To maximize chance to crack roster, this Marlins player is learning a new position

Jordan Groshans has rarely been a first baseman in his baseball career. He came up in the minor leagues primarily as a shortstop and also spent time at second and third base, the latter of which is where he spent all his time during his brief stint in the big leagues with the Miami Marlins last season.

But first base? Of his 249 minor-league games and 1,868 2/3 innings played, Groshans played all of five games and 40 innings at first base.

Yet there he was on Monday, starting at first base for the Marlins in a spring training game against the Houston Astros. And there he was again on Wednesday, starting at that spot again. Groshans said the Marlins told him they were going to experiment with him playing the position a couple days before the first start.

“[I haven’t played first] really at all,” Groshans said. “It’s new, completely new. I’ve just got to get the reps and get the work in.”

If he gets comfortable enough there, it could give him the inside track to a spot on the Marlins’ Opening Day roster.

The team is looking for a player to back up Garrett Cooper, who is expected to get the majority of playing time at first baseman. The only player in camp with significant first base experience is Luis Arraez, who is going to be the team’s starting second baseman.

Marlins manager Skip Schumaker on Friday, however, nixed the idea of Arraez getting first base reps during camp.

“You won’t see him at first” during spring training, Schumaker said of Arraez. “Hopefully, he’s never needed at first.”

That opens the door for Groshans — or another player who can play first base — to find his way on the Marlins’ roster in a bench role if he can get a handle on the position. Groshans, along with Jerar Encarnacion (primarily an outfielder who has played first base in the minors) are spending extra time in spring training getting acclimated to first base. Encarnacion started at first base in Friday’s 8-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

“They’re going after it the right way,” Schumaker said. “It’s not easy to learn first, especially with the new [bigger] base, so we’re trying to help them through that. Honestly, the footwork around the bag, we’re also learning, so it’s a combination. It’s helping us while we’re helping them.”

Groshans, acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays at the trade deadline last season for relievers Anthony Bass and Zach Pop as well as a lower-level prospect, made his MLB debut with the Marlins on Sept. 13. He started 17 games, all at third base, and hit .262 with a .619 on-base-plus-slugging mark, one home run and nine runs scored in 65 plate appearances.

The 23-year-old gained about 20 pounds this offseason with the specific goal of “hitting the ball harder.”

“Trying to hit as best I can, doing whatever I can to help the team is what I want to do,” Groshans said. “Having some more weight on, having some more authority behind the ball definitely helps.”

Learning a new position is helping his chances, too. Versatility is key, especially when that versatility helps fill a void on the roster.

As the roster stands, 10 of 13 position player spots appear to be locks at this point assuming everyone stays healthy: Catchers Jacob Stallings and Nick Fortes, first baseman Cooper, second baseman Arraez, shortstop Joey Wendle, third baseman Jean Segura, utility player Jon Berti, and outfielders Avisail Garcia, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jorge Soler.

That theoretically leaves three position player spots up for grabs.

At least one of Jesus Sanchez or Bryan De La Cruz should make the roster as the team’s primary left fielder, a move that allows Soler to play designated hitter although Schumaker doesn’t want Soler being in camp with the mind set that he’s going to exclusively be a designated hitter.

If the Marlins want a bench player who can serve as a backup first baseman, that leaves Groshans and Encarnacion as the likely candidates on the 40-man roster although first base is neither players’ primary position. Troy Johnston, the No. 21 overall prospect in Miami’s system, is their top first baseman prospect but he’s likely to start the season in Triple A.

Cueto calls his pitches

Johnny Cueto’s second and final start with the Marlins before reporting to the Dominican Republic team for the World Baseball Classic was rough. The veteran right-handed pitcher gave up six earned runs on six hits with a walk and a strikeout over 1 2/3 innings of work that spanned three separate innings (more on that last part in a second).

But Cueto, entering his 15th MLB season, doesn’t focus in particular on the stats in spring training. He uses the month and a half to fine-tune his craft ahead of the season, focusing on his location and getting on the right page with his catcher.

And this year, he has another wrinkle added in that is taking some adjustment. Cueto on Friday called some of his own pitches during his time on the mound against the Cardinals, with catcher Jacob Stallings estimating that about half of Cueto’s 48 pitches were called from the mound.

Cueto said the goal of calling his own pitches via the PitchCom is to be able to “pitch a little faster.”

“You know the pitch that you are going to throw in your mind,” Cueto said, “but it’s a matter of practicing.”

The PitchCom device resembles something like a video game controller, with various buttons that designate pitch type and location. Once the pitch is entered into the main console, it is relayed to a handful of players — the pitcher, catcher and generally middle infielders and center fielder — wearing speakers inside their cap.

Catchers used the main device exclusively last season, but some pitchers are opting to have it themselves so they can get a head start on their plan of attack, especially with the implementation of the pitch clock this season.

Now, the experiment is still a work in progress. Schumaker said postgame Friday that Cueto shook off his own pitch a couple times because he accidentally pressed the wrong button.

“That’s why you want them to try it” during spring training, Schumaker said. “You don’t want this to be whatever game he’s going to pitch and he’s shaking himself off. That’s why it’s important to figure out what button’s which because if you look at it, it doesn’t say what’s on there, so you have to know exactly what to do.”

As for his outing on Friday, Cueto was pulled after giving up four runs and recording just one out in the first inning. He had thrown 23 pitches at that point and because pitchers are allowed to re-enter games in spring training if they are removed mid-inning, Schumaker opted for Cueto to get a chance to have three ups (pitch across three innings) as he continues his ramp up for the season.

“I’m trying to locate my pitches,” Cueto said. “That’s the most important part for me. [The pitches are] not landing where I want. I’m opening a little bit, so I just need to continue working 100 percent so I can just be ready for the season.”

This and that

▪ Left-handed relief pitchers A.J. Puk and Tanner Scott, both of whom have been sidelined with minor injuries, threw bullpen sessions on the back fields Friday morning. Puk has been dealing with tightness in his left adductor, the muscle in the inner thigh. Scott had discomfort in his left biceps.

▪ Chisholm hit his first home run of spring training, sending a middle-down sinker from Daniel Hudson 411 feet to left-center field in the sixth inning.