Nate Woods had a big day for the Miami Marlins in a simulated scrimmage at their minor league complex in Florida last Saturday.

"I went 2-for-3 with two doubles and a broken bat and I was like, 'That's a good day,'" he told the Metro Sports Report on Friday. "The last swing I took, I hit a line drive off the left field fence."

That double was against Arquimedes Caminero, a power pitcher from the Dominican Republic who is on the Marlins' 40-man Major League roster this spring.

Woods' parents and younger brother were in the stands that day, visiting from Cedar Rapids, and the family left the park feeling good. That feeling evaporated the next day when Woods reported to the ballpark.

"I was sitting in the locker room and I was getting ready to go out (on the field)," he said. "I got a tap on the shoulder from the outfield coordinator and he said, 'Hey, they want to see you in the office.'"

Woods had a sense of foreboding as he went to meet with three members of the organization. "It's a dreaded walk," he said. "It's not the walk you really want to make."

Woods said the farm system coordinator, camp coordinator and another Marlins official were in the office. They said he played well, did a good job and was a great guy to have in camp, but the organization was loaded with young players and they'd decided to let him go.

"One of the guys in the office was crying," Woods said. "He's an older guy and he knows what it means when kids are cut.

"It's sad. Baseball is sort of a romantic story. It's something your dad teaches you, or your grandpa, and you grow up playing it."

Suddenly, his dream of playing professional baseball was taken away, perhaps permanently. "I didn't really see it coming," he said. "I was having a decent spring training."

Woods, 23, hit .266 with four homers and 22 RBIs in 50 games for the Marlins at three different stops in the low minors last season. He played in the Gulf Coast League, the New York-Penn League and the Florida State League in 2011 and was looking forward to advancing in the system this season.

Instead, he's hoping to find a new team but also preparing for a job away from baseball. "I'm exploring options on both sides," he said. "I don't know yet."

Woods returned to Cedar Rapids with his family on Thursday. He said he'd consider playing in an independent league, but clearly would prefer signing with another major league organization.

Woods graduated from Xavier High School in 2007 and was drafted in the 28th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers that June. He did not sign and enrolled at Belmont University, where he enjoyed a record-setting career with the Bruins and helped them reach the NCAA Division I tournament.

He was not drafted at Belmont despite ranking as one of the top power hitters in the country with 20 homers and 78 RBIs one year. He signed with the Marlins as a free agent and appeared to have established himself last season as a versatile 6-foot-6 athlete who could play first base, third base or the outfield.

It got crowded in training camp this year, with Woods competing against players with higher profiles and larger investments. When a team invests hundreds of thousands of dollars in a player, they tend to get a longer look than low-budget free agents like Woods.

"It is a business. That's the sad part about it," he said. "I think their decisions are kind of made up before camp."

Woods cleaned out his locker, signed his release form, took an exit physical and said his good-byes to the Marlins. His brother, Corbin, a junior at Xavier and a member of the high school baseball team, got some unexpected presents that day.

"I gave him all my gear," Woods said.