Kevin Barral

MIAMI, FL — The Miami Marlins announced on Thursday a flurry of roster moves. Outfielder Owen Caissie is going on the 10-day injured list due to a right calf strain. The corresponding move for him was recalling outfielder Rece Hinds from Triple-A Jacksonville. Left-handed reliever John King will be going on the 15-day IL due to a left lateral ankle sprain and right-hander Ryan Gusto has been recalled. The Marlins also sent down righty reliever Zach Brzykcy to Jacksonville to make room for Janson Junk's return. Caissie, who has played in 80 games this season, started for Miami in right field on Wednesday night, but left after the top of the first inning, not taking an at-bat in the game. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough told reporters that "he started to kind of grab on it a little bit" when running during pregame warmups. "Not something we wanted to really take a chance on." After a slow start to the season, Caissie is now slashing .239/.297/.459/.755 with 12 home runs, 50 RBI and a 101 wRC+. Since the start of June, Caissie is hitting .243/.314/.568/.882 with seven home runs and 21 RBI. Caissie told the media at loanDepot park that it is something he had never felt before. This is only the second IL stint of his professional career. There should be a clearer timeline for his return once the Marlins receive the results of his imaging on Friday. As for Hinds, who the Marlins acquired back in May from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Zach McCambley, he has played in 51 games (28 with Jacksonville), slashing .265/.356/.508/.864 with 12 home runs, 33 RBI and a 124 wRC+. In his stint with the Marlins organization, he has struggled a bit, posting an 85 wRC+. Hinds last played at the major league Level on May 2 of this season, posting a -5 wRC+ in 12 games with the Reds. "Right-handed bat that can give us some options to start versus left or come off the bench," said McCullough. " He hits the ball incredibly hard and what intrigued about us is it's a young player that has some impact potential. The swing decisions being a big theme for him to work on." Part of the outfield shuffle will include even more Heriberto Hernández, who since returning from Triple-A has slashed .278/.333/.619/.952 with 12 home runs and 26 RBI. In the series finale against the Mariners, Hernández is hitting fifth as the designated hitter. Griffin Conine and Esteury Ruiz are the two other options that are going to get some more playing time. John King, who has been the Marlins' top left-handed reliever all season, suffered his injury while doing pitching drills in the outfield. The Marlins recalled Ryan Gusto to fill his active roster spot "Just went to go catch a ball and stepped awkwardly on the platforms out there and rolled his ankle pretty good," McCullough said. "It was looking like it was going to be at least a few days he wasn't going to be able to throw. With the All-Star break coming and the ability to build that in, hopefully it's not too long." King is eligible to be reinstated beginning on July 23. The lone lefty in the bullpen is now Cade Gibson, who in 16 appearances has a 6.00 ERA, but a 3.41 FIP. Since being recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville on May 20, Gibson has a 2.03 FIP. On Wednesday against the Mariners, Gibson tossed two shutout innings, striking out three. McCullough also mentioned Michael Petersen, Lake Bachar and Calvin Faucher as options who can get both right-handed and left-handed hitters out. "We have one lefty right now, and so if he's not available, we'll have to throw righties," McCullough said jokingly. "But I believe we have guys that are good enough to go get them out." The Marlins and Mariners wrap up their series on Thursday at 6:40 pm with Janson Junk taking the mound. It'll be his first MLB appearance since May 25. View full article

Acquired from Cincinnati earlier this season, Marlins outfielder Rece Hinds speaks with the media about receiving the call-up news and his early impressions of the organization. View full video

