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We're still awaiting the official reveal of the 2026 Miami Marlins coaching staff, but these are the anticipated changes: Assistant hitting coaches Chris Hess and Corbin Day replacing Derek Shomon (now with the Chicago White Sox) First base coach Craig Driver replacing Tyler Smarslok (Washington Nationals) and Joe Singley (Baltimore Orioles) Bullpen catcher Harry Wilonsky replacing Chi Chi González On Thursday in winter ball, Jared Serna (Mexico) went 0-for-4 with a walk and Eric Rataczak (Australia) went 1-for-4. Only 125 days away from Marlins Opening Day. 🔷 The Marlins have signed two pitchers to minor league deals in recent days: right-hander Chris McKendry and right-hander Samuel Vásquez. Neither have prior MLB experience. McKendry has been knocking on the door at Triple-A for the past three years, though a lack of fastball velocity limits his perceived ceiling. Vásquez, on the other hand, occasionally touches 100 mph—he just doesn't really know where it's going. 🔷 Fish On First LIVE made its return on Wednesday, reacting to the Marlins' Rule 5 draft protection decisions and early free agent activity around the league. 🔷 FOF's Kevin Barral joined Jeremiah Geiger of Locked On Marlins to discuss the possibility of trading Edward Cabrera and the Marlins' pursuit of a veteran closer. 🔷 The Marlins will hold their annual Thanksgiving Distribution at loanDepot park this afternoon, providing meal boxes for 1,000 families in the Little Havana community. President of baseball operations Peter Bendix, president of business operations Caroline O'Connor and manager Clayton McCullough are all expected to participate. 🔷 The MLB non-tender deadline is today at 5:00 p.m. ET. Although Andrew Nardi is projected for a 2026 salary that's barely above the league minimum, MLB.com's Christina De Nicola previously reported that he is a likely non-tender candidate due to his lingering back injury. The Marlins 40-man roster is full, so non-tendering Nardi or anybody else would create the necessary room to acquire outside reinforcements. 🔷 Joey Wiemer remains in DFA limbo. His fate will be determined by Tuesday at the latest. 🔷 La Gente del Barrio Foundation is bringing a celebrity softball game and home run derby to loanDepot park on December 6. The derby will feature Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and baseball's biggest Dominican stars, including Juan Soto, José Ramírez, Ketel Marte and Fernando Tatis Jr. With the derby being the main event, I'm perplexed that outfield seats aren't being sold (as shown below). Ticket prices start at $32. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, Japanese infielder Kazuma Okamoto, Japanese right-hander Kona Takahashi and Korean infielder Sung-mun Song were officially posted for MLB teams. The posting windows for Okamoto and Takahashi close on January 4, while Song's window closes on December 21. The Women's Pro Baseball League held its inaugural draft, which included 120 overall picks. Nick Nelson of Twins Daily wonders whether the Minnesota Twins will do a reverse of their original Pablo López trade and ship him out for an impact bat.
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We're still awaiting the official reveal of the 2026 Miami Marlins coaching staff, but these are the anticipated changes: Assistant hitting coaches Chris Hess and Corbin Day replacing Derek Shomon (now with the Chicago White Sox) First base coach Craig Driver replacing Tyler Smarslok (Washington Nationals) and Joe Singley (Baltimore Orioles) Bullpen catcher Harry Wilonsky replacing Chi Chi González On Thursday in winter ball, Jared Serna (Mexico) went 0-for-4 with a walk and Eric Rataczak (Australia) went 1-for-4. Only 125 days away from Marlins Opening Day. 🔷 The Marlins have signed two pitchers to minor league deals in recent days: right-hander Chris McKendry and right-hander Samuel Vásquez. Neither have prior MLB experience. McKendry has been knocking on the door at Triple-A for the past three years, though a lack of fastball velocity limits his perceived ceiling. Vásquez, on the other hand, occasionally touches 100 mph—he just doesn't really know where it's going. 🔷 Fish On First LIVE made its return on Wednesday, reacting to the Marlins' Rule 5 draft protection decisions and early free agent activity around the league. 🔷 FOF's Kevin Barral joined Jeremiah Geiger of Locked On Marlins to discuss the possibility of trading Edward Cabrera and the Marlins' pursuit of a veteran closer. 🔷 The Marlins will hold their annual Thanksgiving Distribution at loanDepot park this afternoon, providing meal boxes for 1,000 families in the Little Havana community. President of baseball operations Peter Bendix, president of business operations Caroline O'Connor and manager Clayton McCullough are all expected to participate. 🔷 The MLB non-tender deadline is today at 5:00 p.m. ET. Although Andrew Nardi is projected for a 2026 salary that's barely above the league minimum, MLB.com's Christina De Nicola previously reported that he is a likely non-tender candidate due to his lingering back injury. The Marlins 40-man roster is full, so non-tendering Nardi or anybody else would create the necessary room to acquire outside reinforcements. 🔷 Joey Wiemer remains in DFA limbo. His fate will be determined by Tuesday at the latest. 🔷 La Gente del Barrio Foundation is bringing a celebrity softball game and home run derby to loanDepot park on December 6. The derby will feature Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and baseball's biggest Dominican stars, including Juan Soto, José Ramírez, Ketel Marte and Fernando Tatis Jr. With the derby being the main event, I'm perplexed that outfield seats aren't being sold (as shown below). Ticket prices start at $32. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, Japanese infielder Kazuma Okamoto, Japanese right-hander Kona Takahashi and Korean infielder Sung-mun Song were officially posted for MLB teams. The posting windows for Okamoto and Takahashi close on January 4, while Song's window closes on December 21. The Women's Pro Baseball League held its inaugural draft, which included 120 overall picks. Nick Nelson of Twins Daily wonders whether the Minnesota Twins will do a reverse of their original Pablo López trade and ship him out for an impact bat. View full article
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The Miami Marlins have inked right-hander Samuel Vásquez to a minor league deal with an invite to major league spring training, as first reported by Chase Ford of Milb Central and confirmed by the player himself. Originally a Cleveland Guardians prospect, Vásquez was acquired by the Washington Nationals two years ago via the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft. In 2025, he split his season between High-A Wilmington and Double-A Harrisburg, posting a 3.16 ERA in 57 innings pitched (46 G/0 GS). He walked 11.9% of opposing batters—that is slightly worse than average, but an encouraging improvement from his 14.6% rate in previous MiLB seasons. The 6'3" Dominican is entering his age-26 season. Vásquez's fastball velocity averages approximately 98 mph, based on my video review of several Double-A outings. He complements it by throwing sliders away to right-handed batters and changeups at the bottom of the strike zone to lefties. He had massive platoon splits in 2025, allowing a .443 OPS to RHB compared to a .845 OPS to LHB. c2ok9p_1.mp4 This will be Vásquez's first time as a spring training NRI. Last spring, the Nats brought him over from minor league camp for one brief relief appearance on March 10. He was also included on Washington's Spring Breakout roster, but did not pitch during that prospect showcase. Given his mixed MiLB track record (career 5.07 ERA) and limited upper-level experience, it would be a shock if Vásquez broke camp with the big league team. More realistically, the Marlins are hoping he makes enough strides as a strike-thrower to earn a 40-man roster spot by the end of 2026.
