As the Miami Marlins make their way to the main field at Roger Dean Stadium midway through their spring training schedule, Gary Denbo stays behind near the clubhouse, waiting to greet 144 players who could comprise the franchise’s future.
“Let’s have a good day out there,” Denbo tells them as they trot out to the complex’s back fields for the first day of minor-league camp.
The majority of these players won’t taste the big leagues this year or next year. Some might not even make it to the majors at all.
But even with a lot of positives coming out of Marlins camp this year — a 10-game win streak, improvement from the team’s young starting pitching and a new-look Lewis Brinson among them — the biggest developments for this team very well might be what takes place on those back fields and how that development continues once minor-league seasons begin in Clinton, Iowa; Jupiter; Jacksonville and New Orleans.