MIAMI, FL - Going into the 2026 season, Kyle Stowers was expected to be the Miami Marlins' biggest contributor offensively. He was coming off an All-Star season where he hit 25 home runs and posted a 149 wRC+. After a slow start to his season, Stowers is looking like the player we saw in 2025. He hit his 12th home run of the season in Wednesday's 2-0 win over the Seattle Mariners. Stowers missed almost all of spring training due to a hamstring issue, reaggravating it right before the season. Even after being reinstated from the injured list, he wasn't producing with only three home runs and a .663 OPS through 37 games. Those struggles were partially physical, but also mental as Stowers tried to replicate what he'd done in 2025. "Not giving myself enough grace for missing all the spring training," Stowers said. "Not having a ton of at-bats, trying to chase after what it looked like and what it felt like from last year. The reality of this league is that things change. You have to make adjustments, the league's making adjustments to you and what flipped for me, if I'm being honest with you was I kind of let go of trying to be the guy from last year that I was. What problems are being presented to me on a nightly basis and how can I respond to those and that kind of freed me up. My goal was to just get back to being a league-average player, not being .900 OPS Kyle Stowers, go be a league average player. I just want to be better tomorrow than I am today." Going into Wednesday, Stowers had returned to peak form over the previous 30 games, slashing .270/.358/.583/.941 with eight home runs and 29 RBI during that span. In the bottom of the second inning, he took Mariners starter George Kirby deep for a go-ahead solo home run. "He's been on one really since June," Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said of Stowers. "He's looked much like the All-Star of last year, and I think that we were all very confident that it was going to come around and he's coming at the right time. It's coming at a great time for our team, and happy for Kyle. Stubbed through a slower start after the setbacks, and he's playing at a really high level." Amid all the setbacks and struggles, the Marlins moved Stowers to first base, continuing their trend of maximizing positional versatility. After spending most of the 2025 season in left field—and even finishing as a National League Gold Glove finalist—the move was initially a surprising one. It didn't take long, however, for it to make perfect sense, thanks in large part to Stowers' strong play at the position. On Wednesday, he was put into some tough situations right away. In the top of the first inning, Randy Arozarena shot a 104.7 mph grounder to shortstop Otto Lopez that he had to quickly throw to Stowers. who had to quickly turn his glove to make the catch. In the same inning, Stowers stole a base hit from Josh Naylor to end the inning. "Felt like it might be worth the shot not knowing how the season might play out," McCullough said of the first base transition, which began in spring training. "It was pretty evident watching him just move around, how smoothly his hands were working that this had a chance to potentially be something. The more time he's gotten over there he's really taken to it." Entering Wednesday, Stowers hadn't quite graded out as an above-average first baseman, posting minus-1 Outs Above Average and minus-7 defensive runs saved. That's to be expected, though, as he continues to adjust to a new position. The eye test suggests the transition has gone much more smoothly than the metrics indicate, and as he gains more experience, the numbers may eventually reflect that as well. "I know I haven't played a lot there, but you want your infielders to feel comfortable throwing the ball across to you," Stowers said. "I just want to give my best effort every single time. We have a very talented infield, they don't need me to be elite over there at picking the ball, but the times when they have tougher plays, or there's a throw up, I do the best I can for them." Since the Marlins designated Christopher Morel for assignment and Liam Hicks landed on the injured list, Stowers has begun playing first base on a much more consistent basis, leading to plenty of what he describes as "unique plays." One of those plays came in Colorado. With runners in scoring position, Rockies outfielder Cole Carrigg attempted to steal second, but a late jump left him caught in a rundown. As the play unfolded, Hunter Goodman broke for home from third. Stowers quickly fired to the plate to cut him down, erasing the runner at home while allowing Carrigg to advance only to second. "Plays like that, where to line up on cuts and relays I think I'm still getting up to speed on. Trying my best to talk with Clayton Carson (Vitale) and (Blake Butler) as much as I can just to learn along the way. I want them to coach me hard with where to be in certain plays because I think with the way our roster is constructed right now, it makes it makes sense right now for me to be playing first." The second run of the ballgame was thanks to an Xavier Edwards RBI triple, his sixth of the season. Edwards six triples are a career high and it extended the Marlins MLB lead in triples to 23 on the year. Starting for the Marlins was Tyler Phillips, who went five shutout innings, allowing four hits and two walks. He also struck out three. With the win, the Marlins improved to 51-42, nine games over .500, and with the Philadelphia Phillies falling to the Cincinnati Reds, the Marlins now have the second National League Wild Card Spot. The Atlanta Braves defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates keeps them three games back of the NL East division lead. The Marlins go for the sweep on Thursday at 6:40 pm with Janson Junk making his first start off the injured list. View full article

