Elih Marrero

Marrero was drafted in the 29th round of the 2015 draft by the Reds out of high school, but instead decided to attend Mississippi State. Lauded for his defensive abilities behind the plate, Marrero seemed ready to follow in his father Eli’s footsteps. The elder Marrero had a 10-year major league career as a catcher, outfielder and first baseman. After two years with Mississippi State, Marrero transferred to NAIA St. Thomas in Florida, where he hit .370/.438/.593 with nine home runs and 24 doubles. His offensive performance is encouraging, but he never hit close to that level in the SEC or in wood bat leagues during the summer, so Marrero’s best route to the high minors and beyond is as a talented receiver and defensive backstop. He’s undersized at 5-foot-7, 190-pounds.