Ely Sussman

Miami Marlins prospect and Sydney Blue Sox superstar Eric Rataczak has been announced as the Australian Baseball League's Helms Award Winner, bestowed upon the league's most valuable player. In 38 regular season games, Rataczak slashed .336/.411/.571 with seven home runs and three stolen bases. He tied for the league lead with 19 extra-base hits. The Helms Award was voted on by ABL team representatives, officials and media members. The other award finalists were Nick Ward and Robbie Perkins, two ABL veterans in their early 30s. Rataczak's Blue Sox team posted the league's best regular season record, but fell in the ABL Championship Series. Drafted by the Marlins in 2024 out of Niagara University, Rataczak received a modest $75k signing bonus. He has appeared in 101 minor league games across three levels, slashing .238/.350/.345 with six homers, 17 steals and a 107 wRC+. The vast majority of his MiLB defensive reps have come at the corner outfield spots, but the Blue Sox used him exclusively at first base. Rataczak was one of 22 players in the Marlins organization who participated in fall/winter leagues during the 2025-26 offseason. Rataczak, who turned 25 earlier this month, will attend minor league camp this spring. He's likely to return to Double-A Pensacola, where he spent the final month of the 2025 MiLB campaign.

I get things wrong all the time, so humility is one of my key assets. When my Miami Marlins coverage is missing critical information or context, I'll put in the effort to rectify the initial mistake. Over the course of the 2025 season, I watched all 20 of Eury Pérez's starts. While Fish On First followers Vik Torres and Mike Morhardt noticed that Pérez generally lifted his hands above his head when pitching from the windup (with the bases empty), that didn't stick in my memory. Pulling up footage from the end of the year, the 22-year-old kept his hands close to his chest throughout his delivery, and I assumed that had always been the case. As I pored over more footage from previous starts, I discovered my error. On the bright side, that research has equipped me with interesting analysis to share with all of you. Pérez was dismantled by the New York Mets during a start at Citi Field on August 29, failing to get through the first inning. The road trip continued with a visit to the Washington Nationals, and that outing was just as discouraging when adjusting for the quality of competition (4.0 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 76 pitches/47 strikes). As the wheels fell off against the Nats, that's when the talented right-hander began experimenting with lowering his hands. He adopted it as his full-time windup routine on September 10. Here is a side-by-side of Pérez pitching from the windup in his games before and after the aforementioned road trip: There's a twist—Pérez's mini-slump in NY and DC notwithstanding, he generally thrived from the windup in 2025. In 251 plate appearances with the bases empty, opponents slashed .160/.247/.293. He struck out 29.5% of batters compared to 23.1% with runners on base. If he had maintained most of that effectiveness when working from the stretch, he would've easily been Miami's best starter. That being said, this late-season change was a boon to Pérez's overall production. During his final four starts, there were increases to his whiff rate, first-pitch strike rate and fastball velocity. He posted a 2.70 ERA in 20 innings pitched. A superhuman 42.3 K% contributed to his 1.09 FIP over that stretch, the seventh-best mark in MLB (min. 10 IP). As you can see from Pérez's most recent bullpen session, he is sticking with his September adjustment entering 2026. Our own Kevin Barral spoke with Pérez last week about how offseason weight gain and refinement of his secondary pitches will also help him realize his full potential.

In addition to all of the members of the 40-man roster, Miami Marlins major league spring training camp always includes non-roster invitees. This group is comprised of both conventional prospects and newcomers to the organization. More often than not, through a combination of spring performance and teammate injuries, at least one NRI winds up cracking the club's Opening Day roster. Who do you think is most likely to do so in 2026? The Marlins announced 31 NRIs on Thursday. Organizational players: OF Kemp Alderman*, RHP Nigel Belgrave, INF/OF Jacob Berry, RHP Zach Brzykcy, RHP Josh Ekness*, OF Matthew Etzel, C/INF Bennett Hostetler, C Ryan Ignoffo, INF Dylan Jasso, OF Brendan Jones*, LHP Justin King, OF Dillon Lewis*, 1B Nathan Martorella, RHP Karson Milbrandt*, LHP Patrick Monteverde, INF Johnny Olmstead, OF Andrew Pintar, C Sam Praytor, LHP Robby Snelling*, LHP Dale Stanavich, OF Fenwick Trimble* and LHP Thomas White* *FOF Top 30 prospect Minor league free agents: INF Jesús Bastidas, OF Daniel Johnson, RHP Stephen Jones, RHP Evan McKendry, C Brian Navarreto, RHP Jack Ralston, RHP Jesús Tinoco, RHP Samuel Vásquez and RHP Tyler Zuber Marlins pitchers and catchers report on February 11, followed by the first full-squad workout on February 16.