MIAMI, FL — Of all the positives that you can mention during the Marlins three-city roadtrip, Jakob Marsee, who went 5-40 with one home run, was not one of them. Despite the struggles, he has been an everyday player. Even when he was hit in the knee during the final game of the roadtrip against the Athletics, he was back in the lineup hitting seventh on Tuesday night and he would be on the right side of luck, having a multi-hit performance and walking it off for the Marlins to defeat the Seattle Mariners, 6-5, reaching 50 wins on the season. "I just know I can help the team win and hate not playing," Marsee said postgame. "Our trainers do such a good job to help us get back on the field and everything throughout the game as well, so I just want to help the team win any way I can, and any chance I can be in the lineup I want to play." In the bottom of the 10th inning with runners on the corners and one out, Marsee hit a towering RBI single that he had originally thought was a home run, but as he said postgame, "we only needed a run." "We all know how much he's been grinding this year offensively, and to come through there in that spot and get himself in a good count, get a pitch elevated and drive it to the outfield, I know that had to feel good for him," manager Clayton McCullough said postgame. "We talk a lot about how much Marsee does within the game, and for him to come through offensively, couldn't be prouder of him. He just keeps hanging in there and came through." This season, Marsee is slashing .196/.318/.299/.617 with 5 home runs, 24 RBI, 18 stolen bases and a 77 wRC+. Although the numbers haven't been there offensively, Marsee has continued to provide a 12.6% walk rate, speed on the bases, and above average defense in center field. Those other parts of his game are the reason he is still at the Major League level. In terms of expected batting average (.218), he has been a bit unlucky, but he hasn't been hitting the ball as hard as last season. He went from a 41.4% hard hit rate in 2025 to 34.4% in 2026. "It's been tough," Marsee said. "This game is really frustrating. You feel like you do a lot of things right, and things don't go your way. Just a tough game in general. When you have a great group that makes it so much fun to come to the yard every day, they really have had my back the whole time, and we've been winning, so that's all I care about. I'm glad we've been winning games throughout the process." Miami at one point led this game 4-0, and with how the team was clicking, a shutout was in their future. Max Meyer made his second to last start before the break, going five innings, allowing two runs on four hits (one home run), two walks and struck out four. In the bottom of the fifth inning, he surrendered a home run to Cole Young, his 10th of the season, making it 4-2. Meyer, who is slated to start in Sunday's series finale against the Cleveland Guardians, will not pitch in the All-Star Game, but will go to Philadelphia and be part of all the festivities taking place. Major League Baseball made the official announcement prior to the game that Meyer, Jacob Misiorowski and Paul Skenes all will not pitch in the Midsummer Classic. The Marlins All-Star was not able to record an out in the top of the sixth inning, leaving the game with the bases loaded for Michael Petersen. The UK native went in there, induced a force out, struck out Cal Raleigh swinging, and induced another force out to get out of the inning unscathed. "Big Mike has been more than a key contributor, he's been a fantastic piece in our bullpen this year," McCullough said. "I've asked a lot from him in some really tight spots, coming in with a lot of runners on base, and today, bases loaded nobody out... You give up one run there, you're actually like, 'okay, that's most likely going to happen,' but Mike has just been filling it up with premium stuff and he's did it on the entire road trip, and really now through this run we've been having, we've leaned on him a lot and he's really performed." After Petersen, McCullough turned to John King, who in an inning of work surrendered one run on one