After using the 16th overall pick of the MLB Draft on South Carolina prep outfielder PJ Morlando, the Marlins added a high school infielder and a college pitcher with their second and third selections on Sunday night.
Carter Johnson, selected 56th overall by Miami, is a left-handed hitter shortstop from Oxford High in Alabama. MLB.com projects him as a second basemen or third baseman in the pros.
Aiden May, chosen with the Marlins’ competitive balance pick at No. 70, is an Oregon State right-hander with a very effective slider.
What the Marlins are getting with each player:
▪ Johnson hit .333 last season. He’s committed to the University of Alabama, but the Marlins are hopeful they will be able to sign him.
MLB.com rated Johnson the 40th best prospect in the draft with this analysis:
“Because he’s an Alabama high school shortstop with a bigger frame than most at his position, Johnson gets compared to Gunnar Henderson. The 2023 American League Rookie of the Year was more athletic as a prepster, but Johnson has similar offensive upside at the same stage. He had an up-and-down summer, homering twice at the PDP League and starring at East Coast Pro, but scuffling at other events and with the U.S. 18-and-under team.
“Johnson is a mature hitter with a willingness to use the entire field, though some evaluators worry about the bat wrap in his left-handed swing. He doesn’t have any trouble handling velocity, but he needs to do a better job of staying back on offspeed pitches. Most of his present power goes to his pull side, but as he gets stronger, his pop should play to all fields and he could provide 20 homers per year.
“Johnson can flash slightly above-average speed but figures to slow down a bit as he matures physically. Though the Alabama recruit has good hands and actions at shortstop, he likely will lack the range and quickness to stay there in the long term. He projects more as an offensive second baseman, and his solid arm strength also would enable him to handle third base.”
Fangraphs rated Johnson as the No. 29 overall prospect. Perfectgame.com rated him the No. 5 shortstop prospect in the draft.
▪ May was 7-1 with a 3.05 ERA for Oregon State last season. He allowed 61 hits and walked 23 in 71 ⅔ innings while striking out 84. The 6-2 May was named a third-team All American last season and was named to the All-Pac 12’s first team.
He transferred to Oregon State after playing the 2023 season in Arizona, where he was 5-3 with a 6.33 ERA in 16 starts.
So he comes to the Marlins with 30 career college starts over two seasons.
Fangraphs rated him the 61st best prospect in this draft class.
MLB.com rated May 70th among all prospects with this scouting report:
“A 6-foot-2 right-hander, May is largely a two-pitch starter in a Spencer Strider type of mold. His fastball sits in the 94-95 mph range, topping out at 97 mph, with good carry through the zone, though it doesn’t elicit much swing-and-miss. He throws his plus slider more than his fastball, and for good reason. He often tops 3,000 rpm on the low-80s power breaking ball, a true three-quarters slider with a ton of depth that misses a lot of bats. He does show a little feel for a changeup but doesn’t use it much.
“While May doesn’t have pinpoint command, he is generally around the zone and should throw enough strikes at the next level to give him the chance to start. A little more of a third pitch might help, but the chance to end up with two plus pitches, as Strider has shown, can be plenty to start in the big leagues and a reason why teams are looking at May in the top few rounds.”
The MLB Draft continues on Monday with rounds 3 through 10, beginning at noon on MLB Network. The draft concludes with Rounds 11 through 20 at 2 p.m. Tuesday on MLB.com.
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
