INF Max Acosta, INF Echedry Vargas, and LHP Brayan Mendoza join the Marlins organization; Vargas was ranked the 17th-best prospect in the Rangers organization, per MLB Pipeline
MIAMI – The Miami Marlins today announced that the team has acquired INF Max Acosta, INF Echedry Vargas, and LHP Brayan Mendoza from the Texas Rangers in exchange for INF Jake Burger.
Acosta, 22, recorded a .288/.353/.425 (111×386) slash line with 23 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 58 RBI, and 26 stolen bases over 104 games with Double-A Frisco last season. The Caracas, Venezuela native batted .314 (79×252) with eight home runs and 38 RBI in 68 games since June 6, including a season-high nine-game hitting streak from August 24-September 4. Originally signed by Texas as a top ranked international free agent on July 2, 2019, Acosta started 65 games at shortstop and 36 games at second base during the past campaign. The right-handed hitter appeared in 20 games during the 2024 Arizona Fall League, batting .388 (24×71) with 10 extra-base hits, 17 RBI, and eight stolen bases with the Surprise Saguaros.
Vargas, 19, batted .276 (108×392) with 24 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs, and 48 RBI in 97 games with Low-A Down East during the 2024 campaign. Ranked the 17th-best Rangers prospect by MLB Pipeline, the Azua, Dominican Republic native finished among Carolina League leaders last season in total bases (first, 178), slugging percentage (second), hits (second), extra-base hits (second), and doubles (third). Signed as an international free agent on January 15, 2023, Vargas was named Carolina League Player of the Week (July 29-August 4) after recording a .407 AVG (11×27) with seven extra-base hits and seven RBI in six games.
Mendoza, 20, went 5-4 with a 2.32 ERA (26 ER/101.0 IP) in 24 games (19 starts) between High-A Hickory and Low-A Down East in 2024, setting career highs in both innings pitched and strikeouts (109) during his fourth professional season. In 67 career Minor League appearances (48 starts), the left-handed pitcher has posted a 3.28 ERA (86 ER/236.0 IP) since his affiliate ball debut in 2021. A native of Isla de Margarita, Venezuela, Mendoza was originally signed by Texas as an international free agent on January 18, 2021.
Burger, 28, hit .250 (134×535) in 137 games with Miami in 2024, with 28 doubles, 29 home runs, and 76 RBI. Originally drafted 11th overall in the 2017 First-Year Player Draft by Chicago (AL), he played in 154 games with the White Sox from 2021-23 before being acquired by the Marlins on August 1, 2023.
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