hit. The one run he surrendered was actually given up by Calvin Faucher, who inherited a runner from King in the eighth . Faucher then hit J.P. Crawford, struck out Dominic Canzone swinging, surrendered an RBI double to Raleigh, and an RBI single to Josh Naylor, tying the game, 4-4. Faucher went on to throw a wild pitch with the bases loaded, bringing in the go-ahead run for the Mariners and allowing them to take a 5-4 lead in the top of the eighth. In the bottom of the inning, the Mariners brought in lefty Gabe Speier and Miami brought in Heriberto Hernandez to pinch hit for Griffin Conine. On the sixth pitch of the at-bat, Hernandez took Speier 422 feet deep to the left field concourse to tie the game, 5-5. For Hernandez, this was his 12th home run of the season, and his third pinch-hit home run. He is now tied with Justin Bour (2018) and Preston Wilson (1999) for the second-most pinch-hit home runs by a Marlins player in one season, trailing only Curtis Granderson’s four in 2019. Hernández's four career pinch-hit home runs are tied for the second-most in franchise history with Granderson, Wes Helms, and Cody Ross, trailing Bour's five. "Bert in ways is conducive for being a good pinch hitter," McCullough said... "He's got a short swing, got power, very aggressive and usually in pinch hitting, there's not a lot of time to try to work an at-bat. The deck is stacked against you, and to come up there, ready to hit, and he can hit velocity and some mistakes spin in the strike zone, seeing him do that versus left, it was a really good at-bat. It's not being lost how difficult it is, but I think Bert after a year plus of having done this with some regularity, is accustomed to what he needs to do to get himself prepared for that moment." The Mariners, who going into the series had a 3.55 ERA from their starting pitching, fifth best in MLB, saw starting pitcher Bryan Woo struggle. The Marlins offense, which has been red hot, tacked on four runs on nine hits (one home run). Owen Caissie got the scoring started in the bottom of the second inning with his 12th HR of the season. Caissie is now slashing .239/.297/.459/.756 with a 101 wRC+. He is one of four Marlins to have hit double-digit home runs. The struggling Jakob Marsee connected on a much needed RBI single in the bottom of the third, extending the Marlins lead, 3-0. A sacrifice fly from Kyle Stowers in the fourth inning made it a 4-0 lead. Behind the plate, Joe Mack continues to not only throw runners out, but now made a little bit of history. In the top of the fourth inning, Mack threw out Randy Arozarena for his 17th caught stealing of the season, tying him with Milwaukee Brewers backstop William Contreras for most in the majors. He would be the first Marlins catcher since Charles Johnson (1997) to lead the Majors in caught stealings. Johnson finished that season tied with Seattle's Dan Wilson and Pittsburgh's Jason Kendall. "It's no coincidence that our defense in a lot of ways has picked up since Joe's arrival," McCullough said. "We knew he had that type of pedigree and ability of throwing out runners. He had some great blocks as well with some runners on base." With the win, the Marlins improve to 50-42 on the season. The St. Louis Cardinals were swept in their doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers, falling two games behind Miami for the third National League Wild Card Spot. The Marlins now also find themselves three games back of the National League East division lead as the Braves have lost three straight games. First pitch with Tyler Phillips on the mound on Wednesday is at 6:40 pm EST. View full article

For the 2026 season, Fish On First will provide weekly reports on the Miami Marlins farm system, covering all levels. This is the final check-in we'll be doing before the All-Star break arrives. This report covers the games played from June 30-July 6. Triple-A Jacksonville Kemp Alderman continues to have a strong season in Triple-A, now slashing .301/.377/.515/.892 with 12 home runs, 33 RBI and a 135 wRC+. Having added the ability to play first base on top of his corner outfielder background, Alderman would already be playing in the big leagues for many other organizations. However, the Marlins continue to get excellent offensive production from those positions. Don't forget about Deyvison De Los Santos, who already debuted this season. De Los Santos hit a home run in back-to-back games to finish the week and is riding a five-game hit streak for the Jumbo Shrimp. He is now slashing .271/.322/.438/.761 with nine home runs, 40 RBI, 11 stolen bases and a 101 wRC+. The biggest improvement by far is his career-low 19.0% strikeout rate. More than two