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The Miami Marlins have inked right-hander Samuel Vásquez to a minor league deal with an invite to major league spring training, as first reported by Chase Ford of Milb Central and confirmed by the player himself. Originally a Cleveland Guardians prospect, Vásquez was acquired by the Washington Nationals two years ago via the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft. In 2025, he split his season between High-A Wilmington and Double-A Harrisburg, posting a 3.16 ERA in 57 innings pitched (46 G/0 GS). He walked 11.9% of opposing batters—that is slightly worse than average, but an encouraging improvement from his 14.6% rate in previous MiLB seasons. The 6'3" Dominican is entering his age-26 season. Vásquez's fastball velocity averages approximately 98 mph, based on my video review of several Double-A outings. He complements it by throwing sliders away to right-handed batters and changeups at the bottom of the strike zone to lefties. He had massive platoon splits in 2025, allowing a .443 OPS to RHB compared to a .845 OPS to LHB. c2ok9p_1.mp4 This will be Vásquez's first time as a spring training NRI. Last spring, the Nats brought him over from minor league camp for one brief relief appearance on March 10. He was also included on Washington's Spring Breakout roster, but did not pitch during that prospect showcase. Given his mixed MiLB track record (career 5.07 ERA) and limited upper-level experience, it would be a shock if Vásquez broke camp with the big league team. More realistically, the Marlins are hoping he makes enough strides as a strike-thrower to earn a 40-man roster spot by the end of 2026. View full rumor
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The free agency floodgates have cracked open. The Miami Marlins' first catch of the 2025-26 offseason is right-hander Evan McKendry, who has signed a minor league deal which includes an invite to spring training, as announced on Tuesday by McKendry's agent, Gavin Kahn. Entering his age-28 season, McKendry is a former ninth-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Rays. He got his first taste of Triple-A in 2022, but he's been stuck there ever since. This past season, he pitched 87 ⅓ innings (24 G/14 GS) with a 5.26 ERA for the AAA affiliates of the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox. Although he has demonstrated sharp control as a pro, he's also been homer-prone, even when facing same-handed batters. Regardless of how the rest of this winter unfolds, McKendry will be among the softest throwers in Marlins camp. His four-seam fastball only averages 90.8 mph. His arsenal also includes a sinker, cutter, changeup and sweeper. McKendry will attempt to become the first former Hurricane to play a major league game for the Marlins since Peter O'Brien in 2019. In case you missed it, Kevin Barral and Sean McCormack recently floated the names of 10 other minor league free agents who'd fit well with the Fish. View full rumor
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The free agency floodgates have cracked open. The Miami Marlins' first catch of the 2025-26 offseason is right-hander Evan McKendry, who has signed a minor league deal which includes an invite to spring training, as announced on Tuesday by McKendry's agent, Gavin Kahn. Entering his age-28 season, McKendry is a former ninth-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Rays. He got his first taste of Triple-A in 2022, but he's been stuck there ever since. This past season, he pitched 87 ⅓ innings (24 G/14 GS) with a 5.26 ERA for the AAA affiliates of the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox. Although he has demonstrated sharp control as a pro, he's also been homer-prone, even when facing same-handed batters. Regardless of how the rest of this winter unfolds, McKendry will be among the softest throwers in Marlins camp. His four-seam fastball only averages 90.8 mph. His arsenal also includes a sinker, cutter, changeup and sweeper. McKendry will attempt to become the first former Hurricane to play a major league game for the Marlins since Peter O'Brien in 2019. In case you missed it, Kevin Barral and Sean McCormack recently floated the names of 10 other minor league free agents who'd fit well with the Fish.
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Miami Marlins 40-Man Roster Snapshot - November 18, 2025
Ely Sussman posted a gallery image in Fish On First Graphics
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- joe mack
- william kempner
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It isn't very often that I'm in full agreement with the Miami Marlins on roster moves, but Tuesday was an exception. They selected catcher Joe Mack and right-handers Josh White and William Kempner to their 40-man roster, protecting them from next month's MLB Rule 5 draft. To clear a spot on the 40-man to accommodate all three prospects, outfielder Joey Wiemer was designated for assignment. Mack has risen to No. 2 on the Fish On First Top 30 list following a season in which he represented the Marlins at the Futures Game. Spending most of 2025 at the Triple-A level, he slashed .257/.338/.475 with 21 home runs and nine stolen bases, and he played plus defense behind the plate, including a 33.3% caught stealing rate. He turns 23 next month. White (FOF #21) has emerged as a fascinating relief arm. Another homegrown Marlins prospect, he pitched to a 1.86 ERA, 40.8 K% and .166 BAA in 45 appearances this season against AA/AAA competition. He could challenge for an Opening Day job depending on how active the team is shopping for veteran relievers this winter. The unranked Kempner was nearly as effective as White (2.26 ERA, 33.6 K% and .162 BAA in 67.2 IP), though his lack of control upon being promoted to Jacksonville indicates that more developmental time is needed. A former San Francisco Giants farmhand, he was acquired by the Fish in January in exchange for international bonus pool money. As for Wiemer, he was claimed off waivers by the Marlins in August. In 27 games for them, he slashed .236/.279/.436 with three homers and an 88 wRC+. He played excellent defense in right field over that small sample (4 DRS and 3 OAA). Worth noting that if Wiemer clears waivers this time around, the Marlins can outright him to the minors and maintain club control of him for the 2026 season—that's because he has never been outrighted before and does not have the seven years of professional experience needed to elect minor league free agency. Notable Rule 5-eligible prospects who were left unprotected by the Marlins include: OF Andrew Pintar (acquired in the 2024 A.J. Puk trade) 1B Nathan Martorella (acquired in the 2024 Luis Arraez trade) INF/OF Jacob Berry (Miami's 2022 first-round draft pick) INF Yiddi Cappe (2022 Marlins Minor League Player of the Year) RHP Matt Pushard (career 3.21 ERA in 174 innings pitched as a minor leaguer) The Rule 5 draft will be held on December 10 in Orlando as the final event of the MLB Winter Meetings. The draft order is determined by the previous season's reverse standings, so the Marlins will pick 12th.
