Anthony Bender, a right-hander, will become the fourth player to make his major league debut for the Marlins this year.
As first reported by Craig Mish, the team chose his deal on Tuesday, filling the vacancy left by Paul Campbell’s PED ban on the pitching staff. A few short months ago, the 27-year-old was largely unknown.
Bender joined the Milwaukee Milkmen of the American Association in 2020 because there was no Minor League Baseball, but his performance there was inconsistent (5.48 ERA, 1.64 ERA, 25 K in 21.1 IP).
He played for the Brewers’ Biloxi affiliate during the final week of the 2019 season, which was his highest level of Minor League Baseball competition to date.
When the Marlins signed him to a minor league contract in November of last year, the anticipation level was low.
Bender, however, displayed top-tier material earlier this year in the Grapefruit League. In Statcast-tracked outings, his slider averaged 86.2 mph with a strong spin rate, while his sinker averaged 97.4 mph.
He pitched 8 and a half innings without allowing a run because of his effective control of his pitches and multiple stops of balls in play going into the air.
Bender was one of four contenders for the award for Marlin of the Month for February/March 2021.
How Tall Is Anthony Bender?
Anthony Bender’s height is 1.97 m.