Liam Hicks drew some Dan Uggla comparisons in 2025. The rookie catcher accumulated 1.0 fWAR and stuck on the Miami Marlins active roster all season long despite joining the organization via the Rule 5 draft. In the nearly two decades since Uggla burst onto the scene in 2006, Hicks had the strongest debut of any Marlins Rule 5 pick. That's where the similarities between the two of them end. While Uggla distinguished himself with his physical strength and mountainous biceps, Hicks earned his keep at the major league level despite trailing most of his peers in power-based metrics. The team's coaches did not shy away from directing him to make changes, as he shared on the Marlins Hot Stove Show in an interview this week. Back in May, when discussing his role on the roster, the Marlins coaching staff told the 185-pound Hicks, "you need to get stronger if you're gonna stick around here." Although Hicks took the feedback in stride and wanted to work toward achieving that during the summer, his heavy usage—119 games played, including 62 behind the plate—left him with limited time to hit the gym. When their end-of-season meeting reiterated the need to "swing faster, throw harder," he switched up his training accordingly. I generally feel that Baseball Savant's signature graphics atop player profile pages are overrated in their usefulness, but Hicks' really does illustrate what makes his skill set so unconventional. The 26-year-old has a special talent for discerning the edges of the strike zone and making contact. On the other hand, he ranked in the fifth percentile among big leaguers in hard-hit rate. The only qualified players with a lower average exit velocity overall than his 84.6 mph mark were José Iglesias, Chandler Simpson and Mauricio Dubón. Hicks mashed just six home runs. The goal for Hicks this offseason was to boost his bat speed. New Marlins assistant hitting coach Corbin Day put together a weighted bat program with that in mind. They were in "constant communication" as Hicks added approximately 10 pounds through the end of the program in early January. Dietary adjustments played a role as well, with the lefty-swinging Canadian saying that ground beef and rice has become a go-to meal for him. For the past three weeks, Hicks has been hitting alongside new teammate Owen Caissie. "He could use some swing-decision stuff from me and I could use some tips on hitting homers from him, so it's honestly a really good match." During a recent session, Hicks says that Caissie was advising him on how to get underneath the ball more consistently to maximize his potential as a slugger. Hicks is practically a lock to open up 2026 in the majors. He will split the catching reps with Agustín Ramírez while also pinch-hitting against right-handers and playing first base occasionally. But consensus MLB Top 100 prospect Joe Mack is breathing down his neck and expected to debut early in the season. To co-exist with Mack on the Marlins roster, Hicks must show that he has become a more complete player.

The Miami Marlins on Tuesday announced a slew of uniform number updates entering the 2026 season. Returning 40-man roster players: Javier Sanoja will wear No. 8 (previously was No. 46) Heriberto Hernández will wear No. 13 (previously was No. 64) Braxton Garrett will wear No. 20 (previously was No. 29) Deyvison De Los Santos will wear No. 63 (previously was No. 65) Newly selected to 40-man roster: Josh White will wear No. 59 William Kempner will wear No. 71 (No word on Joe Mack, who wore No. 80 in big league camp last year) Offseason acquisitions: Esteury Ruiz will wear No. 3 (previously was No. 27 with Dodgers) Christopher Morel will wear No. 5 (previously was No. 24 with Rays) Owen Caissie will wear No. 17 (previously was No. 19 with Cubs) Pete Fairbanks will wear No. 29 (previously was No. 29 with Rays) Bradley Blalock will wear No. 31 (previously was No. 64 with Rockies)

Over the course of the 2025-26 offseason, 22 players from the Miami Marlins organization traveled the world and continued to get game reps, furthering their development and/or compensating for time they missed over the summer. In addition to the Arizona Fall League, they found work in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Australia. This page includes any Marlins offseason acquisitions who were fall/winter ball participants. Likewise, players who departed the organization in recent months via free agency, trade or waivers were removed. Player names are linked to their Baseball-Reference pages. Hitters are listed at the positions they played in fall/winter ball, even if they've been used differently by the Marlins organization. Click to see their full fall/winter ball history. Final hitter stats (regular season and postseason combined) Final pitcher stats (regular season and postseason combined) INF Maximo Acosta (Venezuelan Winter League, Tiburones de La Guaira) Finished 2025 minor league season at Triple-A Played in LVBP from October 16 to November 16 Reached base safely in 23 of 26 games Split defensive reps between second base, third base and shortstop OF/1B Chris Arroyo (Puerto Rican Winter League, Leones de Ponce) Finished 2025 minor league season at Low-A Played in LBPRC from November 7 to January 4 3B/SS Jesús Bastidas (Venezuelan Winter League, Cardenales de Lara) Finished 2025 minor league season at Triple-A Played in LVBP from November 27 to January 25 OF Jacob Berry (Puerto Rican Winter League, Leones de Ponce) Finished 2025 minor league season at Triple-A Played in LBPRC from November 29 to December 23 Reached base safely in 19 of 20 games started INF Starlyn Caba (Arizona Fall League, Mesa Solar Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at Low-A Played in AFL from October 7 to November 10 Reached base safely in all 18 games played Fall Stars Game selection OF Griffin Conine (Dominican Winter League, Tigres del Licey) Played in LIDOM from October 15 to November 13 1B Deyvison De Los Santos (Dominican Winter League, Gigantes del Cibao) Finished 2025 minor league season at Triple-A Played in LIDOM from October 31 to January 17 Ranked third in the league in slugging percentage (.475) and RBI (28) INF Cristian Hernández (Dominican Winter League, Tigres del Licey) Finished 2025 minor league season at High-A Played in LIDOM from October 15-18 OF Daniel Johnson (Mexican Winter League, Naranjeros de Hermosillo) Finished 2025 minor league season at Triple-A Played in LMP from December 26 to January 8 RHP Holt Jones (Arizona Fall League, Mesa Solar Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at High-A Played in AFL from October 7 to November 13 Pitched exclusively in relief akeadp_1.mp4 RHP Aiden May (Arizona Fall League, Mesa Solar Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at High-A Played in AFL from October 10 to November 10 n1wk1j_1.mp4 RHP Karson Milbrandt (Arizona Fall League, Mesa Solar Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at Double-A Played in AFL from October 8 to November 9 Ranked second among all AFL pitchers with 23 strikeouts Fall Stars Game selection OF PJ Morlando (Arizona Fall League, Mesa Solar Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at Low-A Played in AFL from October 7 to November 11 C Brian Navarreto (Puerto Rican Winter League, Cangrejeros de Santurce) Played in LBPRC from November 7 to December 11 RHP Orlando Ortiz-Mayr (Puerto Rican Winter League, Leones de Ponce) Finished 2025 minor league season at Double-A Played in LBPRC from November 11 to January 13 1B Eric Rataczak (Australian Baseball League, Sydney Blue Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at Double-A Played in ABL from November 13 to January 25 Tied for league lead with 19 extra-base hits during regular season; ranked third in OPS (.982) and hits (47) Used exclusively at first base after only being used at corner outfield spots during minor league season RHP Darwin Rodríguez (Arizona Fall League, Mesa Solar Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at Low-A Played in AFL from October 9 to November 11 Pitched exclusively in relief OF Esteury Ruiz (Dominican Winter League, Tigres del Licey) Played in LIDOM from November 18 to December 22 Used exclusively in center field LHP Jack Sellinger (Arizona Fall League, Mesa Solar Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at Double-A Played in Arizona Fall League from October 7 to November 13 Pitched exclusively in relief UTIL Jared Serna (Mexican Pacific Winter League, Charros de Jalisco) Finished 2025 minor league season at Triple-A Played in LMP from October 16 to December 7 Started games at five different positions (2B, SS, LF, CF and RF) Led all winter league players in extra-base hits prior to ending season Charros went on to win league championship RHP Riskiel Tineo (Venezuelan Winter League, Caribes de Anzoátegui) Finished 2025 minor league season at Triple-A Played in LVBP from October 25 to December 29 Pitched exclusively in relief OF Fenwick Trimble (Arizona Fall League, Mesa Solar Sox) Finished 2025 minor league season at Double-A Played in AFL from October 7 to November 13

