Marlins minor league report: All affiliates begin 2025 on hot streaks

[Alex Carver]

Early analysis of who has stood out for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, Pensacola Blue Wahoos, Beloit Sky Carp and Jupiter Hammerheads.

Through the games of April 6, Miami Marlins MiLB teams have combined for a remarkable .778 winning percentage (14-4 record). 

As highlighted below, that production came from some of the organization's top-ranked prospects as well as under-the-radar players worth monitoring.

 

Triple-A Jacksonville

Edward Cabrera made his second rehab start and went four innings, allowing two runs (one earned) off of six hits, didn’t walk anyone and struck out six. Cabrera’s fastball velocity averaged 97.8 mph and topped out at 100.3 mph. As of Tuesday, he is traveling with the big league club, so it appears his rehab assignment has wrapped up.

Through two starts with the Shrimp, Janson Junk has posted a 3.00 ERA, 3.25 FIP, 10.00 K/9 and 1.00 BB/9. Junk was one of the spring training non-roster invitees that stuck around through almost all of big league camp.

In one start, FOF #11 prospect Adam Mazur went five innings of work, allowing two runs off of two hits (one home run), walked one and struck out four. 

Maximo Acosta, who was a standout this past spring, has gotten off to a red hot start, slashing .333/.429/.444/.873 with one home run and six RBI. He’s been primarily at shortstop and if he continues to perform, it’ll be interesting to see how soon he can be called up.

FOF’s #3 prospect, Agustín Ramírez, is slashing .250/.306/.375/.681 with five RBI through eight games thus far. Ramirez was one of three players acquired in the Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade from the New York Yankees.

Deyvison De Los Santos, acquired in the A.J. Puk trade, has struggled, striking out 16 through eight games. There will be an opportunity for him moving forward to fill the void that the Marlins have at first base, but he'll have to make contact more consistently.

Outfielder Jakob Marsee (Luis Arraez trade) currently leads Minor League Baseball with eight stolen bases this season.

 

Double-A Pensacola

Fish On First’s number six prospect Robby Snelling opened the Wahoos season with a gem. He tossed five shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out five. In seven starts last season with Pensacola, Snelling posted a 4.00 ERA, 2.76 FIP, 10.25 K/9 and 2.75 BB/9.

Limited him to only 18 appearances last season, Zach McCambley told Fish On First that he underwent major surgery to get back on the mound in 2025. On Friday, the 2020 third-round pick went two shutout innings, walking one and striking out four. He was credited with the win.

In his first regular season start since undergoing Tommy John surgery, FOF #14 prospect Dax Fulton went three innings of work, allowing four runs (three earned) off of five hits, walking three and striking out two.

The main standout on the position player side is Kemp Alderman. After struggling in a limited sample size in AA, Alderman went back and made some pitch recognition adjustments. In this first weekend, he went 5-for-12 with one double and a grand slam on Saturday.

 

High-A Beloit

Beloit also got their season started on a positive note, winning all three of their games against South Bend. A scrappy Sky Carp offense made the most of their opportunities, hitting .294 with runners in scoring position. Pitching allowed a total of just eight runs.

With expectations of Thomas White starting at Double-A, the decision came down in the last hours prior to the assignment deadline for him to start back with Beloit this season. In 2024, White made 13 starts with the Sky Carp. He had a 2.61 ERA via a 3.41 FIP and even 1.00 WHIP.

This spring, White showed back up to Marlins camp and got even more dominant in terms of raw stuff. Early in camp, White was showing easy fastball velocities of over 98 mph. During an early bullpen session, a pitching coach told White to simply let it go. He hit triple digits. This past week, he threw for the Sky Carp. He went 4 IP on 7 K's while allowing 3 walks.

With added velo on top of a 12-6 curveball that dips into the high-70s and an improving slider, White moves his pitches in every direction and lands all around the strike zone from a high release point. Even when he is out of the zone, he can garner easy whiffs and doesn’t have to pinpoint his pitches to be effective. He could’ve started in Double-A and will be there before long. Level-headed with dominant stuff that is consistently getting even better, he’s a top 50 prospect in all of baseball.

After participating in MLB camp as a non-roster invitee, Ryan Ignoffo is back in High-A where he ended 2024. On top of serving as the backstop for two of three games, Ignoffo flexed improved power at the plate. He recorded three hits for the series, including a home run and a double. Not known for his wheels, the second year backstop also stole two bases.