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It isn't very often that I'm in full agreement with the Miami Marlins on roster moves, but Tuesday was an exception. They selected catcher Joe Mack and right-handers Josh White and William Kempner to their 40-man roster, protecting them from next month's MLB Rule 5 draft. To clear a spot on the 40-man to accommodate all three prospects, outfielder Joey Wiemer was designated for assignment. Mack has risen to No. 2 on the Fish On First Top 30 list following a season in which he represented the Marlins at the Futures Game. Spending most of 2025 at the Triple-A level, he slashed .257/.338/.475 with 21 home runs and nine stolen bases, and he played plus defense behind the plate, including a 33.3% caught stealing rate. He turns 23 next month. White (FOF #21) has emerged as a fascinating relief arm. Another homegrown Marlins prospect, he pitched to a 1.86 ERA, 40.8 K% and .166 BAA in 45 appearances this season against AA/AAA competition. He could challenge for an Opening Day job depending on how active the team is shopping for veteran relievers this winter. The unranked Kempner was nearly as effective as White (2.26 ERA, 33.6 K% and .162 BAA in 67.2 IP), though his lack of control upon being promoted to Jacksonville indicates that more developmental time is needed. A former San Francisco Giants farmhand, he was acquired by the Fish in January in exchange for international bonus pool money. As for Wiemer, he was claimed off waivers by the Marlins in August. In 27 games for them, he slashed .236/.279/.436 with three homers and an 88 wRC+. He played excellent defense in right field over that small sample (4 DRS and 3 OAA). Worth noting that if Wiemer clears waivers this time around, the Marlins can outright him to the minors and maintain club control of him for the 2026 season—that's because he has never been outrighted before and does not have the seven years of professional experience needed to elect minor league free agency. Notable Rule 5-eligible prospects who were left unprotected by the Marlins include: OF Andrew Pintar (acquired in the 2024 A.J. Puk trade) 1B Nathan Martorella (acquired in the 2024 Luis Arraez trade) INF/OF Jacob Berry (Miami's 2022 first-round draft pick) INF Yiddi Cappe (2022 Marlins Minor League Player of the Year) RHP Matt Pushard (career 3.21 ERA in 174 innings pitched as a minor leaguer) The Rule 5 draft will be held on December 10 in Orlando as the final event of the MLB Winter Meetings. The draft order is determined by the previous season's reverse standings, so the Marlins will pick 12th. View full article
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Acquired via trade from the San Francisco Giants in 2025 November 2025 update: Coming off a career year, Kempner was selected to the Marlins 40-man roster. The thick right-hander throws from an extremely low arm angle (just a few degrees above a true sidearm delivery). He's a tough assignment for righty batters, who have to guess whether they're getting a sinker that averages 18 inches of armside run or a slider breaking 14 inches in the opposite direction. When facing lefties, the 24-year-old leans heavily on his four-seam fastball, which averaged 94.9 mph in his Triple-A appearances and topped out at 98.3 mph. Although his 2025 campaign was impressive overall, Kempner's control eroded as the level of competition increased: 9.0 BB% and 3 HBP at High-A (111 batters faced) 15.6 BB% and 2 HBP at Double-A (96 batters faced) 19.7 BB% and 3 HBP at Triple-A (76 batters faced) Kempner has three minor league options remaining entering 2026.
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I have already shared my thoughts on Rule 5 draft-eligible Miami Marlins players Joe Mack, Josh White and William Kempner. Everybody else who is eligible has been listed below, grouped by whichever minor league affiliate's roster they're currently assigned to. It would be surprising if the Marlins devoted 40-man roster spots to protect any of them from the draft's major league phase. However, a lot of these names will be placed on the organization's Triple-A reserve list to prevent them from being poached in the minor league phase. Triple-A roster INF/OF Jacob Berry—You would be hard-pressed to identify a more inconsistent MiLB player than Jacob Berry. He perennially performs like one of his league's worst hitters during the months of April and May, only to find his form after that. There's still a shred of hope for the $6 million man offensively, but being truly positionless on defense will deter any team from seriously considering him in the Rule 5. INF/C Bennett Hostetler—A full-time shortstop at North Dakota State, Hostetler began converting to catcher soon after the Marlins drafted him in 2021. The 28-year-old has enjoyed some impressive hot stretches with the bat as a pro, but he rode the Jumbo Shrimp bench this season, slashing .179/.325/.221 in just 36 games. 1B Nathan Martorella—Martorella's production as a member of the Marlins org is somewhat misleading. None of their other farmhands (min. 400 PA) have suffered from a lower batting average on balls in play. RHP Zach McCambley—McCambley's 2025 campaign was the best of his professional career. He struck out 41.1% of all right-handed batters faced. The Marlins initially tried developing him as a starter, but he's been working out of the bullpen for the last three seasons. LHP Patrick Monteverde—Having turned 28 in September, Monteverde is the oldest non-40-man player currently in the Marlins organization. He's also the only Rule 5-eligible guy with MLB experience, though that experience consists of a single mop-up appearance. INF Cody Morissette—The Marlins were projecting much better on-base skills from Morissette when selecting him in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft. A career .291 OBP as a pro won't cut it when you only play second base and third base. OF Andrew Pintar—Both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline described whether or not to protect Pintar as the toughest decision facing the Marlins on Tuesday. Perhaps the front office has a bias toward him because he was acquired so recently (July 2024), but between his injuries this season and the low likelihood of him becoming a serviceable hitter in the majors, I'd leave him off the 40-man without losing any sleep over it. Good glove in center field, though. RHP Matt Pushard—A former undrafted free agent out of Maine, Pushard finished 2025 on a high note by tossing 11 ⅓ consecutive scoreless innings in September (regular season and postseason combined). When things go poorly for him on the mound, they tend to snowball, but his overall MiLB track record has been solid. With average fastball velocity for a big league righty and the ability to land his breaking balls in the strike zone, Pushard has the highest probability of being taken in the Rule 5 among all of the players on this page. TzBaYjlfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X1VBaFVCbFJRQlZZQUNsTUVVZ0FIQkZkZkFGaFFVRkFBQkZ4UVV3UUVVd0VEVWdCVw==.mp4 LHP Dale Stanavich—Stanavich had a golden opportunity to earn a call-up to Miami in 2025 given the club's dearth of left-handed relievers. Unfortunately, he completely lost control of his fastball. RHP Riskiel Tineo—Tineo has only 10 career innings pitched above the Low-A level. When properly executed, his splitter is an intriguing weapon. Double-A roster RHP Jesse Bergin—Bergin lost two full seasons (2022 and 2023) due to injury. He has fared well since then—2.50 ERA in 