It has turned out to be an active offseason for the Miami Marlins, which was difficult to imagine two months ago. Back on November 24, with rumors swirling that the Marlins were eager to spend money but no transactions done to validate that, The Athletic's Brittany Ghiroli reported on their ceased contract extension negotiations with Kyle Stowers. It was a fishy news item to begin with considering Stowers' late-blooming profile—most of his projected prime years were already under the club's control. Unable to entice him with the framework of a below-market deal, there haven't been any substantial updates to that story...and I don't think there ever will be. As a result of subsequent moves, the Marlins are now absolutely loaded with power-hitting outfielders. Although Stowers is the only one in the organization who has translated that to All-Star production at the major league level so far, they seem willing to gamble on younger guys filling his shoes over the next several years. "The similarities" between Stowers and fellow left-handed masher Owen Caissie "are pretty easy to see," Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix acknowledged earlier this month. Caissie is four and a half years younger and two years farther away from free agency. Dillon Lewis doesn't even occupy a 40-man roster spot yet and likewise possesses plus offensive tools. Both cracked the top five of Fish On First's updated Marlins prospects list. The Marlins acquired Caissie and Lewis by trading away Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers, respectively. The combination of those moves unquestionably hindered their chances of postseason contention in 2026, but as Bendix repeats ad nauseam, he's always receptive to offers that bring back good value overall. Cabrera and Weathers were both very inexpensive relative to their on-field value and still had three team-controlled years remaining. Stowers could potentially find himself in an identical situation next winter. If Caissie is coming off an encouraging rookie campaign by then, or if Lewis rakes against upper-minors pitching, or if any of the organization's other outfielders emerge as viable everyday options, do you think Bendix will give Stowers preferential treatment just because he helped sell Opening Day tickets? No way. The overall state of the Marlins will impact the length of Stowers' tenure. It's easy for a front office to justify bold moves that sacrifice experience for upside when they are projected for 70-something wins; when they're projected for 90-something, not so much. This season, if Stowers comes close to replicating his 2025 breakout and his supporting cast takes a meaningful step forward, chasing a championship will take priority over the soulless asset accumulation process. Even allowing for that fantasy scenario, we all know where this relationship is headed. Practically every significant historical figure in Marlins history eventually departed via trade or free agency and that will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future. For all of his obvious talent, Stowers is doubtful to be an exception to that rule. At some point in the 2020s, he will be wearing a different uniform.

Drafted by the Marlins in 2025 (second round, $2M signing bonus) January 2026 update: Compton had an impressive amateur track record in wood bat leagues, but he entered pro ball on the heels of a disappointing 2025 season at Arizona State. His stock rose during the MLB Draft Combine when he demonstrated the ability to generate elite exit velocities. He's defensively limited to left field and could be a candidate to convert to first base as his career progresses. FOF Top 30 history January 2026: #29

Acquired via trade from the Yankees in January 2026 January 2026 update: There were minimal expectations placed upon Matheus when he entered pro ball—his signing bonus out of Venezuela was only $10,000. The switch-hitting infielder has posted a .396 on-base percentage through his first four minor league seasons. FOF Top 30 history January 2026: #30 April 2026: #29

Acquired via trade from the Cubs in January 2026 January 2026 update: The wiry Hernández joins the Fish with a lifetime 106 wRC+ through five minor league seasons. Although his strikeout rate has gradually improved since coming stateside, he hasn't topped seven home runs in any individual campaign. He provides 55-grade speed on the bases. Hernández can be sloppy defensively, but he possesses the skill set to be a bonafide MLB shortstop. He throws with zip and accuracy even when off balance. mmd9lu.mp4 FOF Top 30 history January 2026: #23 April 2026: #24

Acquired via trade from the Yankees in January 2026 January 2026 update: The toolsy Lewis posted a 20/20 season as a junior at Queens University, then reached both of those marks again in his first full year as a pro. He feasts on pitches up in the strike zone and has no trouble catching up to high velocity. Following the 2025 All-Star break, Lewis spent all of his defensive innings in center field. With long strides, he has the range to stick there. Professional awards/accolades 2026 Spring Breakout participant FOF Top 30 history January 2026: #5 April 2026: #5