months since getting sent down, Agustín Ramírez is slashing .252/.327/.457/.784 with seven home runs, 25 RBI, 11 stolen bases and a 106 wRC+. He is striking out 21.1% of the time while walking 8.8%. The last time Marlins manager Clayton McCullough was on Fish Unfiltered, he said that the organization had begun to consider moving Ramirez to first base, but that has yet to happen in a game itself. Ramirez has allowed 40 stolen bases while throwing out 10 and has seven passed balls plus 11 errors so far in Triple-A. The defense behind the plate is not getting much better for him. Since being optioned himself, Connor Norby has played in six games (four starts), slashing .333/.417/.381/.798 with three RBI. He has not played first base in any game—only third base and second base once. On the mound, it's been all downhill for Karson Milbrandt since his scoreless Triple-A debut. Most recently on Saturday, he allowed five runs on six hits, walked three and failed to record a strikeout. In five Triple-A starts, the Futures Game representative has a 4.15 ERA, 4.71 FIP, 7.89 K/9 and 8.31 BB/9. Milbrandt has now walked three or more hitters in every start since arriving to Jacksonville. Jack Ralston continues to be a steady force in the Jacksonville bullpen, now posting a 1.18 ERA, 3.84 FIP, 11.04 K/9 and 3.74 BB/9 in 45 ⅔ innings pitched. Ralston, who the Marlin signed to the minor league deal back in the offseason, made a strong impression during spring training, but did not make the Opening Day roster. He continues to wait his turn even as injuries have opened up bullpen spots for the likes of Cade Gibson, Tyler Zuber and Zach Brzykcy. In his last four starts with Jacksonville, Braxton Garrett has only two walks and has struck out 27. It's a dramatic change from what he showed during a brief stint in the Marlins rotation. Garrett now has a 1.55 ERA, 4.06 FIP, 9.70 K/9 and 3.52 BB/9 in 12 starts with Jacksonville. The Marlins don't yet seem convinced that he'd be an upgrade to their rotation, and now with Janson Junk closing in on his return from the injured list, it's unclear if another big league opportunity will open for him this season. Double-A Pensacola It was an eventful week for Pensacola who waited out some long rain delays and postponements and took part in some brouhaha in their penultimate game, which resulted in six ejections and a possible suspension. Overall, pitching struggled for the Wahoos as they dropped five of six games to Rocket City. We're running out of adjectives to describe what Cam Cannarella is doing. Another week, another standout effort: 6-for-17, two solo homers and a double. The 22-year-old, largely scouted as hit over power, is now slugging .599 on the year. He’s hit all eight of his Double-A home runs in a 14-game span. What’s arguably most impressive about Cannarella’s added power is that it’s not fluky whatsoever. When he goes pull side, he hits no-doubters, but he’s also showing a penchant for frequenting his opposite field. A generous plate coverage bat already, this addition of power could not be going any more advantageously for Cannarella. Not sacrificing patience and swing decisions, he’s turning in to a complete offensive weapon. All of this is happening while he is playing a plus-plus center field, as evidenced by his latest acrobatic catch this week. This is a breakout on another level. With continued production, Cannarella should be considered the favorite to be the Marlins’ starting center fielder in 2027. One pitcher who didn’t struggle for Pensacola this week was Eliazar Dishmey. After a one-inning rain-shortened start on Thursday, the righty responded on Sunday with his best outing at the Double-A level, pitching into the seventh inning on just three hits. He did not allow a hit until his final frame. Dishmey struck out eight, and perhaps most encouraging of all, did not walk a batter (he had walked a season-high six in his start the previous week). It was a rude welcome to the high minors for the 21-year-old, who is playing against competition over three years older than him on average, but Dishmey showcased the maturity and ability necessary to adjust back to far more advanced hitters. This start proved that, when commanding, his deep arsenal is capable of dominating Double-A bats. Dishmey used his entire five-pitch arsenal well, keeping guys off balance and proving he can get whiffs with any of his offerings. He featured three different out pitches, recording strikeouts with fastball, slider and curveball. The improvement of the slider has been a key cog in Dishmey’s development this season as he’s shown the ability to throw the pitch with high spin and late break to his spot. It