Belday homers, Villar’s back and more Marlins practice observations a week before Opening Day

Miami Marlins fans, meet JJ Bleday.

The Marlins’ 2019 first-round draft pick was at Marlins Park and in the lineup for Friday’s seven-inning scrimmage. He made a quick impression, taking left-handed pitcher and fellow prospect Daniel Castano deep to right field for a third-inning home run.

Bleday is the Marlins’ No. 2 overall prospect, according to MLBPipeline, and had a pretty solid showing during his first season of professional baseball with a .257 batting average with three home runs, 19 RBI and 13 runs scored over 38 games with the Class A Advanced Jupiter Hammerheads.

The left-handed-hitting outfielder put up his best marks down the stretch, posting a .310 batting average (26 for 84) during his final 23 games with the Hammerheads. This included seven doubles, two home runs, 11 RBI and 11 runs scored. He recorded hits in all but four of those contests and strung together a career-best 11-game hitting streak from Aug. 8 to Aug. 20.

Bleday is unlikely to see playing time at the big-league level in 2020, with at least a half-dozen outfielders ahead of him on the depth chart the way the player pool is currently constructed. That doesn’t even include Matt Joyce and Lewis Brinson, both of whom are starting the season on the 10-day Injured List, or players like Garrett Cooper and Jon Berti who play both infield and outfield.

But showing that type of power in front of the big-league coaching staff is one way to Bleday makes sure he stays on their radar.

“He’s got a great swing and a great tempo to his game,” Marlins director of player development Dick Scott said back in September. “Sometimes baseball players need to have a good pace. They’re not too frantic, they’re not too wound up, and he has a great pace to his game and it’s hard to teach; he just shows up.

“He has kind of that it factor, although it’s a little calmer.”

Also joining in on the home run party Friday: Outfielder Corey Dickerson, who also sent one deep to right field. Dickerson, signed to a two-year deal this offseason, has been arguably the Marlins’ most consistent hitter throughout camp. Dickerson also hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning that scored Isan Diaz, who doubled and reached third on a long Brian Anderson fly out.

More practice observations

▪ The Marlins’ presumed starting center fielder was active again on Friday — just not in the field.

Jonathan Villar, who sat out Thursday’s practice session with what the team called minor back spasms, played designated hitter for the away team. Dickerson and Monte Harrison served as the two center fielders.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly said ahead of practice that Villar was held out Thursday as a precaution. Health-wise, Villar probably could have practiced, Mattingly said, but there was no use risking the injury becoming more severe.

▪ Elieser Hernandez, one of four pitchers competing for the fifth spot in the Marlins’ starting rotation, was solid during his time on the mound Friday. He held the opposing team, consisting mostly of Marlins’ reserves and prospects with the exception of Villar, to two earned runs and only allowed three hits. Hernandez’s biggest issue on Friday: Five walks, two of which scored in the fifth inning on a two-out, two-RBI single from Magneuris Sierra.

▪ A lot of good defense on Friday, particularly from the infield. Most notable: Brian Anderson with a back-handed tag at third base to catch a runner stealing to end the top of the sixth; Garrett Cooper catching a line drive from Sierra and doubling up Chad Wallach in the third; Monte Harrison sliding to grab a Dickerson flyball in left center to end the first; and middle infield prospect Jose Devers cleaning fielding five of six ground balls that came his way at shortstop.

▪ Relief pitchers who took part in Friday’s scrimmage: Brandon Kintzler, Yimi Garcia, Brad Boxberger and Jeff Brigham. Alex Vesia, Ryne Stanek, Nick Vincent and Adam Conley each threw an inning’s worth of live batting practice following the scrimmage.

Good testing results

According to Major League Baseball, there have been just 23 positive COVID-19 results among players and league staff since summer camp began earlier this month. A total of 17,949 tests have been taken, resulting in just a 0.1 percent positive rate. There were 70 total positive results before intake screening.

This decrease signals a good sign for Opening Day going on as planned. The Washington Nationals and New York Yankees are scheduled to start this 60-game season at Nationals Park on Thursday with a 7:08 p.m. first pitch. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the San Francisco Giants at 10:08 p.m. to conclude the Thursday doubleheader. The remaining 26 teams are scheduled to start their season on Friday.

This and that

▪ All 60 Marlins games this season will be televised locally on Fox Sports Florida.