and have already signed with other teams, as the free agent departures left the Marlins further thinned out at a shortstop position that was already something of a weak link. President of baseball operations Peter Bendix is looking to addre s the position this winter, telling and other reporters that Id like to increase the number of options that we have who can play shortstop . Utilityman is the top choice at the moment, as manager told the media. , , and the provide further depth. Brujan and Edwards are former top-100 prospects looking for a big league breakout, while Amaya is a defensive standout acquired from the Dodgers in the trade last offseason. It makes for an Richaun Holmes Jersey interesting mix, and Bendix noted that I think we have a few people on the roster, off the roster, who are pretty good options, but nobody whos the clear, This is our everyday shortstop. So wed love to add that, and really just adding long-term value to the organization whether that is players at the Major League level with control, whether that is prospects. Ideally, its both. Its supplementing the 2024 club, just building on whats a competitive team already, but also keeping that eye on the future . Finding a long-term shortstop answer is obviously easier said than done, and landing such a player would require a significant return on Miamis part. For instance, the Fish have lots of interest in their starting pitching, yet considering how injuries and other trades have cut down on their rotation depth over the last two years, it remains to be seen if Bendix will be open to trading more arms when the Marlins are no longer dealing with a surplus. Bendix was somewhat non-committal about the idea of moving the teams own pitchers, and even implied that Miami could look to add hurlers due to the basic credo of you always need more pitching . In terms of other in-house shortstop candidates, it doesnt appear as though Miami will be turning to its former shortstop. Asked whether or not might be moved back to shortstop, Schumaker said I dont see that happening yet. Jazz really took off kind of the second part of the season in the outfield as our center fielder, so I dont anticipate that happening just yet . Since Chisholm had another injury-shortened season, the first priority is just to get him healthy as he an October turf toe surgery. Between his toe problems and an oblique strain, Chisholm was limited to 97 games in 2023, extending his unfortunate streak to three consecutive injury-plagued years. Chisholm hasnt played any shortstop since the 2021 season, as he played second base in 2022 before being shifted to the outfield last winter. The position change was made to both accommodate as the new everyday second baseman, and also to see if Chisholm could be an answer to the Marlins longstanding need in center field. Considering both his injuries and the fact that it was the first time Chisholm had ever played as an outfielder in his pro career, the results were somewhat respectable a +4 in Outs Above Average, though other public defensive metrics (a -6.6 UZR/150 and -9 Defensive Runs Saved) werent impre sed. As Schumaker noted, Chisholm naturally looked more comfortable with the more experience he gained at the position, so it makes sense that Miami wouldnt want to switch his position yet again when he might still be something of an untapped resource as a center fielder. Theres also the fact that moving Chisholm would again create an outfield vacancy for the Marlins to addre s, and adding something of a supplementary shortstop alongside Berdi and company is probably an easier task than landing a new regular center fielder. Dewayne Dedmon Jersey