86.1 IP—but he isn't missing nearly as many bats in Double-A as he did at lower levels. RHP Gabe Bierman C Spencer Bramwell INF Yiddi Cappe—Very little has gone right for Cappe since being named Marlins Minor League Player of the Year in 2022. On the bright side, he shattered his career-high with 29 stolen bases in just 62 games in 2025. On the other hand, nearly half of his playing time came as a designated hitter and he spent the final month of the season on the injured list. RHP Orlando Ortiz-Mayr C Sam Praytor RHP Alex Williams High-A roster or below INF Jesús Hernández RHP Holt Jones—The 6'8" reliever may have helped his stock a bit during the Arizona Fall League. Jones and some of the other players in this section may get a look from other teams in the minor league phase of the Rule 5, but to be clear, there's zero chance that they'd make the leap straight to MLB. INF Wilfredo Lara UTIL Ian Lewis—The Bahamian switch-hitter couldn't compete stateside in 2024 due to visa issues. He was very effective as a part-time player in his return, slashing .278/.357/.431 in 73 games. The caveat is those numbers were inflated by beating up on kids in Low-A. merge-7icf2l.mp4 LHP Brayan Mendoza—I was bullish on Mendoza when the Marlins acquired him in the Jake Burger trade. Turning 22 in January, time is on his side, but he was strangely ineffective against same-handed hitters in the Midwest League and spent the whole season there. RHP Natanael Polanco RHP Juan Reynoso RHP Franklin Sánchez—Sánchez's fastball velo was clocked as high as 99 mph this season, but he still doesn't know where it's going (22.3 BB% in 22.1 IP). LHP Dameivi Tineo RHP Brandon White
- 2 comments
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- jacob berry
- andrew pintar
- (and 8 more)
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I have already shared my thoughts on Rule 5 draft-eligible Miami Marlins players Joe Mack, Josh White and William Kempner. Everybody else who is eligible has been listed below, grouped by whichever minor league affiliate's roster they're currently assigned to. It would be surprising if the Marlins devoted 40-man roster spots to protect any of them from the draft's major league phase. However, a lot of these names will be placed on the organization's Triple-A reserve list to prevent them from being poached in the minor league phase. Triple-A roster INF/OF Jacob Berry—You would be hard-pressed to identify a more inconsistent MiLB player than Jacob Berry. He perennially performs like one of his league's worst hitters during the months of April and May, only to find his form after that. There's still a shred of hope for the $6 million man offensively, but being truly positionless on defense will deter any team from seriously considering him in the Rule 5. INF/C Bennett Hostetler—A full-time shortstop at North Dakota State, Hostetler began converting to catcher soon after the Marlins drafted him in 2021. The 28-year-old has enjoyed some impressive hot stretches with the bat as a pro, but he rode the Jumbo Shrimp bench this season, slashing .179/.325/.221 in just 36 games. 1B Nathan Martorella—Martorella's production as a member of the Marlins org is somewhat misleading. None of their other farmhands (min. 400 PA) have suffered from a lower batting average on balls in play. RHP Zach McCambley—McCambley's 2025 campaign was the best of his professional career. He struck out 41.1% of all right-handed batters faced. The Marlins initially tried developing him as a starter, but he's been working out of the bullpen for the last three seasons. LHP Patrick Monteverde—Having turned 28 in September, Monteverde is the oldest non-40-man player currently in the Marlins organization. He's also the only Rule 5-eligible guy with MLB experience, though that experience consists of a single mop-up appearance. INF Cody Morissette—The Marlins were projecting much better on-base skills from Morissette when selecting him in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft. A career .291 OBP as a pro won't cut it when you only play second base and third base. OF Andrew Pintar—Both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline described whether or not to protect Pintar as the toughest decision facing the Marlins on Tuesday. Perhaps the front office has a bias toward him because he was acquired so recently (July 2024), but between his injuries this season and the low likelihood of him becoming a serviceable hitter in the majors, I'd leave him off the 40-man without losing any sleep over it. Good glove in center field, though. RHP Matt Pushard—A former undrafted free agent out of Maine, Pushard finished 2025 on a high note by tossing 11 ⅓ consecutive scoreless innings in September (regular season and postseason combined). When things go poorly for him on the mound, they tend to snowball, but his overall MiLB track record has been solid. With average fastball velocity for a big league righty and the ability to land his breaking balls in the strike zone, Pushard has the highest probability of being taken in the Rule 5 among all of the players on this page. TzBaYjlfV0ZRVkV3dEdEUT09X1VBaFVCbFJRQlZZQUNsTUVVZ0FIQkZkZkFGaFFVRkFBQkZ4UVV3UUVVd0VEVWdCVw==.mp4 LHP Dale Stanavich—Stanavich had a golden opportunity to earn a call-up to Miami in 2025 given the club's dearth of left-handed relievers. Unfortunately, he completely lost control of his fastball. RHP Riskiel Tineo—Tineo has only 10 career innings pitched above the Low-A level. When properly executed, his splitter is an intriguing weapon. Double-A roster RHP Jesse Bergin—Bergin lost two full seasons (2022 and 2023) due to injury. He has fared well since then—2.50 ERA in 86.1 IP—but he isn't missing nearly as many bats in Double-A as he did at lower levels. RHP Gabe Bierman C Spencer Bramwell INF Yiddi Cappe—Very little has gone right for Cappe since being named Marlins Minor League Player of the Year in 2022. On the bright side, he shattered his career-high with 29 stolen bases in just 62 games in 2025. On the other hand, nearly half of his playing time came as a designated hitter and he spent the final month of the season on the injured list. RHP Orlando Ortiz-Mayr C Sam Praytor RHP Alex Williams High-A roster or below INF Jesús Hernández RHP Holt Jones—The 6'8" reliever may have helped his stock a bit during the Arizona Fall League. Jones and some of the other players in this section may get a look from other teams in the minor league phase of the Rule 5, but to be clear, there's zero chance that they'd make the leap straight to MLB. INF Wilfredo Lara UTIL Ian Lewis—The Bahamian switch-hitter couldn't compete stateside in 2024 due to visa issues. He was very effective as a part-time player in his return, slashing .278/.357/.431 in 73 games. The caveat is those numbers were inflated by beating up on kids in Low-A. merge-7icf2l.mp4 LHP Brayan Mendoza—I was bullish on Mendoza when the Marlins acquired him in the Jake Burger trade. Turning 22 in January, time is on his side, but he was strangely ineffective against same-handed hitters in the Midwest League and spent the whole season there. RHP Natanael Polanco RHP Juan Reynoso RHP Franklin Sánchez—Sánchez's fastball velo was clocked as high as 99 mph this season, but he still doesn't know where it's going (22.3 BB% in 22.1 IP). LHP Dameivi Tineo RHP Brandon White View full article
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- jacob berry
- andrew pintar
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Rule 5 draft: Should Marlins protect William Kempner?