A six homer guy last year, it is very encouraging to see Ignoffo getting into his legs and lower half sooner this season, especially in a pitcher friendly environment. He will need to continue to improve in that regard on the opposite side of the ball, particularly with his pop times if he plans to stick at catcher. If he can, he has the potential to grow into a bat-first backstop, a huge asset. While we will need to see how he matriculates through levels and handles higher quality stuff on both sides of the ball, Ignoffo has done a lot of things right so far in his young career. An unheralded name worth keeping close tabs on.

After missing all of his draft season in 2023 due to injury, Colby Shade was extremely effective for Jupiter in 2024 before a late season call to Beloit. He’s back with Beloit to start 2025 and is off to a similar hot start. In this series, Shade recorded four hits in 9 ABs. He also stole three bases.

A 6’1”, 205 outfielder, Shade’s best offensive asset is his extremely quick bat and good vision which allot him the ability to foul off tough pitches and lengthen his at bats. He also has sneaky solid pop, having homered eight times last season. Defensively, he can play all three outfield spots but is likely better suited for a corner. The biggest question with Shade is can his success permeate against competition closer to his own age? If he continues performing how he did in this series, we may get our answer to that question later this season when he is called up to Double-A Pensacola.

 

Low-A Jupiter

The Jupiter Hammerheads won two of three games against St. Lucie behind solid pitching and a record showing on the base paths. They swiped 17 bags, leading to 15 total runs.

After being limited to just three games to start his Marlins tenure last season, Dillon Head showed up to spring training noticeably larger with something to prove to himself and his new organization. To start the season with the Hammerheads, things could not be going too much better.

Head, with at least 10 pounds of added muscle mass, appeared in each of the Hammerheads’ first three games spending time in left field and center field. He stood out at the plate with huge exit velocities topping at 106 mph. In the last game of the series, Head went off going 3-for-5 with two triples and two stolen bases (during the same trip around the bases). His sprint speed maxed out at right around 29 feet per second.

A main storyline around spring training camp, ahead has matriculated that showing into a great first series of the season. He’s a potential four-out-of-five tool player, especially if he is growing into more power and loft. He’s a main cog in this Marlins system to watch as he grows this season and beyond.

Andrés Valor, who recently turned 19 this offseason, enjoyed an amazing season for the playoff-contentious FCL Marlins in 2024. He showed up at spring training this season upwards of 10 pounds worth of more muscle. With improved exit velos during camp, the most impressive factor that he could add to his game was even more power. During his first series, however, Valor showed an equally impressive tool: improved patience. During the three-game series with the Mets, Valor walked six times in 14 plate appearances.

Despite the improved size, Valor’s base-stealing ability did not falter. While his ability to cover ground averaged out at 27 ft/sec, his ability to get out to plus leads continued to impress. A heady runner who is becoming the epitome “take what they give you”, Valor stole three bags. Last season, he was a key cog in the FCL Marlins stealing a rookie-level record 208 bases. He does have the ability to play center field, but spent two of his first three games in right field.

With added size and improving patience to go along with a quiet approach, Valor is a bat-first prospect who has some of the loudest bar-to-ball and raw power potential in the organization. If his early added patience permeates, he will continue to add to his skill set. At 6’3”, 180 pounds, he’s one of the most exciting prospects in the pipeline.

Liomar Martinez is a fourth-year player after being signed in the 2021-2022 signing period. He embarked on his third year pro with a bang. Entering the April 5 game as a bulk guy in relief of Walin Castillo and Juan Reynoso, Martinez dealt 3 ⅔ scoreless frames. Martinez topped at 95 mph and was down to 75 with three pitches. Later in the series, Liomar showed an absolutely untamable curveball. Throwing 31 of them, he recorded eight whiffs and a 55% CSW%.

Martinez is still just 19 and is breaking into stateside baseball. His original out has been spectacular. He’s hitting 95 down to low 80s with three pitches. Early results show command limitations from years previous being answered. If Liomar can continue to build off this hot start, he could be a back-end rotation piece. If not, his great breaking stuff should carry him to the floor of a middle reliever at the next level. 

 

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Next Up (April 8-13)

• Triple-A Jacksonville vs. Charlotte
• Double-A Pensacola vs. Montgomery
• High-A Beloit at Cedar Rapids
• Low-A Jupiter vs. Dunedin

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