Acquired via trade from the Yankees in January 2026 January 2026 update: Jones received a modest $150k signing bonus out of Kansas State in 2024. He has quickly outplayed his pre-draft scouting report, showing the upside to develop into an everyday MLB left fielder. He draws nearly as many walks as strikeouts and puts together his best plate appearances in the highest-leverage situations. A 70-grade runner, Jones has been stealing bases at an extremely high volume in the minors (69 SB in 148 G) and with elite efficiency (88.5 SB%). Professional awards/accolades 2026 Spring Breakout participant FOF Top 30 history January 2026: #17

There is plenty of historical information available online about what the Miami Marlins have done in the MLB Draft through the years. However, details are much more sparse about their acquisition of talent from foreign countries even though those free agents also have a massive impact on the franchise. Fish On First is taking steps to remedy that with this guide. All of the players covered in here resided outside of the United States and Canada and were considered "amateurs" by Major League Baseball at the time of their signing—the Marlins were the first major league organization to ink them to a minor league contract. The likelihood of an international signee making it to the majors is extremely low. Most of them never even play for a full-season MiLB affiliate. On the other hand, a few of the greatest players in Marlins history took this route. That's the kind of volatility you get when rolling the dice on teenagers (some as young as 16). International free agency has been around throughout the Marlins' existence, but the bonus pool system was only introduced in 2012. Under the terms of the 2012-16 MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement, teams were able to exceed their bonus pool as long as they were willing to pay a luxury tax for doing so. Since 2017, spending has been hard-capped with all bonuses greater than $10,000 counting against a team's pool, though teams are allowed to trade for additional bonus pool space (as the Marlins did several times in 2018, for example). Traditionally, new international signing periods opened on July 2 and ran through June 15 of the following year. The calendar shifted following the COVID pandemic in 2020. Signing periods now open on January 15 and run through December 15. I have created tables for each Marlins signing class of the "bonus pool era" with players listed in alphabetical order. The highlighted names went on to have MLB careers. I also included the name and title of the Marlins executive who was leading the club's international operations department on signing day. That doesn't mean they deserve all of the credit/blame for the class. Agreements with players are routinely reached far in advance of when they're eligible to sign, so execs find themselves honoring commitments made by their predecessors regardless of whether they would have pursued those players on their own. 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2020-21 2019-20 2018-19 2017-18 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 2013-14 2012-13 Pre-bonus pool era 2026 Director of international scouting: David Hernandez-Beayne Total bonus pool: $7,357,100 Name Hitter/Pitcher Country Signing Bonus Maikel Acosta Hitter Dominican Republic $225,000 Enyer Antonio Hitter Dominican Republic $450,000 Justin Batista Pitcher Dominican Republic $100,000 José Camacho Hitter Venezuela $80,000 Evan Da Souza Pitcher Nicaragua $240,000 Michael De La Cruz Hitter Dominican Republic Carlos De Los Santos Hitter Dominican Republic $475,000 Francisco Del Campo Hitter Mexico $400,000 Bernardo Doc Hitter Dominican Republic Raunny Figueredo Hitter Venezuela $350,000 Ezequiel Jaime Hitter Dominican Republic Yerison Mendez Pitcher Dominican Republic Eliecer Mendoza Hitter Panama Ronny Muñoz Hitter Dominican Republic $1,000,000 Jordani Peguero Hitter Dominican Republic Eliezer Peralta Pitcher Dominican Republic $275,000 Daniel Pire Hitter Venezuela $215,000 Yendi Pirela Hitter Venezuela $135,000 Ronald Rodríguez Hitter Venezuela $180,000 José Rosal Pitcher Venezuela $60,000 Onardi Santos Pitcher Dominican Republic $225,000 Santiago Solarte Hitter Venezuela $1,000,000 2025 Director of international scouting: David Hernandez-Beayne Total bonus pool: $7,555,500 (traded away $250,000) Name Hitter/Pitcher Country Signing Bonus Anthony Abreu Hitter Dominican Republic $550,000 Juan Alva Hitter Mexico $10,000 Luis Arana Hitter Venezuela $30,000 Edelson Canelón Pitcher Venezuela $200,000 Keyner Cedeño Pitcher Venezuela $50,000 Kevin Defrank Pitcher Dominican Republic $560,000 Samuel Estevez Hitter Dominican Republic César García Hitter Panama $10,000 Diego Godoy Pitcher Venezuela $10,000 Luis Gómez Pitcher Dominican Republic Steven Herrera Hitter Dominican Republic $125,000 Santiago Linares Pitcher Venezuela $170,000 Johan Machado Hitter Venezuela $330,000 Adriano Marrero Pitcher Cuba $350,000 Diego Martínez Hitter Venezuela $200,000 Pedro Montero Pitcher Dominican Republic $35,000 Moisés Morales Hitter Mexico $35,000 Rendy Naveo Hitter Dominican Republic* $10,000 Wanderlin Padilla Hitter Dominican Republic $10,000 Adrián Peña Pitcher Dominican Republic $400,000 Jesús Pérez Hitter Venezuela $50,000 Sandy Presbot Hitter Dominican Republic $70,000 Isaac Prince Pitcher Dominican Republic $230,000 Edwin Ramírez Hitter Venezuela $10,000 Andrew Salas Hitter Venezuela $3,700,000 