Ely Sussman posted an article in FOF Prospects
It's the eve of the 2025 Rule 5 draft protection deadline. The Miami Marlins have until 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday to decide which of their Rule 5-eligible prospects to select to their 40-man roster. Joe Mack is in a tier of his own—selecting his contract has been an inevitability for months. I placed Josh White in his own tier right below Mack because although his performance and quality of stuff should also make him a no-brainer, it's especially tricky to evaluate and appraise relief-only prospects. The lone resident of the third tier is fellow right-handed reliever William Kempner. In his first season with the Marlins organization, Kempner climbed from High-A to Triple-A, posting a 2.26 ERA across 67 ⅔ innings pitched while striking out one-third of opposing batters. He allowed only two home runs. The antithesis of White, who has an extreme over-the-top delivery, Kempner practically throws sidearm. It's a helpless feeling for righty batters who have to guess whether they're getting a sinker that averages 18 inches of armside run or a slider breaking 14 inches in the opposite direction, as illustrated below in a matchup against former major leaguer Corey Julks: When facing lefties, the 24-year-old leans heavily on his four-seam fastball, which averaged 94.9 mph in his Triple-A appearances and topped out at 98.3 mph. On the concerning side, Kempner's control eroded as the level of competition increased: 9.0 BB% and 3 HBP at High-A (111 batters faced) 15.6 BB% and 2 HBP at Double-A (96 batters faced) 19.7 BB% and 3 HBP at Triple-A (76 batters faced) Kempner was sidelined for the entire 2024 minor league season while recovering from foot surgery. That's been his only significant injury absence dating back to the beginning of his collegiate career. If we assume both Mack and White are being protected, that means protecting Kempner would require a corresponding 40-man roster move. I have a hunch we'd see Zach Brzykcy—claimed from the Washington Nationals earlier this month—designated for assignment with the intent of passing him through waivers and outrighting him to the minors. That's precisely how the Marlins handled Christian Roa at this stage of the 2024-25 offseason, for what it's worth. Another possibility would be giving Andrew Nardi his pink slip a few days in advance of Friday's tender deadline. Upon closer inspection, I'm personally not as high on Kempner as I was when crafting my Marlins offseason blueprint. I still recommend that the club select him to the 40-man, but it would be unreasonable to count on him pitching meaningful MLB innings in 2026. Even if he initially succeeds, I wonder how long that would last when big leaguers have the technology to take pregame practice swings against his unconventional release point. The key question is whether the Marlins have the ambition and resources to add multiple experienced arms to their bullpen this winter. It'd be far easier to stomach likely losing Kempner in the Rule 5 if it's part of the process to make room for trustworthy veterans. -
Pending physical, Josh Naylor is headed back to the Seattle Mariners on a five-year deal, per numerous reports on Sunday night. He'll be getting $90-100 million guaranteed. It never seemed plausible that the former Miami Marlins top draft pick would reunite with his original organization, but the news is nonetheless notable around these parts because of how it may impact other first basemen on the market. Ryan O'Hearn, for example, was a very comparable hitter to Naylor in 2025, albeit with far less impact as a baserunner. O'Hearn, 32, isn't a candidate for a long-term contract, but his representatives figure to be aiming for an annual average value in the same neighborhood as Naylor's $18M-20M. There are also trade market ramifications. The Mariners have the high-end prospects—seven of them included on Just Baseball's new MLB Top 100 list—worthy of headlining a package for practically any controllable big leaguer who might be available. Now, Miami won't have to worry about those assets being used to drive up the price on potential first base solutions like Alec Burleson (St. Louis Cardinals) and Tyler Soderstrom (Athletics). On Sunday in winter ball, Jared Serna (Mexico) went 2-for-4. His ninth triple established a new all-time Mexican Pacific Winter League single-season record. In addition to Serna, Deyvison De Los Santos (Dominican Republic), Chris Arroyo (Puerto Rico) and Eric Rataczak (Australia) are still actively playing internationally, as shown in our Fish On First tracker. SuperSub ForeverMarlins has notes on every Marlin who participated in the just-completed Arizona Fall League. Only 129 days away from Marlins Opening Day. 🔷 Marlins catching coach Joe Singley has been hired by the Baltimore Orioles, as first reported by The Baltimore Banner's Andy Kostka, where he'll be working double duty as both their catching coach and field coordinator. 🔷 Kevin Barral and Sean McCormack combined to select 10 notable minor league free agents who they'd like to see the Marlins target. 🔷 77.8% of Marlins fans who participated in this poll expect the club to spend more in free agency this offseason than they've done on average during Bruce Sherman's ownership tenure. 🔷 DYM explains why he is optimistic about Marlins prospects Chris Arroyo, Colby Martin, Aiden May, Julio Mendez and Andrés Valor having breakout seasons in 2026. 🔷 Congratulations to Cloie and Braxton Garrett, who got married on Saturday. Former Marlins teammates Trevor Rogers and Nick Fortes were among the guests in attendance at the wedding. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, Kyle Hendricks announced his retirement. A soft-tossing right-hander out of Dartmouth, Hendricks spent 11 of his 12 MLB seasons with the Chicago Cubs. In 2016, he led the National League in ERA, finished third in NL Cy Young Award voting and helped the Cubs snap their 108-year championship drought.
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Pending physical, Josh Naylor is headed back to the Seattle Mariners on a five-year deal, per numerous reports on Sunday night. He'll be getting $90-100 million guaranteed. It never seemed plausible that the former Miami Marlins top draft pick would reunite with his original organization, but the news is nonetheless notable around these parts because of how it may impact other first basemen on the market. Ryan O'Hearn, for example, was a very comparable hitter to Naylor in 2025, albeit with far less impact as a baserunner. O'Hearn, 32, isn't a candidate for a long-term contract, but his representatives figure to be aiming for an annual average value in the same neighborhood as Naylor's $18M-20M. There are also trade market ramifications. The Mariners have the high-end prospects—seven of them included on Just Baseball's new MLB Top 100 list—worthy of headlining a package for practically any controllable big leaguer who might be available. Now, Miami won't have to worry about those assets being used to drive up the price on potential first base solutions like Alec Burleson (St. Louis Cardinals) and Tyler Soderstrom (Athletics). On Sunday in winter ball, Jared Serna (Mexico) went 2-for-4. His ninth triple established a new all-time Mexican Pacific Winter League single-season record. In addition to Serna, Deyvison De Los Santos (Dominican Republic), Chris Arroyo (Puerto Rico) and Eric Rataczak (Australia) are still actively playing internationally, as shown in our Fish On First tracker. SuperSub ForeverMarlins has notes on every Marlin who participated in the just-completed Arizona Fall League. Only 129 days away from Marlins Opening Day. 🔷 Marlins catching coach Joe Singley has been hired by the Baltimore Orioles, as first reported by The Baltimore Banner's Andy Kostka, where he'll be working double duty as both their catching coach and field coordinator. 🔷 Kevin Barral and Sean McCormack combined to select 10 notable minor league free agents who they'd like to see the Marlins target. 🔷 77.8% of Marlins fans who participated in this poll expect the club to spend more in free agency this offseason than they've done on average during Bruce Sherman's ownership tenure. 🔷 DYM explains why he is optimistic about Marlins prospects Chris Arroyo, Colby Martin, Aiden May, Julio Mendez and Andrés Valor having breakout seasons in 2026. 🔷 Congratulations to Cloie and Braxton Garrett, who got married on Saturday. Former Marlins teammates Trevor Rogers and Nick Fortes were among the guests in attendance at the wedding. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, Kyle Hendricks announced his retirement. A soft-tossing right-hander out of Dartmouth, Hendricks spent 11 of his 12 MLB seasons with the Chicago Cubs. In 2016, he led the National League in ERA, finished third in NL Cy Young Award voting and helped the Cubs snap their 108-year championship drought. View full article
