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Marlins option Sanchez in first wave of cuts

Top hurler, Guzman optioned to Triple-A; Cabrera sent to Double-A
Sixto Sanchez had a 24-inning scoreless streak that spanned four starts for Double-A Jacksonville last season. (Rob Tringali/Getty Images)
March 6, 2020

Sixto Sanchez has a bright future ahead, but he'll have to wait a bit to make his first pitch for the Marlins.Miami's top prospect was optioned to Triple-A Wichita along with 19th-ranked Jorge Guzman on Friday as the club made its first 10 roster cuts of Spring Training. Fifth-ranked Edward Cabrera

Sixto Sanchez has a bright future ahead, but he'll have to wait a bit to make his first pitch for the Marlins.
Miami's top prospect was optioned to Triple-A Wichita along with 19th-ranked Jorge Guzman on Friday as the club made its first 10 roster cuts of Spring Training. Fifth-ranked Edward Cabrera and No. 20 Jordan Holloway were assigned to Double-A Jacksonville.
No. 23 Humberto Mejia was optioned to Class A Advanced Jupiter, while sixth-ranked Braxton Garrett, No. 8 Trevor Rogers, No. 26 Víctor Víctor Mesa, catcher B.J. López and left-hander Daniel Castano were all assigned to Minor League camp. 

Sanchez, acquired from the Phillies last year in the J.T. Realmuto trade, did not log any Grapefruit League appearances in his second camp with Miami. The Marlins plan to get the right-hander slowly back into his throwing program, as they did in 2019, and did not want to rush him into game action, Marlins manager Don Mattingly told MLB.com
"Sixto is kind of off the charts as far as he looks like a polished [pitcher]," Mattingly said. "He throws the ball where he wants. He does it easy, kind of advanced in those terms. Obviously, the way we wanted to get him ready compared to last year, it was so good for him and the way he pitched. We knew we wanted to kind of have the slow build again this year. He comes with a lot of fanfare and with good reason."
In his first year with the organization, Sanchez compiled a 2.76 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 103 strikeouts over 114 innings between Jacksonville and Jupiter. Not only was he selected to the All-Star Futures Game, he was named the Marlins' Minor League Pitcher of the Year and Jumbo Shrimp MVP.

MLB.com's No. 22 overall prospect, who boasts a 70-grade fastball and a plus changeup and slider, has recorded a 2.58 ERA with 294 strikeouts since 2015. 
Pitching in his first Major League camp, Cabrera allowed two runs on two hits with four strikeouts over four innings in two Grapefruit League appearances. The 21-year-old was an MiLB.com Organization All-Star for the first time in 2019 after going 9-4 with a 2.23 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 19 starts between the Southern and Florida State leagues. 
Garrett also had a brief stint in Marlins camp and yielded one run on three hits and two walks with three punchouts over three innings in two relief outings. 

Andrew Battifarano is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter, @AndrewAtBatt.