Who should Marlins call up first: Braxton Garrett or Robby Snelling?

The old baseball axiom still rings true: you can never have too much pitching. Offseason trades left the Miami Marlins particularly vulnerable in that area entering 2026. Fortunately, the early returns from their Triple-A depth arms have been highly encouraging. Five hours away from loanDepot park in Jacksonville, two lefties are performing well and each is screaming for a promotion to the big leagues (for very different reasons).

First, there’s Braxton Garrett. The Marlins’ first-round pick in 2016, the lefty received his first call-up in 2020 as a COVID necessity, having barely pitched at the Double-A level. He then spent most of 2021 in Triple-A before fully transitioning to the majors in 2022. Retooled with a slider supplanting his curveball as his primary putaway pitch and with improved fastball command, Garrett enjoyed solid campaigns in both '22 and '23, posting a combined 3.63 ERA and 246/53 K/BB. Braxton came into 2024 with a firm grip on a starting rotation spot, but just 37 innings into the year, he was shelved with a UCL injury that required Tommy John surgery, costing him the remainder of that season as well as all of 2025. Garrett is back healthy this year, but was relegated to Triple-A to start the season in favor of Janson Junk, who is out of minor league options, and fellow former first-rounder Max Meyer. The latest exports from Garrett with the Jumbo Shrimp are a 0.59 ERA and 17/5 K/BB through 15 ⅓ innings. In his last start, he held a no hitter through six.

Then there’s Robby Snelling, who was part of the return package that sent reliever Tanner Scott to the Padres in 2024. After posting inflated numbers in the upper minors with San Diego—an org known for pushing their prospects quickly—all this lefty has done since joining the Marlins’ organization is impress. Last season between Pensacola and Jacksonville, Snelling posted a 2.51 ERA via a 1.11 WHIP and 166/39 K/BB over 136 innings, earning him the Marlins’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors. On the young campaign this year, Snelling has already been special—in his first four starts with Jacksonville, he has a 1.89 ERA via a 31/9 K/BB.

Another gem for Robby Snelling 💎

The @Marlins' No. 2 prospect strikes out 9 over 6 scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 1.89 and WHIP to 0.95 across four starts for the Triple-A @JaxShrimp. pic.twitter.com/8lIqfKZmyk

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 18, 2026

Across parts of three seasons with the Jumbo Shrimp, Snelling boasts a 1.42 ERA, more than half a run better than any other starting pitcher with at least 50 innings logged at AAA during that span. 

For the stark improvements, Snelling has credited a delivery change that he perfected in the offseason between 2024 and 2025. The change has him standing more upright throughout his motion and throwing from a higher arm slot. This has led to his velocity ticking back up as well as better all-around repeatability. On top of that, the Marlins’ pitching development team had Snelling drop his sinker and taught him a gyro slider, which has quickly become a fantastic pitch for the 6’3”, 210-pounder who excels at changing eye levels and clipping corners. The current version the Marlins have brought out of Snelling is a perfect mix of confident and dominant. Against Triple-A hitters, he’s living all around the black of the plate, elevating at will with the best velocity he’s ever had, and limiting hard contact by way of two plus breakers and a usable changeup. Snelling looks every bit of a viable mid-rotation MLB starter.

There’s little doubt: both Garrett and Snelling will be with the Marlins in 2026. The question is, with arms aplenty and rotation spots few, who comes up first? In my opinion, the answer doesn’t lie within which pitcher has performed the best or the sexiest name—it hinges on the business side of the game and within long-term organizational planning.

The deadline has passed that ensures MLB teams can save an extra year of control on promoted prospects (barring a top-two finish in Rookie of the Year balloting). However, Snelling, who has arguably been one of the best pitchers in Minor League Baseball last year and so far this year, would be on track for Super Two eligibility if brought up right now, qualifying for arbitration in 2029. Holding off on his promotion until the middle of June would delay that until 2030.

Garrett needs MLB innings. At age 28 and in his second year of arbitration eligibility, with the likes of Snelling, Thomas White and other prospects nipping at his feels, Garrett appears to be a name primed to be moved this July. If that is going to be the case, interested parties will want to see at least a decent sample of how he looks at the big league level after nearly a two-year layoff.

An added factor is ease of access to the roster. Whereas Snelling would require a 40-man roster spot, getting Braxton back to the big leagues is as easy as a 26-man move. Getting him back into the rotation could be as easy as moving Janson Junk to the bullpen. While Junk has done yeoman’s work holding down the fifth spot, he is a better fit for the bullpen in a multi-inning/swing man capacity. One may argue that moving Meyer to the bullpen would also be beneficial, but the Marlins have not iterated any intentions of shortening the leash on him as a starter; in fact, the message from the organization has been exactly the opposite.

For fans who follow the team closely, not seeing Snelling get the call now in the midst of a dominant stretch may be painful, but these decisions are befitting of a team whose competitive window is about to fully open. Have no fear; Robby Snelling will be here soon enough and has the makings of an arm that could be very good for the Marlins for a long time. If Garrett is indeed dealt at the deadline, it would seamlessly open the door for Snelling to take up a rotation spot. He should also be considered one of the first names in line if an injury occurs.