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Marlins in the Arizona Fall League: Breakouts, Red Flags, and What Comes Next
Ely Sussman commented on ForeverMarlins's blog entry in Forever, Marlins
Caba was the clearest winner of the bunch with the context that he had never played above Jupiter before. Big gap in age and experience between he and most of the opposing pitchers, yet consistent production (reached base safely in every game he played). Defense continued to look terrific, too. Hoping he starts off 2026 in High-A.- 3 comments
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- pj morlando
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On Thursday in fall/winter ball, Fenwick Trimble went 0-for-3 with a walk. Jack Sellinger pitched two scoreless innings. Holt Jones allowed a walk-off single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. The Mesa Solar Sox lost, 4-3, and were eliminated from the Arizona Fall League playoffs. I'll have a detailed summary this weekend of how all Miami Marlins players fared in the AFL. Deyvison De Los Santos (Dominican Republic) went 1-for-4. Jared Serna (Mexico) went 0-for-3 with a walk. Only 132 days away from Marlins Opening Day. 🔷 I detailed why Joe Mack is a lock and Josh White is a near-lock to be selected to Miami's 40-roster on Tuesday. 🔷 Thursday was the first day of the inaugural MLB Open, a golf tournament featuring pairs of current/former players representing each franchise. Jakob Marsee and Gary Sheffield are competing on the Marlins' behalf. The tournament concludes today. 🔷 For the second straight year, members of the latest Marlins MLB Draft class have traveled to the Dominican Republic to take part in a first-year player camp where they will train alongside the organization's Latin American players. 🔷 Just Baseball's updated Top 100 prospects list includes Thomas White (18th), Joe Mack (26th), Robby Snelling (30th) and Aiva Arquette (55th). White is now universally ranked among MLB's top 25 prospects, becoming the first Marlin since Eury Pérez to be so highly regarded. 🔷 Continuing their series of World Baseball Classic-inspired national team rosters, Son Los Marlins constructed the best possible Dominican and Puerto Rican teams comprised of former Fish. Finding adequate pitching with PR roots proved difficult. 🔷 Congratulations to former Marlins radio broadcaster Glenn Geffner, who will be teaching at the University of Florida during the Spring 2026 semester (h/t Isaac Edelman). After several years as an adjunct professor at Florida Atlantic University, Geffner is bringing his experience to UF for a course on sports play-by-play. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, Aaron Judge (AL) and Shohei Ohtani (NL) won their respective league's MVP awards. Tarik Skubal (AL) and Paul Skenes (NL) won their respective league's Cy Young awards. Nick Kurtz (AL) and Drake Baldwin (NL) won their respective league's Rookie of the Year awards. Stephen Vogt (AL) and Pat Murphy (NL) won their respective league's Manager of the Year awards. Cal Raleigh, Corbin Carroll and Pete Crow-Armstrong were all announced as members of Team USA for the 2026 WBC. San Diego Padres ownership announced that they are exploring a potential sale of the franchise.
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On Thursday in fall/winter ball, Fenwick Trimble went 0-for-3 with a walk. Jack Sellinger pitched two scoreless innings. Holt Jones allowed a walk-off single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. The Mesa Solar Sox lost, 4-3, and were eliminated from the Arizona Fall League playoffs. I'll have a detailed summary this weekend of how all Miami Marlins players fared in the AFL. Deyvison De Los Santos (Dominican Republic) went 1-for-4. Jared Serna (Mexico) went 0-for-3 with a walk. Only 132 days away from Marlins Opening Day. 🔷 I detailed why Joe Mack is a lock and Josh White is a near-lock to be selected to Miami's 40-roster on Tuesday. 🔷 Thursday was the first day of the inaugural MLB Open, a golf tournament featuring pairs of current/former players representing each franchise. Jakob Marsee and Gary Sheffield are competing on the Marlins' behalf. The tournament concludes today. 🔷 For the second straight year, members of the latest Marlins MLB Draft class have traveled to the Dominican Republic to take part in a first-year player camp where they will train alongside the organization's Latin American players. 🔷 Just Baseball's updated Top 100 prospects list includes Thomas White (18th), Joe Mack (26th), Robby Snelling (30th) and Aiva Arquette (55th). White is now universally ranked among MLB's top 25 prospects, becoming the first Marlin since Eury Pérez to be so highly regarded. 🔷 Continuing their series of World Baseball Classic-inspired national team rosters, Son Los Marlins constructed the best possible Dominican and Puerto Rican teams comprised of former Fish. Finding adequate pitching with PR roots proved difficult. 🔷 Congratulations to former Marlins radio broadcaster Glenn Geffner, who will be teaching at the University of Florida during the Spring 2026 semester (h/t Isaac Edelman). After several years as an adjunct professor at Florida Atlantic University, Geffner is bringing his experience to UF for a course on sports play-by-play. 🔷 Elsewhere around baseball, Aaron Judge (AL) and Shohei Ohtani (NL) won their respective league's MVP awards. Tarik Skubal (AL) and Paul Skenes (NL) won their respective league's Cy Young awards. Nick Kurtz (AL) and Drake Baldwin (NL) won their respective league's Rookie of the Year awards. Stephen Vogt (AL) and Pat Murphy (NL) won their respective league's Manager of the Year awards. Cal Raleigh, Corbin Carroll and Pete Crow-Armstrong were all announced as members of Team USA for the 2026 WBC. San Diego Padres ownership announced that they are exploring a potential sale of the franchise. View full article
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The last thing I expected to see this offseason was the Miami Marlins spending money on an old, left-handed-hitting outfielder. Although we are still many steps away from that coming to fruition, Mike Yastrzemski is "one possibility for them," Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports. Yastrzemski has been a consistently average-to-very-good player ever since he debuted in the majors in 2019. This past season was on track to be arguably the worst of his career, but a deadline deal sending Yaz to the Kansas City Royals rejuvenated his bat. In 146 total games in 2025, he slashed .233/.333/.403 with 17 home runs and seven stolen bases, accumulating 2.4 fWAR. He turned 35 in August. As Morosi noted in his report, Marlins general manager Gabe Kapler was the San Francisco Giants manager from 2020-2023. Yastrzemski was on the team throughout Kapler's tenure. It would still be a peculiar roster fit and use of resources. All-Star Kyle Stowers and standout rookie Jakob Marsee—both of whom also hit from the left side—are projected to be everyday starters for the Marlins. Griffin Conine and Heriberto Hernández could theoretically platoon to adequately fill the remaining corner outfield spot. Yastrzemski has generally rated well defensively, but his glove wouldn't be a clear upgrade over any of those names, particularly at this stage of his career. This rumor gets more confusing if the Marlins are contemplating a multi-year commitment because one of the best bats in their farm system, outfielder Kemp Alderman, is poised to debut at some point in 2026. Starting Yastrzemski primarily as Miami's designated hitter would add some value. However, that implies Agustín Ramírez will continue catching on a regular basis, and his struggles there would negate a lot of the offensive boost. Maybe the Marlins intend to convert somebody to first base? That is their most glaring hole entering 2026. Yaz has no professional experience at the position, for what it's worth.
