JETHAWK REPORT : Marquez Enjoying Career Year

When the season began, Jesus Marquez was the fourth outfielder, a guy in his seventh season of professional baseball and still in Class A. In short, not much of a prospect.

But all that’s changed. Marquez earned a starting role early in the season and has been the everyday right fielder in the second half. Entering play Tuesday, he was hitting .302 and leading the team with 18 home runs and 98 runs batted in.

“This was kind of a make or break year for him,” Manager Dave Brundage said.

In 284 games before this season, Marquez batted .268 with 13 home runs and 119 RBIs.

Marquez signed with the Seattle Mariners out of Caracas, Venezuela, five days before his 17th birthday. He never played more than 84 games in a season, but this season he’s played 110.

“Playing every day is very important,” Marquez said. “It’s hard to come back after you’ve had two days off and have a good swing.”

Making this season particularly important for Marquez is the fact that he can become a free agent at the end of the year.

“I’m just going to play hard and see what happens,” he said.

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Marino Santana, whose turn in the starting rotation falls on Thursday’s day off, will miss a start so JetHawk ace Ken Cloude can start twice in six upcoming games against division-leader Lake Elsinore.

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Tonight’s Game: Rancho Cucamonga (Matt Clement, 3-3, 6.16) at JetHawks (Trey Moore, 4-4, 4.71), 7:15.