David Shirley Hitter Panama $10,000 *Born in Italy 2024 Assistant general manager overseeing international operations: Oz Ocampo Total bonus pool: $6,520,000 Name Hitter/Pitcher Country Signing Bonus Gregori Arias Hitter Dominican Republic $180,000 José Castro Hitter Dominican Republic $450,000 Luis Cova Hitter Venezuela $1,400,000 Alex Cruz Hitter Dominican Republic $170,000 Melvin Cuevas Pitcher Dominican Republic Alejandro De La Cruz Pitcher Dominican Republic $105,000 Diwarys Encarnación Hitter Dominican Republic Kifraidy Encarnación Pitcher Dominican Republic $165,000 Estarlin Francisco Pitcher Dominican Republic $170,000 Angel García Pitcher Dominican Republic $225,000 Eric Gutierrez Pitcher Dominican Republic $160,000 Wilfredo Henriquez Pitcher Dominican Republic Abraham Hernández Pitcher Dominican Republic $250,000 Luis Manuel León Hitter Cuba $1,500,000 Yordani Martínez Hitter Dominican Republic $150,000 Ian Medina Pitcher Mexico Gerinton Méndez Pitcher Dominican Republic $200,000 Eiver Mosquera Pitcher Venezuela $150,000 Raisei Nakamura Pitcher Japan Carlos Ochoa Pitcher Venezuela $150,000 Albert Ortiz Pitcher Dominican Republic José Paulino Pitcher Dominican Republic $350,000 Robert Puente Pitcher Dominican Republic $115,000 Kevin Robledo Hitter Mexico $75,000 Maikel Rodríguez Pitcher Venezuela $20,000 Angel Rosario Pitcher Dominican Republic Jonathan Rosario Pitcher Dominican Republic $85,000 Almen Tolentino Hitter Dominican Republic $145,000 Jonfreider Torrealba Pitcher Venezuela $50,000 2023 Senior director of international operations: Adrian Lorenzo Total bonus pool: $6,366,900 Name Hitter/Pitcher Country Signing Bonus Jesús Abreu Hitter Venezuela Jeremy Almonte Hitter Dominican Republic $110,000 Khris Almonte Hitter Dominican Republic $140,000 Oswaldo Aponte Pitcher Venezuela Derek Arellan Pitcher Venezuela $130,000 Adrian Bello Hitter Venezuela $50,000 Keyner Benitez Pitcher Dominican Republic $225,000 Samuel Carpio Pitcher Dominican Republic Rafael Castillo Hitter Dominican Republic Nixon Chirinos Hitter Venezuela Derek Cueto Hitter Venezuela Jancory De La Cruz Hitter Dominican Republic $405,000 Fernando De La Rosa Pitcher Dominican Republic $80,000 Breyias Dean Hitter Bahamas $325,000 Jayden Felicia Hitter Curacao $35,000 Daniel Gaitor Hitter Bahamas $300,000 Hamlet García Pitcher Dominican Republic Manuel Genao Pitcher Dominican Republic $300,000 Osvaldo Heredia Hitter Dominican Republic $450,000 Jeckferxon Hernández Pitcher Venezuela Adrian Ibarra Hitter Venezuela $190,000 Erick Lara Hitter Dominican Republic $85,000 Fabian López Hitter Dominican Republic $650,000 José Made Hitter Dominican Republic $180,000 Jeyson Mejía Pitcher Dominican Republic $65,000 Bayant Melo Pitcher Dominican Republic $85,000 Janero Miller Two-Way* Bahamas $950,000 Elier Morillo Pitcher Dominican Republic Luis Porfirio Pitcher Dominican Republic $85,000 Alexander Requena Hitter Venezuela Bryan Reyes Pitcher Dominican Republic Darling Reyes Pitcher Dominican Republic Anthony Rodríguez Hitter Dominican Republic $100,000 Yohanfer Santana Pitcher Dominican Republic Brandon Smith Pitcher Venezuela Joseph Tailor Hitter Dominican Republic $400,000 Hiroshi Takahashi Pitcher Japan $42,000 Andrés Valor Hitter Venezuela $520,000 *Switched to full-time pitcher in 2025 2022 Senior director of international operations: Adrian Lorenzo Total bonus pool: $5,721,200 Name Hitter/Pitcher Country Signing Bonus Andelzon Abad Pitcher Dominican Republic Greyber Altamirano Hitter Venezuela Josue Arias Pitcher Dominican Republic Lisandro Bonifacio Hitter Dominican Republic Rafael Brito Pitcher Venezuela Jhon Cabral Pitcher Dominican Republic Willian Campos Pitcher Venezuela Rafael Castaneda Pitcher Mexico Walin Castillo Pitcher Dominican Republic Luis Cesar Pitcher Dominican Republic Byron Chourio Hitter Venezuela Juan De La Cruz Pitcher Dominican Republic $150,000 Rodolfo De La Cruz Pitcher Dominican Republic Kengri De Los Santos Hitter Dominican Republic Eliazar Dishmey Pitcher Dominican Republic Eiver Espinoza Pitcher Venezuela Kendry Feliz Hitter Dominican Republic Jarol Fernández Pitcher Cuba $10,000 José Fernández Pitcher Dominican Republic Johandry Fuente Pitcher Dominican Republic Julio García Pitcher Dominican Republic José Gerardo Hitter* Dominican Republic $180,000 Danny González Hitter Dominican Republic $150,000 Julio Henriquez Hitter Dominican Republic Angel Hernández Pitcher Mexico Leandro Hernández Pitcher Cuba Elvin Jiménez Pitcher Dominican Republic Liomar Martínez Pitcher Dominican Republic $80,000 Julio Méndez Pitcher Venezuela José Monserrate Hitter Dominican Republic Franklyn Moreta Pitcher Dominican Republic Deivis Mosquera Hitter Venezuela Gregory Mota Hitter Dominican Republic Cherif Neymour Hitter Bahamas Lester Nin Pitcher Dominican Republic Kevin Novoa Hitter Nicaragua Juan Ortega Pitcher Colombia Victor Ortega Hitter Mexico Johan Palacios Pitcher Venezuela Antony Peguero Hitter Dominican Republic $575,000 Michael Pérez Pitcher Dominican Republic Robert Pérez Hitter Dominican Republic Albert Polanco Pitcher Dominican Republic Luis Ramírez Pitcher Dominican Republic Erinson Reyes Pitcher Dominican Republic Nestor Rios Hitter Mexico José Rivera Hitter Dominican Republic Darwin Rodríguez Two-Way** Venezuela Juan Rodríguez Hitter Venezuela Luifer Romero Pitcher Venezuela Cristian Rueda Pitcher Venezuela Carlos Sánchez Hitter Venezuela Braulio Salas Pitcher Dominican Republic Elian Serrata Pitcher Dominican