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The last thing I expected to see this offseason was the Miami Marlins spending money on an old, left-handed-hitting outfielder. Although we are still many steps away from that coming to fruition, Mike Yastrzemski is "one possibility for them," Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports. Yastrzemski has been a consistently average-to-very-good player ever since he debuted in the majors in 2019. This past season was on track to be arguably the worst of his career, but a deadline deal sending Yaz to the Kansas City Royals rejuvenated his bat. In 146 total games in 2025, he slashed .233/.333/.403 with 17 home runs and seven stolen bases, accumulating 2.4 fWAR. He turned 35 in August. As Morosi noted in his report, Marlins general manager Gabe Kapler was the San Francisco Giants manager from 2020-2023. Yastrzemski was on the team throughout Kapler's tenure. It would still be a peculiar roster fit and use of resources. All-Star Kyle Stowers and standout rookie Jakob Marsee—both of whom also hit from the left side—are projected to be everyday starters for the Marlins. Griffin Conine and Heriberto Hernández could theoretically platoon to adequately fill the remaining corner outfield spot. Yastrzemski has generally rated well defensively, but his glove wouldn't be a clear upgrade over any of those names, particularly at this stage of his career. This rumor gets more confusing if the Marlins are contemplating a multi-year commitment because one of the best bats in their farm system, outfielder Kemp Alderman, is poised to debut at some point in 2026. Starting Yastrzemski primarily as Miami's designated hitter would add some value. However, that implies Agustín Ramírez will continue catching on a regular basis, and his struggles there would negate a lot of the offensive boost. Maybe the Marlins intend to convert somebody to first base? That is their most glaring hole entering 2026. Yaz has no professional experience at the position, for what it's worth. View full rumor
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It's the eve of the 2025 Rule 5 draft protection deadline. The Miami Marlins have until 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday to decide which of their Rule 5-eligible prospects to select to their 40-man roster. Joe Mack is in a tier of his own—selecting his contract has been an inevitability for months. I placed Josh White in his own tier right below Mack because although his performance and quality of stuff should also make him a no-brainer, it's especially tricky to evaluate and appraise relief-only prospects. The lone resident of the third tier is fellow right-handed reliever William Kempner. In his first season with the Marlins organization, Kempner climbed from High-A to Triple-A, posting a 2.26 ERA across 67 ⅔ innings pitched while striking out one-third of opposing batters. He allowed only two home runs. The antithesis of White, who has an extreme over-the-top delivery, Kempner practically throws sidearm. It's a helpless feeling for righty batters who have to guess whether they're getting a sinker that averages 18 inches of armside run or a slider breaking 14 inches in the opposite direction, as illustrated below in a matchup against former major leaguer Corey Julks: When facing lefties, the 24-year-old leans heavily on his four-seam fastball, which averaged 94.9 mph in his Triple-A appearances and topped out at 98.3 mph. On the concerning side, Kempner's control eroded as the level of competition increased: 9.0 BB% and 3 HBP at High-A (111 batters faced) 15.6 BB% and 2 HBP at Double-A (96 batters faced) 19.7 BB% and 3 HBP at Triple-A (76 batters faced) Kempner was sidelined for the entire 2024 minor league season while recovering from foot surgery. That's been his only significant injury absence dating back to the beginning of his collegiate career. If we assume both Mack and White are being protected, that means protecting Kempner would require a corresponding 40-man roster move. I have a hunch we'd see Zach Brzykcy—claimed from the Washington Nationals earlier this month—designated for assignment with the intent of passing him through waivers and outrighting him to the minors. That's precisely how the Marlins handled Christian Roa at this stage of the 2024-25 offseason, for what it's worth. Another possibility would be giving Andrew Nardi his pink slip a few days in advance of Friday's tender deadline. Upon closer inspection, I'm personally not as high on Kempner as I was when crafting my Marlins offseason blueprint. I still recommend that the club select him to the 40-man, but it would be unreasonable to count on him pitching meaningful MLB innings in 2026. Even if he initially succeeds, I wonder how long that would last when big leaguers have the technology to take pregame practice swings against his unconventional release point. The key question is whether the Marlins have the ambition and resources to add multiple experienced arms to their bullpen this winter. It'd be far easier to stomach likely losing Kempner in the Rule 5 if it's part of the process to make room for trustworthy veterans. View full article
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We know that Joe Mack will be protected by the Miami Marlins prior to Tuesday's deadline for Rule 5 draft-eligible players. Nobody else in the organization should be considered a lock to receive the same treatment, but right-hander Josh White checks almost every box that a relief pitcher can. A fifth-round pick out of UC Berkeley in 2022, White has gradually gotten better and better and better. 2022 minor league stats (Rookie ball/Low-A): 6.55 ERA and 14.0 K-BB% in 11.0 IP 2023 MiLB stats (Low-A/High-A): 3.46 ERA and 11.2 K-BB% in 65.0 IP 2024 MiLB stats (High-A/Double-A): 3.02 ERA and 21.9 K-BB% in 59.2 IP 2025 MiLB stats (Double-A/Triple-A): 1.86 ERA and 32.1 K-BB% in 67.2 IP And those are only regular season stats—the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp won the Triple-A National Championship this year with the help of White's three scoreless innings in the playoffs. At various points during his professional career, White has struggled with his control and missing bats against left-handed opponents. In 2025, however, there were no holes in his game, as illustrated by Prospect Savant. White worked himself into favorable counts, induced chases outside the strike zone at an elite rate and rarely got barreled even when allowing contact. The 24-year-old dominated in all situations and was remarkably consistent—he recorded strikeouts in 42 of 45 appearances, and even on his worst days, he never allowed more than two runs. At 93.8 mph, White's four-seam fastball velocity is a couple ticks below the average for MLB righty relievers. He compensates for that with an outlier, over-the-top arm angle that would be higher than any other Marlins pitcher. About three-quarters of White's strikeouts in 2025 came via his slider. Due to his release point and the difficulty that batters have distinguishing it from his fastball, it was an ideal putaway pitch. According to the Marlins' propriety Stuff+ model, this slider was among the 20 best individual pitch types at any level of the organization. The Rule 5 draft was made for guys just like White who have demonstrated that they can pile up whiffs in the upper minors. Over the past three years, 80% of all selections during the draft's major league phase were pitchers, and most of them were deemed worthy of a pick despite being less effective and/or less durable than White. He has not been placed on the injured list since turning pro. I do not want to inflate expectations for Fish On First's No. 21 prospect. The correlation between MiLB reliever stats and MLB reliever stats isn't particularly strong. Also, big leaguers equipped with the most advanced technology and most experienced scouts may be able to quickly adjust to White's idiosyncrasies. He ought to get his feet wet in low-leverage situations and earn his manager's trust from there, just like a typical first-time call-up. But that's getting ahead of ourselves. The decision facing the Marlins next week is simply whether or not Josh White merits a 40-man roster spot. On a team with two current 40-man openings and the likes of Zach Brzykcy and Josh Simpson taking up space, White absolutely belongs.
