Offishial News: Agustín Ramírez determined to stick at catcher; new season of 'State of the Fish'

[Ely Sussman]

Today's news roundup also includes another frustrating injury setback for a former Fish star.

Seven Miami Marlins players are tied for the team lead in spring training with one home run apiece. Jared Serna joined the club on Sunday with a solo shot off of Steven Matz. The 22-year-old infielder also made an excellent catch in the game and has yet to strike out through his first eight Grapefruit League plate appearances.

The initial round of cuts from big league camp will be coming any day now. Although Serna is destined to begin 2025 in the minor leagues regardless of performance, he clearly deserves a longer look before being officially optioned.

Marlins Opening Day is 24 days away.

More Marlins news and content below:

🔷 State of the Fish has returned to its regular weekly schedule! Every Sunday (typically in the late afternoon/early evening), listen live to Fish On First staffers give their takes on Marlins trending topics and call in to share your own takes. SuperSubs get their calls answered first. The original recording of the new SoTF can be found here, or check it out on our podcast channel.

🔷 Recently designated for assignment by the Marlins, reliever Seth Martinez was claimed by the Seattle Mariners. 

🔷 Christina De Nicola of MLB.com details Agustín Ramírez's development as a catcher and the votes of confidence he has received from president of baseball operations Peter Bendix and catching coach Joe Singley. "Ramírez knows what the doubters say about his ability to be a big league catcher," the piece mentions (I continue to count myself among those doubters). De Nicola also wrote about Marlins players and coaches who are connected in unconventional ways.

🔷 Sean Millerick laments how no players ever spend their entire career with the Marlins like Clayton Kershaw has with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

🔷 loanDepot park hosted back-to-back, sold-out Banana Ball games on Saturday and Sunday.

🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, the New York Yankees have determined that old friend Giancarlo Stanton will begin the season on the injured list due to soreness in both elbows. Stanton had significant health issues during his Marlins tenure, playing in 986 games across eight seasons, but staying on the field has been even more challenging since his trade to NY. The former NL MVP is at only 663 total games as he enters his eighth Yankees campaign, and that's despite making the vast majority of his appearances as a designated hitter. Colorado Rockies RHP Jeff Criswell will be undergoing Tommy John surgery and miss the entire 2025 season.

🔷 Today's Grapefruit League games: it's the first split-squad day for the Marlins this spring. With Max Meyer on the mound, they'll be hosting the Houston Astros (probable starter LHP Framber Valdez) at 1:10 p.m., while RHP Connor Gillispie and the B squad visit the New York Mets (RHP Kodai Senga) at 6:10 p.m. The latter game will be televised by the Mets' broadcast crew on SNY (available to watch via MLB.TV).

🔷 Please join us in wishing longtime SuperSub Chase Blake aka "Loud Miami Fan" a speedy and full recovery as he battles cystic fibrosis complications.

 

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[rurrusuno]

Sandy Alcantara definitely won't be the Clayton Kershaw of the Marlins, but I certainly have hope they will invest in one of their current prospects long-term. All it takes is just for them to start with one and then you'll see them give other players extended contracts. 

Loan Depot Park won't have a sold-out game until the NHL Winter Classic next January

Wishing you a speedy recovery, Chase 🙏