Republic Toby Simmons Hitter Bahamas Yoffry Solano Hitter Dominican Republic $750,000 Santiago Suárez Pitcher Venezuela $385,000 Alfonso Suriel Pitcher Dominican Republic Fraylin Suriel Pitcher Dominican Republic Roosevelt Trinidad Pitcher Dominican Republic Nicolas Uriepero Pitcher Venezuela Jonas Uzcategui Pitcher Venezuela Marco Vargas Hitter Mexico $17,500 Mado Villegas Pitcher Dominican Republic *Converted to pitcher in 2025 **As of January 2026, has only been used as a pitcher 2020-21 International scouting director: Fernando Seguignol Total bonus pool: $6,431,000 Name Hitter/Pitcher Country Signing Bonus Steven Adderley Hitter Bahamas Oscar Araba Pitcher Panama Andre Arthur Hitter Bahamas Luis Baldiris Pitcher Venezuela Yoelvis Burguillos Pitcher Venezuela Yiddi Cappe Hitter Cuba $3,500,000 Reiner Chourio Hitter Venezuela Oscar Colina Hitter Venezuela Franyer Duarte Pitcher Dominican Republic Edward Duran Hitter Dominican Republic Kevin Guerrero Hitter Dominican Republic $600,000 Gerardo Hernández Pitcher Dominican Republic Jesús Hernández Hitter Venezuela Ronald Hernández Hitter Venezuela $850,000 Jesús León Pitcher Mexico Natanael Polanco Pitcher Dominican Republic Juan Reynoso Pitcher Dominican Republic Yaqui Rivera Pitcher Dominican Republic Jhoniel Serrano Pitcher Venezuela Dameivi Tineo Pitcher Dominican Republic Jesús Zabaleta Pitcher Colombia 2019-20 International scouting director: Fernando Seguignol Original bonus pool: $5,939,800 (traded for an additional $250,000) Name Hitter/Pitcher Country Signing Bonus Stiven Almanzar Pitcher Dominican Republic José Bazan Pitcher Panama Juan Caba Pitcher Dominican Republic Wander De La Rosa Pitcher Dominican Republic Wilmer Dilonex Pitcher Dominican Republic Gabriel Flores Hitter Venezuela Renny Hidalgo Hitter Venezuela Ian Lewis Hitter Bahamas $950,000 Cristian Millan Pitcher Venezuela Euri Montero Pitcher Dominican Republic Kendry Montesino Pitcher Dominican Republic Ronard Paulino Pitcher Dominican Republic Eury Pérez Pitcher Dominican Republic $200,000 Jean Reyes Pitcher Venezuela Miguel Rodríguez Hitter Dominican Republic José Rojas Pitcher Venezuela Germain Ruiz Hitter Panama José Salas Hitter Venezuela $2,800,000 Junior Sánchez Hitter Dominican Republic $1,150,000 Javier Sanoja Hitter Venezuela $90,000 Luis Vizcaíno Pitcher Dominican Republic 2018-19 International scouting director: Fernando Seguignol Original bonus pool: $6,025,400 (traded for an additional $2,500,000) Name Hitter/Pitcher Country Signing Bonus Sandro Bargallo Pitcher Cuba $200,000 Raul Campos Hitter Cuba Erick Carrasco Pitcher Dominican Republic Isaac De Leon Hitter Dominican Republic $275,000 Mario Doble Pitcher Dominican Republic Breidy Encarnación Pitcher Dominican Republic Luis González Pitcher Cuba Ene León Hitter Venezuela Maycold León Pitcher Venezuela Luis López Pitcher Panama $150,000 Manuel Medina Pitcher Venezuela Jhonny Melenciano Hitter Dominican Republic $200,000 Jorge Mercedes Pitcher Dominican Republic $90,000 Victor Mesa Jr. Hitter Cuba $1,000,000 Victor Victor Mesa Hitter Cuba $5,250,000 Iván Pérez Pitcher Dominican Republic Guillermo Ramírez Pitcher Dominican Republic Cristhian Rodríguez Hitter Venezuela $300,000 Richard Roman Hitter Dominican Republic Yoelvis Sánchez Hitter Dominican Republic $400,000 Luis Tejeda Pitcher Dominican Republic Jeremias Vásquez Pitcher Dominican Republic Derek Vegas Hitter Venezuela 2017-18 Director of international operations: Albert Gonzalez Total bonus pool: $5,250,000 Name Hitter/Pitcher Country Signing Bonus Delvis Alegre Pitcher Dominican Republic Jonathan Chinchilla Hitter Venezuela Anthony Felipe Hitter Dominican Republic Jhean Flores Pitcher Venezuela Adonis Giron Hitter Dominican Republic $350,000 Yeuris Jiménez Pitcher Dominican Republic Julio Machado Hitter Venezuela $325,000 Ynmanol Mariñez Hitter Dominican Republic $1,500,000 Josan Méndez Pitcher Dominican Republic Jhonaiker Osorio Hitter Venezuela Elvin Ozoria Hitter Dominican Republic Sergio Palacio Pitcher Colombia Jandel Paulino Hitter Dominican Republic Zaquiel Puentes Pitcher Venezuela Carlos Romero Hitter Venezuela Frank Valera Pitcher Dominican Republic 2016-17 Director of international operations: Albert Gonzalez Total bonus pool: $3,569,600 Name Hitter/Pitcher Country Signing Bonus Lázaro Alonso Hitter Cuba $100,000 Franklin Brioso Pitcher Dominican Republic $135,000 Raul Brito Pitcher Dominican Republic Jorge Caballero Hitter Venezuela Brhayan Campos Hitter Venezuela Arquimedes Cumana Hitter Venezuela $120,000 Brayan De Paula Pitcher Dominican Republic Danyeli Espinal Hitter Dominican Republic Walner Espinal Hitter Dominican Republic Rafael Eysseric Pitcher Panama Jeremy Galindez Pitcher Venezuela Joseph Gilma Hitter Dominican Republic Albert Guaimaro Hitter Venezuela $800,000 Danielsan Heureaux Hitter Dominican Republic Shao-Pin Ho Hitter Taiwan Omar Lebron Hitter Dominican Republic Edgar Martínez Pitcher Dominican Republic Leudy Martínez Pitcher Dominican Republic $175,000 Enmanuel Mercedes Pitcher Dominican Republic Alvaro Montero Hitter Dominican Republic Winston Mora Pitcher Venezuela Luis Palacios Pitcher Venezuela Daniel Paulino Hitter Dominican Republic Miguel Peña Hitter Colombia Bryan Pineda Hitter Dominican Republic $300,000 Yoilan Quiñonez Pitcher Venezuela Juan Reyes Pitcher Dominican Republic Christopher Rodríguez Hitter Dominican Republic $150,000 Eliezer Rodríguez Pitcher Dominican Republic Dalvy Rosario Hitter Dominican Republic $125,000 Jesús