Jason

Stokes

The Marlins aren’t a team that should have to worry about losing anyone in the Rule 5 draft. They just don’t have a lot of depth at the moment.

Stokes, one of the top performers in the minors last season, is batting .250 with 9 HR, 46 RBI, 58/14 K/BB and 2 SB in 204 AB for Jupiter. Despite speculation that he would see time in left field, he’s played first base exclusively.

Ranked as the best ''power prospect’’ in the Marlins organization by Baseball America, Stokes’ future is probably with another team. With Carlos Delgado in the fold, Stokes figures to be prime trade bait during the season.

Three of the Marlins’ top prospects. Stokes didn’t help his trade value by going 1-for-10 with six strikeouts this month.

Stokes, who had a disappointing 2003 while recovering from wrist surgery, is batting .313/.371/.563 in nine games this season.

Stokes probably isn’t ready to hit in the majors, and he’s certainly not ready to play left field in the majors. The Marlins tried him there previously when both he and Adrian Gonzalez were in the team’s plans, but it didn’t go very well. If the Marlins really want both in their lineup, Mike Jacobs would probably have a better chance than Stokes of surviving in left.

Stokes is 8-for-22 with two homers and three doubles. He’s going to have to spend a few months at Triple-A, but there’s still a chance that he could be the Marlins’ long-term first baseman.

The Marlins will just be looking to see Stokes get through the spring healthy. He’ll be the first baseman at Triple-A Albuquerque.

Stokes, who had a bone spur removed and a ligament tightened, still feels some soreness and stiffness in the area. He’s going to have to finally put his wrist problems in the past if he hopes to overtake Mike Jacobs at some point. He has the greater offensive upside of the two players. The plan is for him to spend most of this year in Triple-A.

Stokes might be an even better bet than Ryan Howard to be traded by the July 31 deadline. He’s no longer viewed as a potential left fielder, so the Marlins aren’t going to have any room for him.