Derrek Lee was a First Round Pick by the Padres in 1993, and he made it to their main roster four years later, playing 22 Games in 1997.  The Padres had the chance to trade for pitching ace, Kevin Brown, and they gave up Lee to get him.

Lee would become Florida's starting First Baseman the year he arrived, but he struggled for two years before he broke out with a 28 HR/.281 BA year, and this would be the type of numbers that he provided the Marlins over the next three seasons.  From 2001 to 2003, Lee had at least 20 Home Runs with a .270 Batting Average, which were respectable metrics.  Defensively, he was also good, winning the Gold Glove in 2003.  

Lee was a large part of Florida’s World Series win in 2003, and the Marlins did what they always did, jettison off their best players.  He was traded to the Cubs, and with the Marlins, he blasted 129 Home Runs with a .822 OPS.

While his overall offensive numbers indicate that he should be a few spots higher, for a First Baseman, they were not up to the standard that they need to be to have an elite rank on this list.

The Marlins aren't known for trading for All-Stars, but in a seven-player deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers after the 2014 Season, Dee Strange-Gordon, a reigning All-Star, was sent to South Beach.

Strange-Gordon's first year as a Marlin was his best in the sport.  Not only did he repeat as a National League All-Star, the Second Baseman won the Batting Title (.333) and was the top leadoff man in the league.  Strange-Gordon led the NL in Hits (204) and Stolen Bases (58), and while his power numbers were light, he was still awarded the Silver Slugger.  Throw in the Gold Glove, and you have one hell of a year!

Strange-Gordon might have answered where this league came from as he was popped for an 80-Game Suspension in late April of 2016 for PEDs.  He played 79 Games that year, accruing 30 SB with 87 Hits, but the suspension crippled his reputation.  DSG had another year with the Marlins, a good one where he batted .308, had 201 Hits, and led the NL in Stolen Bases (60).  The Marlins sent him to Seattle, where his career fell off, and he left Miami with a .309 Batting Average, 493 Hits, and 148 Stolen Bases.

A versatile yet streaky Pitcher, A.J. Burnett began his 17-year career with the Florida Marlins over seven seasons (1999-06).

Burnett bounced back and forth from the Majors and Minors in 1999 and 2000, with 2001 as the year entrenched himself in the Marlins rotation while throwing a no-hitter.  He had a breakout of sorts in 2002, winning 12 Games to 9 Losses and leading the league in Shutouts (5) and H/9 (6.7).  Burnett showed his ability to fan batters, whiffing 203 that year, but his control was an issue, and he was prone to Wild Pitches.

The Marlins won the World Series in 2003, though Burnett had nothing to do with it due to Tommy John surgery.  He came back during the 2004 campaign and had a solid 2005, with a 12-12, 3.44 ERA year with 198 Strikeouts.  This ended Burnett's run with Florida, as he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as a Free Agent.

He posted a 49-50 record with 753 Strikeouts and a 3.73 ERA with Florida.

Josh Beckett was a three-time All-Star in Boston and World Series Champion with them in 2007, but his heroics began in Florida, where if you had not been paying attention, his 2003 World Series run came out of nowhere.

That was not the case, as Beckett arrived in Professional Baseball highly touted as the Second Overall Pick in 1999 following being named by USA Today as the High School Player of the Year, and the same publication named him the Minor League Baseball Player of the Year in 2000.  He made it to the Majors as a September callup in 2001 and was on the roster the whole season in 2002, albeit with an average season (6-7, 4.10 ERA).

Beckett was the Opening Day Starter in 2003 and had a pleasant season with a 9-8 year with a 3.04 ERA, which was decent, but he was on fire in the playoffs.  He would win Games in both the NLCS and World Series, with the latter seeing Beckett with a 1.10 ERA and 0.796 WHIP.  Beckett was named the World Series MVP, and the Marlins stunned the world by winning their second title.

After another respectable 2004 Season (9-9, 3.79), Beckett finally had a double-digit Win year (15-8) with a 3.38 ERA and 161 Strikeouts, and it was the best regular season that he had with Miami.  It was also his last, as he was traded to Boston.   With the Marlins, Beckett went 41-36 with 607 Strikeouts and a 3.46 ERA.

This might seem like a low rank for a World Series Champion, but the reality is that Beckett’s run, save for 2005 and his 2003 post-season, was average, and he only appeared in 106 Games.  That being said, you can’t tell the Marlins story without Beckett.