On Monday morning, the Miami Marlins stunned the baseball world by announcing that general manager Kim Ng would be leaving the team after three seasons. The Marlins went 84-78 in 2023 and reached the postseason for the first time in a 162-game season since 2003, and it seem fait accompli Ng would get an extension and continue to guide the franchise.
Instead, Ng declined her half of a mutual option, reportedly after owner Bruce Sherman informed her he wants to hire a president of baseball operations and effectively bump her into the No. 2 decision-maker's chair. Rather than accept a demotion, Ng walked away (as was her contractual right), and soon some other team will hire her and reap the benefits.
"Last week, Bruce and I discussed his plan to reshape the baseball operations department. In our discussions, it became apparent that we were not completely aligned on what that should look like, and I felt it best to step away," Ng told The Athletic. "I wish to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Marlins family and its fans for my time in South Florida. This year was a great step forward for the organization, and I will miss working with (manager Skip Schumaker) and his coaches, as well as all of the dedicated staff in baseball operations and throughout the front office. They are a very talented group and I wish them great success in the future."
The Marlins are just one day into the search for Ng's replacement and the job is not particularly appealing. There are only 30 GM jobs and someone will take it, but the new GM will have to operate with a tight payroll (Miami's average payroll rank is 26th the last six years) and in a very competitive division. The Marlins could have a hard time attracting the very best GM candidates, particularly with the Mets and Red Sox also looking for new executives.
Here are three front-burner issues Ng's replacement, whenever that person is hired and whoever it ends up being, will have to tackle once they're officially named Marlins GM.
1. Get payroll in order
According to Cot's Baseball Contracts, the Marlins already have $107.4 million on the books for 2024 between guaranteed contracts and arbitration projections. The club doesn't have many high-priced non-tender candidates, and that $107.4 million estimate is well above this year's $92.6 million payroll. It would be the second highest payroll in franchise history behind $115.4 million in 2017.
Josh Bell is Miami's highest player at $16.5 million next season and he could opt into free agency. Doing so would save the team a ton of money, but also leave them short a middle of the order bat. Their second-highest paid player (Avisaíl García at $12 million) has been worth minus-1.4 WAR the last two years and is essentially unmovable. The Marlins are stuck with him.
Miami's third highest paid player, Sandy Alcantara at $9 million, will miss 2024 while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Even with the major injury, the Marlins could easily move Alcantara to clear money, but why would they? He's their franchise pitcher! Point is, unless Sherman approves a significant increase (unlikely but not impossible), the new GM will have to figure out a way to move money around and create a more functional payroll.
2. Improve drafting and player development
When it comes to pitching, the Marlins know their stuff. They're very good at developing young arms, with Braxton Garrett and Eury Pérez breaking out in 2023. Position players are another matter though, and the team's recent first-round draft picks leave an awful lot to be desired. Ignoring the 2023 draft because it just happened a few months ago, look at Miami's last five first-round picks:
| Year | Pick | Player | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
2022 | No. 6 | 3B Jacob Berry | Hit .233/.284/.388 between High-A and Double-A |
2021 | No. 16 | Included in Bell trade to dump Jean Segura's contract | |
2020 | No. 3 | RHP Max Meyer | Missed 2023 while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery |
2019 | No. 4 | OF J.J. Bleday | Traded straight up for reliever A.J. Puk |
2019 | No. 13 | OF Connor Scott | Traded as part of the package for Jacob Stallings |
Meyer reached the big leagues last season and showed a lot of promise before blowing out his elbow, but that is a rough five-year stretch of first-round picks, three of which came in the top six. Miami's Wild Card Series roster included only three players originally drafted by the team: Garrett, lefty reliever Andrew Nardi, and backup catcher Nick Fortes. That's it.
Baseball America ranked Miami's farm system 26th in baseball after the draft and trade deadline. When you're a small market team like the Marlins, missing on high draft picks and failing to develop position players is the kind of thing that can completely derail your season, if not multiple seasons. They simply don't have the financial wherewithal to paper over those shortcomings with money.
The next GM will tout the importance of player development because that's what all new GMs do. In the Marlins' case, developing players is pretty much their only shot at contention. The new baseball operations head has to improve on the club's draft and player development track records, particularly with position players.
3. Get on the same page with ownership
A trend is emerging with the Marlins and owner Bruce Sherman. When Derek Jeter stepped down as CEO in February 2022, he said "the vision for the future of the franchise is different than the one I signed up to lead." When Ng stepped down Monday, she said "it became apparent that we were not completely aligned on what (baseball operations) should look like."
That's two high-profile executive stepping down in less than two years because they were unable to get on the same page with ownership. When it happens once, it can be chalked up to a difference of opinions. When it happens twice in relatively quick succession, it's a trend, and it creates questions about Sherman's leadership and his goals for the franchise.
The best thing the next GM can do is sit down with Sherman and lay all the cards out on the table. What are the expectations? How much money is available? Who has the final say on hiring baseball operations employees? Of course, this is a fantasy. Sherman owns the team and is free to change his mind about anything anytime he wants. Such is life. The closer the new GM can get to total transparency and clearly defined operating parameters from ownership, the better.
