Meet Kevin DeFrank, The Marlins' Next Young Potential Pitching Sensation
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The Miami Marlins got themselves a flamethrower that could emerge in the next couple of years.
His command and discipline in learning and working to become a great pitcher are great traits. The Marlins prospect is still a teenager, and his preparation to make it to the show has not gone unnoticed.
Kevin DeFrank Might Be The Next Great Marlins Pitcher
DeFrank is 17 years old from the Dominican Republic. The Marlins signed him for $560,000 in January 2025. It’s the second-largest signing bonus in the Marlins' international signing class of the year. The kind of money that can change the trajectory of DeFrank and his family’s life. If he wants to continue to bring happiness and success, he must remain resilient and committed to the long-term process.
He’s already learning and studying from the best, which is Sandy Alcantara, the ace of the Marlins' rotation. Alcantara has affected Marlins pitchers, including Eury Perez and now DeFrank. All of those pitchers share a similar background because of the country they represent. Miami is also the best landing spot for them because of the Latin connection.
DeFrank throws the ball hard, reaching up to 100 mph. Aside from the fastball, he can fool hitters with the changeup and sinker. He and Alcantara share this similarity because Alcantara dominates the game with his fastball and changeup.
Having a consistent command and secondary pitch can help a pitcher have a long career in the majors. We know that elbow injuries are common among pitchers. All we hope is that DeFrank doesn’t become another statistic in that department or goes through the same process as his future teammates, Alcantara and Perez, if both players remain with the team by the time DeFrank gets the call.
DeFrank has a lot of talent. The Marlins' development system needs to take care of this young stud and avoid rushing him.
When a pitcher has the kind of potential that DeFrank has, it’s better to play it safe than sorry. The Marlins have so many good prospects, and the team could be a force to be reckoned with. Defrank can add more help to the Marlins' success when he reaches the Majors in about 3-4 years.
He needs to receive all the training and guidance from the minors' coaches to nurture him and become a mature pitcher by the time he turns 21. The Marlins can use another pitcher who can go deep into games with a mix of pitches.
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After graduating from City College of New York in 2014, Miguel created his own blog. Since 2021, he has written for FanSided, where he covered the Toronto Blue Jays, College Football and Utah Mammoth hockey team. He also wrote for Miami Heat on SI and Cleveland Sports Talk. Miguel is the creator and host of his podcast, Baseball Heat Podcast with Mike.