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We know that Joe Mack will be protected by the Miami Marlins prior to Tuesday's deadline for Rule 5 draft-eligible players. Nobody else in the organization should be considered a lock to receive the same treatment, but right-hander Josh White checks almost every box that a relief pitcher can. A fifth-round pick out of UC Berkeley in 2022, White has gradually gotten better and better and better. 2022 minor league stats (Rookie ball/Low-A): 6.55 ERA and 14.0 K-BB% in 11.0 IP 2023 MiLB stats (Low-A/High-A): 3.46 ERA and 11.2 K-BB% in 65.0 IP 2024 MiLB stats (High-A/Double-A): 3.02 ERA and 21.9 K-BB% in 59.2 IP 2025 MiLB stats (Double-A/Triple-A): 1.86 ERA and 32.1 K-BB% in 67.2 IP And those are only regular season stats—the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp won the Triple-A National Championship this year with the help of White's three scoreless innings in the playoffs. At various points during his professional career, White has struggled with his control and missing bats against left-handed opponents. In 2025, however, there were no holes in his game, as illustrated by Prospect Savant. White worked himself into favorable counts, induced chases outside the strike zone at an elite rate and rarely got barreled even when allowing contact. The 24-year-old dominated in all situations and was remarkably consistent—he recorded strikeouts in 42 of 45 appearances, and even on his worst days, he never allowed more than two runs. At 93.8 mph, White's four-seam fastball velocity is a couple ticks below the average for MLB righty relievers. He compensates for that with an outlier, over-the-top arm angle that would be higher than any other Marlins pitcher. About three-quarters of White's strikeouts in 2025 came via his slider. Due to his release point and the difficulty that batters have distinguishing it from his fastball, it was an ideal putaway pitch. According to the Marlins' propriety Stuff+ model, this slider was among the 20 best individual pitch types at any level of the organization. The Rule 5 draft was made for guys just like White who have demonstrated that they can pile up whiffs in the upper minors. Over the past three years, 80% of all selections during the draft's major league phase were pitchers, and most of them were deemed worthy of a pick despite being less effective and/or less durable than White. He has not been placed on the injured list since turning pro. I do not want to inflate expectations for Fish On First's No. 21 prospect. The correlation between MiLB reliever stats and MLB reliever stats isn't particularly strong. Also, big leaguers equipped with the most advanced technology and most experienced scouts may be able to quickly adjust to White's idiosyncrasies. He ought to get his feet wet in low-leverage situations and earn his manager's trust from there, just like a typical first-time call-up. But that's getting ahead of ourselves. The decision facing the Marlins next week is simply whether or not Josh White merits a 40-man roster spot. On a team with two current 40-man openings and the likes of Zach Brzykcy and Josh Simpson taking up space, White absolutely belongs. View full article
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Next Tuesday is the 2025 Rule 5 draft protection deadline. In my career covering the Miami Marlins, there has never been a more obvious candidate to be protected than Joe Mack. That isn't to say that Mack's development journey has gone perfectly—if that were the case, he would already be in the major leagues. The 2021 MLB Draft pick was sidelined for the majority of the 2022 campaign due to hamstring injuries, then didn't hit a lick the following year despite being fully available (.218/.295/.287 slash line in 120 games at High-A). He briefly slipped off the Fish On First Top 30 prospects list during the 2023-24 offseason. Some highly regarded amateurs never recover from that kind of early-career adversity. Just look at the players selected by the Fish with top-50 overall picks in the 2018, 2019 and 2020 drafts (Mack was the 31st overall pick in his class). As a prep prospect who signed for $2.5 million, Mack was most comparable to Dax Fulton and Nasim Nuñez, both of whom were true borderline cases entering their respective Rule 5 deadlines. Drafted by Marlins with Top-50 Overall Picks, 2018-2020 Name Pick # Draft Year Rule 5 Year Protected? Max Meyer 3 2020 2023 Yes JJ Bleday 4 2019 2022 Yes Connor Scott 13 2018 2022 No Kameron Misner 35 2019 2022 No Dax Fulton 40 2020 2024 Yes Nasim Nuñez 46 2019 2023 No However, Mack sprung himself to prominence by the midpoint of the 2024 season. He hit 10 home runs during the month of June alone while being a 21-year-old at Double-A, and paired that power with MiLB Gold Glove Award-worthy defense behind the plate. It was apparent then that he had a rare skill set and exceptionally high floor. Mack's breakout coincided with dramatic changes to the Marlins front office. Inheriting such a talented catcher did not deter new president of baseball operations Peter Bendix from acquiring more candidates to fill the position long term. Bendix added Agustín Ramírez at the 2024 trade deadline and Liam Hicks during last year's Rule 5 draft. As rookies in 2025, they combined to start 120 MLB games at catcher, producing well enough that Mack wasn't called up to Miami despite excelling against Triple-A competition. But as the season progressed, Ramírez's receiving struggles and Hicks' limited power largely negated their redeeming qualities. Although both can meaningfully contribute to the Marlins in 2026 and beyond, neither of them profile as the primary catcher for a contending team. There is ample room for Mack in Miami. As of this writing, the Marlins 40-man roster consists of 38 players, with Ramírez and Hicks being the only catchers (and there being serious doubt about Ramírez's future at the position). Even if the Marlins don't intend to carry Mack on their Opening Day active roster, every other team with open 40-man spots happily would as part of the Rule 5 requirements. Whenever a consensus Top 100 MLB prospect like Mack winds up in this situation, you need to protect the asset. It is premature to anoint Mack as the Marlins' franchise catcher. Maybe severe injuries derail him, he fails to hit at the highest level or somebody else in the organization improves enough to surpass him on the depth chart. At least in those improbable scenarios, he could still be traded for talent that addresses other areas of the organization. That's preferable to a one-time $100,000 payment, which is all you get as compensation for losing a player in the major league phase of the Rule 5. There is a sizable gap in value between Mack and the rest of the Marlins' Rule 5-eligible players. Keep an eye out for articles analyzing the others who are worth considering for 40-man selections—they'll all be housed in FOF's Fish on the Farm section.
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During the GM Meetings in Las Vegas, Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix speaks with MLB Network's Brian Kenny about Gabe Kapler's promotion, Sandy Alcantara's future, Kyle Stowers' breakout and more. View full video
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- peter bendix
- sandy alcantara
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