It took nearly five years but the odyssey for Joe Mack is almost complete. Mack, a 2021 first-round pick by Miami, will reportedly join the Marlins on May 4. One of the organization’s best prospects, Mack showcased a blend of power, poise behind the plate, and, most recently, improved discipline at the dish.
A Look at Mack
The Marlins made Joe Mack a first-round pick out of upstate New York in 2021, a rarity among high school ballplayers from the Empire State. However, there was a lot that worked his way, including the fact that he has pro bloodlines (his brother, Charles Mack, was a Minor League catcher) and built well physically.
Mack got off to a slow start in his professional career. After an injury-riddled 2022 campaign, he slashed .218/.295/.287 over 120 games with High-A Beloit in 2023. However, things began to turn for him in 2024 after he posted a 24-home run campaign in 2024. Last season, he slashed .257/.338/.475 with 21 home runs and 45 extra-base hits between Double-A and Triple-A.
Those two seasons helped Mack earn a spot on the Marlins’ 40-man roster in November.
The 23-year-old was cut from Marlins camp in mid-March after a sluggish run in the Grapefruit League. However, he was able to find his bearings down in Jacksonville, as he slashed .244/.388/.378 over 24 contests.
Power is the name of the game for Mack, who can belt balls to the pull side when he gets a hold of them. Even though the extra-base hit and barrel (4.9%) weren’t gaudy for him to start the year, Mack still had a FB% of just under 27% (26.2%), above the Triple-A median.
What has been an improvement for Mack is how much contact he’s made and how he’s been able to work walks. So far this season with Jacksonville, Mack’s 26.6% Chase% is above the league median. That is down from the 30% Chase% he sported last year in Triple-A.
However, like last season, he will still expand a little too much on the fastballs. His Chase% on four-seamers was a tick below 30%.
Still, he walked 20 times this season for the Jumbo Shrimp. For reference, Mack walked just 45 times all of last year.
And on top of that, he did make consistent contact on pitches in the zone, something of a problem for him last season.
Defense is where Mack shines. He’s tightened up on allowing passed balls, which was a problem early on in his pro career. Additionally, the 23-year-old gunned down runners with regularity. Last season, he combined to post a 33% CS%. This season with Jacksonville, that’s down slightly at 28.9%.
Per reports, including from Marlins.TV, Joe Mack is expected to join the Marlins on May 4.
Analysis
Just a little over a year ago, the Marlins promoted another hot-shot catching prospect, Agustin Ramirez, to the Majors. But after a strong rookie season, Ramirez’s offensive numbers have regressed.
Now, Ramirez is headed back down to the Minors, while Mack will get his first shot with the big club.
This offers Mack a shot to prove he can handle Major League pitching, although it will be interesting to see how much playing time he gets. Liam Hicks has turned into an everyday player, and a good one at that, this season for Miami. This season, Hicks has started 17 games behind the dish so far. Additionally, he’s seen time as the DH & at first.
But given that Mack is a notable prospect, he should see time on a regular basis. And, it’s also worth pointing out that Mack should be a defensive upgrade to Ramirez, who has never been known as an average defender at the plate, dating back to his days in the Yankees’ system.
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