one of the most exciting players in the league to watch because he can do everything. He can really throw in the outfield, can run, a physically imposing guy. Other than Harper, I don't know if there was a player in the league who had more impressive tools across the board."
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  Ranked New York-Penn League #4 prospect in 2010
  Ozuna broke Jamestown single-season records for home runs (21) and RBIs (60), topped the league in both categories and finished two homers shy of the NY-P record, set in 1982. He also led the NY-P in strikeouts (94), illustrating his feast-or-famine approach. A cousin of former Marlins utilityman Pablo Ozuna, he has lightning-quick hands and punishes fastballs, especially in typical fastball counts. When pitchers try to jam him inside, he shows the ability to stay back and shoot balls the other way. But Ozuna's righthanded swing gets long, he chases breaking balls down and fastballs up and lacks a mature two-strike approach. Ozuna has two premium tools: massive raw power and an above-average arm that one manager referred to as a bazooka. He's an average runner who plays an adequate right field, though his routes are suspect at times. A classic boom-or-bust prospect, he could become a middle-of-the-order slugger if he can polish some of the rough edges of his game.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #75 prospect in 2013

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Despite not going deep in July, Ozuna led the Florida State League in homers (24)--as well as in runs (89), RBIs (95) and total bases (233)--in 2012. He has topped 20 homers in each of the least three seasons and nearly replicated his 2011 stat line despite moving from cozy low Class A Greensboro to cavernous Jupiter. Scouting Report: Ozuna oozes tools, particularly with his plus-plus raw power and a cannon arm. He has the power to drive the ball well out of any part of the park, though he tends to get pull-happy at times, flying open with his front side instead of staying back and punishing the ball. Plate-discipline issues that plagued him early in his career have eased significantly as he has advanced, though at times he'll revert to guessing and chasing breaking balls down and out of the strike zone. When he swings at strikes, he rarely misses, thanks to excellent hand-eye coordination. With slightly above-average speed and average instincts, Ozuna should reach double figures in stolen bases. He has plus range and a well above-average arm in right field. He plays with an infectious passion at all times. The Future: After gaining a spot on Miami's 40-man roster, Ozuna will head to Double-A. If he can lay off bad breaking pitches and trust his swing, he can become an all-star.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Ozuna led the short-season New York-Penn League with 21 home runs and 60 RBIs in 2010 despite striking out in 35 percent of his at-bats. He struggled early in 2011 but put it all together in the second half, hitting .310/.371/.585 with 15 homers. He batted .353 with three homers in seven playoff games as Greensboro won the South Atlantic League title. Scouting Report: Ozuna wows scouts with his tools, especially his well above-average raw power and bazooka arm. Before 2011, he had lacked plate discipline and showed a particular susceptibility to breaking balls down out of the zone. After putting in extra time with Grasshoppers hitting coach Kevin Randel and learning to focus on finding pitches he could drive to the middle of the field, Ozuna took a huge step forward. He has slightly above-average speed and was caught only twice in 19 steal attempts last season. He uses his athleticism well in right field, where he shows above-average range and a strong arm, though his throwing accuracy can improve. The Marlins love his enthusiasm for the game. The Future: Ozuna will advance to high Class A and attempt to maintain the gains he showed in the second half of 2011. His ability to manage the strike zone will dictate how quickly he moves.