March 26, 2025

Miami Marlins third baseman Connor Norby (oblique) is locked into everyday playing time in 2025 after getting a brief 45-game sample in his rookie year. He was traded to Miami at the trade deadline, where he ended up slashing .247/.315/.445 with seven home runs, 17 RBI, 29 runs, and three stolen bases in 36 games for his new team down the stretch. He showed off an exciting combo of power and speed, sporting an impressive 14.8% barrel rate and 47% sweet-spot rate while flashing a 94th-percentile sprint speed. Between the majors and minors in 2024, he combined for 26 home runs and 16 steals in 139 games. However, he struck out at a 33% clip, which is an unsustainable rate for success. Even in the minors, his strikeout rate was 28%, which suggests this is a flaw in his game and not just being overwhelmed with his first taste of major league pitching. ATC is projecting him to slash .241/.304/.405 with 17 home runs, 60 runs, 68 RBI, and nine stolen bases over 546 plate appearances in 2025, but he can outperform those numbers if he can put the ball into play more often. He's worth a late-round flier at his current ADP of 269. Update 3/26/25: Norby will be out four weeks after being diagnosed with a Grade 1 left oblique strain. With Norby out all of April, he becomes mainly an injury stash in leagues that allow an IL spot.--Jeremy Heist - RotoBaller