In baseball, it’s rare that you find players with an 80-grade tool. Think Billy Hamilton’s speed or Joey Gallo’s power. These talents seem like special gifts only afforded to Marvel superheroes.
With this in mind, such players are under a ton of pressure to fulfill their full potential. They will consistently be presented with opportunities in the game of baseball, a longer leash than their peers to translate those maxed-out tools into productivity.
Hamilton and Gallo have been accepted for their imperfections, but Peter O’Brien has not. Why? Now in the Marlins organization, this is a chance for the 28-year-old to become a story of potential realized.