|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Miami Marlins, fresh off a surprising 79-83 season, continued their push toward an analytically driven, progressive principle of baseball by announcing a number of front office advancements last week, the most notable of which was Gabe Kapler’s promotion from assistant general manager to general manager.
With his advancement, Kapler becomes the sixth general manager in the Marlins’ history, and he will report directly to Peter Bendix, Miami’s president of baseball operations. In addition to Kapler, the Marlins named Vinesh Kanthan as senior director of baseball operations, and Frankie Piliere as vice president of amateur forecasting and player evaluation initiatives.
“These three leaders have each made a meaningful impact since joining our team, exemplifying the values that define our culture: Driving innovation across every area of the team, leading with a forward-thinking mindset and elevating those around them as great teammates,” Bendix said in a statement. “Their advancement is a testament to the caliber of talent and person within our organization and our continued commitment to building a culture of collaboration and excellence.”
Bendix honed his craft in baseball as the general manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, where he used analytical principals and the usage of advanced statistical metrics to lead his club to the 2020 World Series. The popular term for the strategy is “Moneyball,” a philosophy brought to the national spotlight by the Oakland Athletics in the early 2000s, a movement that soon turned into a bestselling book by Michael Lewis, and an award-winning movie starring Brad Pitt.
At its core, “Moneyball” aims to get more wins out of less payroll, relying on statistical edges that come with younger, unproven players at a cheaper rate than acquiring Major League Baseball superstars.
When the Athletics, for instance, won the American League West in 2002, their payroll was just $40 million. When the Rays lost in the 2020 World Series, theirs was just $28.3 million. For context, this year’s Los Angeles Dodgers, who won the World Series last month, had a $354.8 million payroll.
Kapler, 50, like Bendix is a strong supporter of baseball analytics, and that will need to continue. After all, the Marlins’ payroll this season closed at just $67.7 million.
During his first year as an assistant general manager with the Marlins, Kapler focused on staff, coaching, and player development, which showed significant improvement across the board. For the first time in franchise history, four minor-league affiliates made it to the postseason. Topping that accomplishment, Triple-A Jacksonville won its league championship, demonstrating the system’s depth and growing talent.
Similarly, The major-league team, under first-year manager Clayton McCullough, showed positive results. A third-place finish in the National League East may not seem like a headline, but Miami’s 79 wins were far more than the team’s expected over/under of 62½, which was posted by sportsbooks during spring training.
All along, the Marlins showed that a focus on player development and data-driven decision-making can pay dividends in 2025. And they closed with authority, winning 13 of their last 17 games.
Outfielder Kyle Stowers is a glowing example of the club’s approach. At 27 years old, he’s entering the prime of his career, and he authored a career season in 2025. He finished with 25 home runs and 73 RBIs, in fact, all while accruing a light $768,200 salary.
Kapler, who brings several years of MLB experience to his position, will strive for more players like Stowers. Having managed the Philadelphia Phillies (2018–19) and the San Francisco Giants (2020–23) before joining Miami, he is also a former player who finished his career with 82 home runs, 386 RBIs and 77 RBIs. All told, he played in 12 MLB seasons, including being a member of the 2004 World Series-champion Boston Red Sox. Though the Red Sox were big spenders that season, with a $127.3 million payroll, that club, too, utilized a portion of “Moneyball” principles.
One of his more notable accomplishments came in San Francisco when he won National League Manager of the Year in 2021. That Giants team posted a franchise-high 107 wins. And subsequently, from 2015-2017, Kapler and McCullough collaborated with on the Dodgers’ staff. McCullough was the first-base coach, while Kapler was the director of player development.
“It is an exciting time to be part of the Marlins’ organization, and I am ready to continue the great work we are doing here, alongside Peter and our entire baseball operations staff,” Kapler said in a statement. “The growth and momentum we’ve built are a direct reflection of a clear vision, a strong culture and an incredible team working together toward a shared goal. I’m proud to help continue that progress and contribute to what’s ahead.”
In addition to Kapler, Piliere and Kanthan have been instrumental in developing Miami’s new front office brand. According to MLB Pipeline, Piliere, who became the Marlins’ director of amateur scouting in 2024, oversaw two drafts that resulted in nine of the team’s Top 30 prospects. He also has additional experience with the Mariners, Cleveland Guardians, and Texas Rangers, along with scouting and writing analytically for FanGraphs and D1Baseball.com.
Before coming to Miami in 2024, Kanthan spent five seasons as an assistant director of baseball operations for the Rangers. He worked in a number of crucial fields, including performance science, contracts, and roster management. It’s this background that fits perfectly with the fresh ideas that Bendix and Kapler are implementing.
This leadership group provides a better sense of direction for a brand that has long been characterized by its cycles of reconstruction. The Marlins seem more dedicated to developing from within, believing in their team’s talent, their methods, and the notion that long-term development takes time.
Kapler’s promotion is yet another sign that the Marlins’ “Moneyball”-style shift has taken hold in South Florida. Indeed, there is a primary focus on data, development, and identifying value in places that others may overlook.
This story is part of a collaboration between Miami’s Community Newspapers and the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media at Florida International University.
