Edwards, named the IL’s All-Star as a utility player, led the circuit and finished second in all of Minor League Baseball in batting average (.351). The 24-year-old also ranked third in the International League and 12th in MiLB in on-base percentage (.429), tied for seventh in the league in stolen bases (32), 13th in OPS (.886), 15th in hits (130) and 17th in runs (80).
In 93 games with Jacksonville, Edwards batted .351/.429/.457/.886 with 14 doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 47 RBIs. He was the circuit’s Player of the Week for both the weeks of July 3-9 and July 31-August 6.
A native of Coconut Creek, Fla., Edwards made his major league debut on May 2 for the Miami Marlins. Over 30 big league games this year, he hit .290/.325/.329/.654 with three doubles, three RBIs, five stolen bases and 12 runs scored.
Originally selected by the San Diego Padres with the 38th overall selection in the 2018 draft, Edwards was dealt to the Tampa Bay Rays on December 6, 2019 as part of the package for outfielder Tommy Pham and infielder Jake Cronenworth.
The Rays traded Edwards and right-handed pitcher J.T. Chargois to the Marlins on November 22, 2022 for right-handers Marcus Johnson and Santiago Suarez.
Maldonado earned IL All-Star honors as a reliever. Among the 247 pitchers who logged at least 40.0 innings in the International League in 2023, Maldonado posted the circuit’s best ERA (1.76), strikeout rate (39.4 percent), K-BB rate (27.8 percent) and swinging strike percentage (21.4 percent). He ranked fourth in xFIP (3.53) and ninth in FIP (3.40). Opponents posted the 22nd-lowest line drive rate (19.0 percent) against Maldonado.
A 25-year-old from Wellington, Fla., Maldonado appeared in 34 games with the Jumbo Shrimp in 2023, going 7-3 with a 1.76 ERA and nine saves. Over 46.0 innings, opponents batted just .148 against Maldonado, mustering only 23 hits. The right-hander struck out 71 against 21 walks.
The Marlins’ 11th-round pick in 2019 out of Bethune-Cookman University, Maldonado owns a career 2.71 ERA in 153.0 innings over 110 minor league games. He first reached Jacksonville in 2022, when he went 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA in 20.2 frames covering 15 contests.
Edwards and Maldonado are the first Jumbo Shrimp to earn league All-Star honors since current Miami center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. was named a Southern League Postseason All-Star in 2019.