Final 2025 Marlins Opening Day roster projection

[Kevin Barral]

With only a week remaining in spring training, recent injuries have changed the team's plans.

Sudden changes are always in play for the Miami Marlins as president of baseball operations Peter Bendix showed us in 2024. Whenever a good deal presents itself, even if it's on the eve of Opening Day, Bendix is ready to shake things up.

For this piece, let's assume the final week of spring training is a boring one and the Marlins head into the regular season with the players who are currently in the organization. Here's what the 26-man active roster should look like.

Since Nate Karzmer's mid-spring projection, news came out that outfielder Jesús Sánchez suffered a left oblique strain. On the pitching front, right-hander Edward Cabrera (blister) exited his last outing early and will miss his next scheduled start, while reliever Seth Martinez was claimed off waivers.

 

Position Players

Default starting lineup: C Liam Hicks, 1B Matt Mervis, 2B Otto Lopez, 3B Connor Norby, SS Xavier Edwards, LF Griffin Conine, CF Derek Hill, RF Dane Myers, DH Jonah Bride

Bench: C Nick Fortes, OF Kyle Stowers, INF Eric Wagaman, UTIL Javier Sanoja

While he's on the injured list, Jesús Sánchez doesn't have to be replaced by another full-time outfielder. Griffin Conine, Derek Hill, Dane Myers and Kyle Stowers should divide the playing time among themselves. Instead, Eric Wagaman can step into the open roster spot as a pinch-hitter and backup corner infielder.

There have been good performances in camp from non-roster invitees Ronny Simon, Heriberto Hernández and Albert Almora Jr. They are all call-up candidates during the season, but will likely begin in Triple-A because the 40-man roster is crowded on the position player side for now.

Simon in particular deserves consideration because of his versatility. He has hit just as well as Javier Sanoja, slashing .235/.435/.294/.729 through 11 games with only two strikeouts. Sanoja should still have the inside track to make the team coming out of camp.

 

Pitchers

Starting rotation: RHP Sandy Alcantara, LHP Ryan Weathers, RHP Cal Quantrill, RHP Max Meyer and RHP Connor Gillispie

Bullpen: RHP Jesús Tinoco, RHP Calvin Faucher , RHP Anthony Bender, RHP Declan Cronin, LHP Anthony Veneziano, RHP Ronny Henriquez, RHP Lake Bachar and RHP Seth Martinez

Expect Edward Cabrera to be placed on the IL as the Marlins give him time to fully stretch out as a starter—he hasn't gone beyond two innings in any spring game.

Meanwhile, Connor Gillispie has impressed throughout the spring. This offseason, Gillispie added a sweeper and it's clearly been working. Through eight innings pitched, he hasn't allowed a hit or run thus far. Gillispie will start in Cabrera's place on Tuesday and he should be filling out the Marlins rotation to begin the season.

In his lone appearance this spring, Seth Martinez was unable to finish the inning and allowed four earned runs off of four hits and one home run. Without any minor league options remaining, the Marlins will have to carry him on the Opening Day roster.

View full article

[Hans Herrera]

A surprise to see Hicks seizing the starting job out of the gate, but hey, the bar is very low given Fortes' offensive output. And not to take any merits from Hicks, his glovework looks like any MLB regular.

Kyle Stowers: Didn't look good last year, hasn't looked good this year either, and also, he still has one option left. I think both he and Conine in the roster are kind of redundant.

Brantly, Almora Jr., and Simón are next in line in case of another position-player injury.

What about Soriano? He has pitched well this Spring, better than Henríquez, at least. But I guess he's heading to JAX because he still has one option left. Oh, well...
 

[One Regend]

Very highly disagree with Stowers being on the roster. He has shown time and time again that he looks overmatched at the MLB level. Would rather begin the clock on Heriberto instead to see what he can do. Either way, we're looking at, bare minimum, a 105 loss season.

Stowers has an option remaining, but he might just be a DFA candidate. Stowers is 27 and has proven he still can't hit at the MLB level, even against washed up pitchers well past their primes, and green prospects who have no shot to make a major league roster. Time is running out for him.