At the end of 2018, after a lengthy and frustrating 63-98 season in Year 1 of an extensive rebuild, one of the lone bright spots for the Miami Marlins was catcher J.T. Realmuto. Brian Anderson did well as a rookie and there were a few promising performances here and there from rookie starting pitchers over the course of the season, but Realmuto emerged as a star.
Heralded early in his career solely for his athleticism and offensive skill set, Realmuto matured into a complete catcher. He was selected to the All-Star Game, a first for a Marlins backstop since Paul Lo Duca in 2005.