Rosario Pitcher Dominican Republic Edgar Sánchez Pitcher Dominican Republic Maicol Sosa Hitter Dominican Republic Henry Valencio Pitcher Dominican Republic 2015-16 Director of international operations: Albert Gonzalez Total bonus pool: $2,779,300 Name Hitter/Pitcher Country Signing Bonus Elkin Alcala Pitcher Colombia Ezequiel Alfonzo Hitter Venezuela Luis Arcaya Hitter Venezuela $220,000 Bryan Biegel Hitter Curacao Diego Brito Hitter Dominican Republic Edward Cabrera Pitcher Dominican Republic $100,000 Miguel De Los Santos Pitcher Dominican Republic Jerar Encarnación Hitter Dominican Republic $78,000 Javier García Pitcher Panama $65,000 Jhon García Hitter Venezuela Yeremin Lara Pitcher Dominican Republic $100,000 Wandy Moya Pitcher Dominican Republic Gerardo Nuñez Hitter Dominican Republic Mario Prenza Hitter Dominican Republic $550,000 Wilkerman Rasquin Hitter Venezuela $150,000 Rosandel Reyna Hitter Dominican Republic Enmanuel Rodríguez Hitter Dominican Republic $100,000 Rayner Rodríguez Pitcher Dominican Republic $100,000 David Sacaria Hitter U.S. Virgin Islands Jesús Sánchez Pitcher Panama George Soriano Pitcher Dominican Republic $55,000 Edison Suriel Pitcher Dominican Republic $140,000 Juan Ureña Hitter Dominican Republic $100,000 José Vilera Hitter Venezuela $150,000 Jonaiker Villalobos Pitcher Venezuela Luis Wilmore Pitcher Dominican Republic 2014-15 Director of international operations: Albert Gonzalez Total bonus pool: $4,622,400 Name Hitter/Pitcher Country Signing Bonus Félix Arosemena Hitter Panama Gabriel Báez Pitcher Dominican Republic Welbin Bautista Hitter Dominican Republic Juan Borges Hitter Dominican Republic $100,000 Christian Capellan Hitter Dominican Republic $500,000 Anderson Castro Hitter Venezuela $600,000 Samuel Castro Hitter Dominican Republic $150,000 Fauri Cetin Pitcher Dominican Republic Dailyn De Oleo Pitcher Dominican Republic Miguel Figuereo Hitter Dominican Republic Julio Frias Pitcher Dominican Republic Daniel Garboza Pitcher Venezuela Javier García Pitcher Panama Alberto Guerrero Pitcher Panama $300,000 Edin Liriano Pitcher Dominican Republic José Lizarraga Hitter Mexico Luis Mojica Pitcher Dominican Republic $275,000 Luis Muñoz Hitter Cuba Yuniel Ramírez Hitter Cuba Ronal Reynoso Hitter Dominican Republic $100,000 Marcos Rivera Hitter Dominican Republic Sleyter Soto Hitter Dominican Republic Anderson Vera Pitcher Venezuela Andrés Villalobos Hitter Venezuela $350,000 2013-14 Director of international operations: Albert Gonzalez Total bonus pool: $2,695,200 Name Hitter/Pitcher Country Signing Bonus Leisman Acosta Hitter Venezuela Luis Alcala Hitter Dominican Republic $100,000 Carlos Artiles Pitcher Dominican Republic Mauricio Atizol Pitcher Dominican Republic Eliezer Cuello Pitcher Dominican Republic Ronny Fermin Pitcher Dominican Republic Pablo García Hitter Dominican Republic $100,000 Eddy González Pitcher Dominican Republic Endy Guaba Hitter Dominican Republic Jesús Guerrero Hitter Panama Josue Guzman Hitter Dominican Republic Elias Hernández Pitcher Venezuela Garvis Lara Hitter Dominican Republic $100,000 Humberto Mejía Pitcher Panama $50,000 Galvi Moscat Hitter Dominican Republic Emmanuel Nere Hitter Dominican Republic Benito Olivo Hitter Dominican Republic Cristian Olmos Pitcher Colombia Jeremy Ovalle Pitcher Dominican Republic $200,000 Ermel Peña Hitter Dominican Republic José Quijada Pitcher Venezuela Yefry Reyes Hitter Dominican Republic Jonathan Rodríguez Pitcher Manny Rodríguez Pitcher Venezuela Jhonny Santos Hitter Panama $355,000 Juan Silvestre Pitcher Dominican Republic Isael Soto Hitter Dominican Republic $320,000 Roberto Tejada Pitcher Dominican Republic Brayan Ulloa Pitcher Dominican Republic Jefferson Vergara Pitcher Venezuela 2012-13 Director of international operations: Albert Gonzalez Total bonus pool: $2,900,000 Name Hitter/Pitcher Country Signing Bonus Ayron Adames Pitcher Dominican Republic Francisco Aquino Pitcher Dominican Republic Félix Bautista Pitcher Dominican Republic Rony Cabrera Hitter Venezuela Anderson De Leon Pitcher Dominican Republic Jorge Heredia Hitter Dominican Republic José Jaramillo Pitcher Venezuela Francis Martes Pitcher Dominican Republic $87,000 Cristofer Ogando Pitcher Dominican Republic Yobanis Pinto Hitter Panama Jonathan Richards Hitter Dominican Republic Leonel Ruiz Pitcher Venezuela Alberto Sánchez Hitter Dominican Republic $85,000 Geuris Santana Hitter Dominican Republic Edgar Solano Hitter Dominican Republic Pre-bonus pool era The following players signed by the Marlins as international amateur free agents between the franchise's inception and June 25, 2012 went on to have MLB careers (some more notable than others): Name Hitter/Pitcher Country Signing Year Denny Bautista Pitcher Dominican Republic 2000 Yorman Bazardo Pitcher Venezuela 2000 Ronald Belisario Pitcher Venezuela 1999 Miguel Cabrera Hitter Venezuela 1999 Arquimedes Caminero Pitcher Dominican Republic 2005 Luis Castillo Hitter Dominican Republic 1992 Miguel Del Pozo Pitcher Dominican Republic 2010 Amaury García Hitter Dominican Republic 1992 Jarlin García Pitcher Dominican Republic 2010 Domingo Germán Pitcher Dominican Republic 2009 Álex González Hitter Venezuela 1994 Liván Hernández Pitcher Cuba 1996 Jhan Mariñez Pitcher Dominican Republic 2006 Marcell Ozuna Hitter Dominican Republic 2008 Edgar Rentería Hitter Colombia 1992 José Ureña Pitcher Dominican Republic 2008 Rick van den Hurk Pitcher Netherlands 2002 Claudio Vargas Pitcher Dominican Republic 1995

