Now a useful relief specialist, Marshall showed flashes of brilliance as a starter over five minor league seasons. In 1955 with Amarillo of the Class-B West Texas-New Mexico League, he posted a 14-1 record with 177 strikeouts in 139 innings pitched; in 1956 with Topeka of the Class-A Western League, Marshall went 18-11 with 213 batters fanned in 242 innings pitched; and in 1958 with Sacramento of the Pacific Coast League, he had a 16-11 mark with 205 strikeouts in 242 innings pitched.
When called up to the majors by the Cardinals in 1959, the big lefty went 6-3 while starting only four of the 27 games he pitched in. In 1960 he had a combined 6-2 record with a 2.38 ERA with St. Louis and Cincinnati, including 4-0, 1.07 in 14 games for the Reds under the guidance of former Yankee pitching coach Jim Turner.
In 1961 Marshall struggled and was farmed out to the same Jersey City club where the Yankees had discovered 1961 bullpen ace Luis Arroyo one year earlier. Marshall showed the Yankee brass enough to trade catching prospect Jesse Gonder to Cincinnati. He gives Manager Houk the convenience of a dependable second left-hander in the bullpen.
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