Marcell Ozuna came to the Marlins in 2013 as a high-voltage talent from the Dominican Republic, a player whose raw power and "cannon" for an arm made him an immediate tactical asset. After signing as an international free agent in 2008, he steadily climbed the ranks to become the high-caliber center fielder the organization had been searching for.
After debuting promisingly in 2013, Ozuna showed strong batting in 2014, hitting 23 home runs with 85 RBIs. Following a slump, including a 1-for-36 stretch, the Marlins demoted him to Triple-A New Orleans in July. His agent, Scott Boras, accused the team of delaying his service time to manipulate arbitration eligibility. Ozuna called the 33-day demotion a "jail sentence," and although he returned in August, his relationship with the front office remained tense.
Despite last year's challenges, Ozuna demonstrated remarkable resilience in 2016. He rejoined the lineup as a key player and delivered an impressive first half, hitting .307 with 17 home runs before the All-Star break. This performance earned him his first All-Star nod, where he was chosen as the starting center fielder for the National League. Although his effectiveness waned somewhat in the second half, he concluded the season with 23 home runs and 76 RBIs.
Ozuna then had his best season (2017), finishing the year with a .312 average, 37 home runs, and 124 RBIs. This high-stakes production earned him his second consecutive All-Star nod, along with his first Silver Slugger. As par for the course, Ozuna was traded for four players (one of whom was Sandy Alcantara) to St. Louis. With Miami, Ozuna had 683 hits, 96 home runs, 376 RBIs, and a .277 batting average.
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