The Miami Marlins are unafraid to be bold and innovative with their player development methods, but implementing a four-man outfield defensive alignment throughout the organization feels like it would be a bridge too far, even for them. So how is this going to work? The Marlins already had good outfield depth entering the 2025-26 offseason. Several recent trades have bolstered that area to such an extent, I'm struggling with the rudimentary math. Barring undisclosed injuries and/or off-the-field issues, it will take immense creativity to manage playing time at the position, from Beloit all the way up to Miami. Let's do a rough projection of Opening Day assignments for Marlins outfielders. Players with the "UTIL" label are candidates for infield reps. MLB: Jakob Marsee, Kyle Stowers, Owen Caissie, Heriberto Hernández, Griffin Conine (UTIL), Javier Sanoja (UTIL), Christopher Morel (UTIL) The Marlins have expressed a willingness to use both Conine and Morel at first base, despite both being neophytes at the position. Sanoja would be Marsee's center field backup in this scenario, but receive the rest of his reps at second base, third base and shortstop. Triple-A: Kemp Alderman, Matthew Etzel, Victor Mesa Jr., Esteury Ruiz, Andrew Pintar, Mark Coley II, Jacob Berry (UTIL) Poor Daniel Johnson signed his minor league deal before Miami traded Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers. The prospects acquired in exchange have quickly made Johnson expendable—he'll need to ball out in spring training just to merit a roster spot in Jacksonville. Watching Berry at any of the infield positions is an eyesore, but with all of these other outfield mouths to feed, expect to see him used frequently on the dirt. Double-A: Fenwick Trimble, Brendan Jones, Dillon Lewis, Ethan O'Donnell, Colby Shade, Eric Rataczak (UTIL), Michael Snyder (UTIL) This looks a lot tidier if we assume that Rataczak and Snyder will transition to first base and platoon there. High-A: Dillon Head, Cam Cannarella, Brandon Compton, Emaarion Boyd, Micah McDowell, Ian Lewis (UTIL), Jesús Hernández (UTIL) I also considered Esmil Valencia, Andrés Valor, Max Williams, Jacob Jenkins-Cowart and PJ Morlando for spots on the Sky Carp. I suspect that none of these players will be starting on a daily basis throughout the entire season. The logjam puts the onus on Marlins coaches to get everybody on board with sacrificing individual playing time so that their teammates can be adequately evaluated.

A social media post from the official Miami Marlins account indicates that they will be revamping one of their alternate uniforms in 2026. The short video posted on Monday night shows the team's standard cap as well as the Retrowave cap that they added last season for Saturday home games, followed by a handwritten sign that says "SUNDAY ALT." Finally, two number sequences flash on the screen, 02072026 and 03292026. Those represent the dates February 7 and March 29, implying that the uniform will be revealed during Marlins FanFest and debut on the field during the first Sunday home game of the regular season. In 2024 and 2025, the Marlins used bright blue uniforms as their Sunday alternates. That will continue to be their primary uniform for spring training games. But teal has always had a special place in Marlins fans' hearts, and this new landing page strongly suggests it's making a comeback. So does this drone footage from the National Hockey League, shot at loanDepot park to hype up the NHL Winter Classic. Are you excited for throwbacks to return to the Marlins' uniform rotation?