JT Riddle

With the Marlins rebuilding, Riddle got a chance to compete for the starting shortstop job during spring training. However, a shoulder injury forced him to start the season on the DL and he remained in the minors for some time after he was activated. Once he got a chance to return to the majors, the infielder performed well enough to stick around for the remainder of the season. Despite plenty of opportunities, Riddle's end-of-season stat line left much to be desired: a .231/.277/.377 slash line with nine homers, 36 RBI and 28 runs scored in 332 plate appearances. He slightly improved his walk rate, but his strikeout rate remained the same. As things stand now, Riddle should compete for a starting spot again, but he does have an option remaining, meaning he could be in line for a demotion if he can't improve his results.

Riddle stepped up for the Marlins when Adeiny Hechavarria was hurt in the first half of 2017, and he continued to play often after Hechavarria was traded to Tampa Bay before a slap tear in his left shoulder required season-ending surgery in early August. As a 25-year-old getting his first taste of the big leagues, Riddle offered very little pop and nothing on the stolen-base front, providing most of his value to the Marlins as an above-average defender at short. As the Marlins go through the first part of another rebuild in 2018, Riddle may get a chance to serve as the team's starter all season, but his bat more closely resembles that of a utility player than a regular. It's reasonable to think that his contact rate will improve slightly in Year 2, but it's difficult to see much of an uptick in power, and he's never been a burner in the minors, so expecting more than a half-dozen steals is probably a stretch as well.