also features some sharp downward actions, allowing him to throw it outside of the zone for uncompetitive whiffs. Dishmey can also change speeds and eye levels well, particularly with his heater which he can ramp up to 97 mph or take something off of to dip down into the low 90s. A crafty pitcher with a still-developing four-pitch mix, he can get guys out in a variety of ways. Command will need to consist for Dishmey to remain effective, but at just 21 already succeeding at Double-A, he has a high floor. After the likes of Thomas White and Karson Milbrandt, this is one of the next best pitchers in the Marlins’ system. High-A Beloit Beloit battled through a suspended game and a postponement at home against South Bend but was able to kick off July in a very positive fashion, taking five of six games against the Cubs for their second straight series win. Pitching was the key for the Sky Carp as they tossed three shutouts. As a team, they allowed just over 20 runs over the six game set. Beloit is 11-6 in their last 17 games. After a delayed start to his career due to a season-ending injury in 2024 and having to be built back up during the first half of 2025, Aiden May is quietly putting everything together in Beloit. Early-season flashes in between struggles with control and command are turning into consistency for the 23-year-old. Since his second start of May, the righty has been turning in quality results that equate to 23 ⅔ innings and four earned runs (1.55 ERA). May’s latest export was his second quality start of the season and first since April 19. Over six frames, he allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out four. Most encouraging of all for May was his ability to command all four quadrants of the strike zone and induce regular weak contact, including eight ground ball outs. It has been very refreshing to see May start to round into form but what is even more remarkable is how much further he could possibly go. With a fantastic pure stuff profile including a sinking fastball that can touch 98 mph and a fantastic sweeping slider that holds astounding horizontal movement, the 6’1”, 196-pounder’s profile, career arch and development so far are all akin to Max Meyer who the Marlins fully unlocked this year and turned into a top-of-the-rotation starter. To stick as a starter, the persistent harnessing of his control and command as well as the further development of a third-pitch changeup which has flashed plus already this year, will be key. Because of the already plus-plus two-pitch combo, May at the least could be a very solid multiple-inning reliever, providing him with a high floor. That same stuff profile gives him a pretty solid ceiling as a mid-back-end-rotational starter if everything works out. For now, the Marlins have to be very pleased with how May is starting to project. Another early-round Marlins pick starting to turn heads is Carter Johnson, Miami’s second-rounder in 2024. It was an uninspiring start for the high schooler who was assigned to full-season ball right out of the draft and continued there for all of 2025. In his first 134 games as a pro, Johnson was humbled to the tune of a .186 batting average and 174/54 K/BB. Johnson returned to Jupiter to begin 2026, where he finally found success against Florida State League pitching. In 63 games, he slashed .243/.355/.426. With improved plate discipline and swing selections, Johnson held down a 79/39 K/BB, spurring his promotion to High-A. With the Sky Carp, his success has permeated. In his first nine games in Beloit, Johnson is slashing .314/.400/.714. This past week, he earned our Prospect of the Week honors by going 8-for-19 with three long balls. Along with his much enhanced timing and temperament at the plate, Johnson has exhibited a much shorter swing. This has allowed him to get his bat on many more pitches, particularly pitches on his inside that would previously tie him up in knots. Closing that hole in his approach has allowed Johnson to make the most of quick hands and come by some pretty good power numbers. Previously a very easy matchup, he is quickly becoming a tough out. Johnson looked fine as a shortstop with Jupiter but with Beloit, he’s spent all but two games at third base. He’s looked fine there as well, particularly showing off solid arm strength. Low-A Jupiter One prospect who continues to shine at the Low-A level is infielder Echedry Vargas, who is slashing .300/.353/.502/.855 with eight home runs, 36 RBI and a 126 wRC+. The Marlins acquired Vargas as the main piece in a trade with the Texas Rangers sending Jake Burger to the Lone Star State. After struggles at the High-A level, the Marlins demoted the 21-year-old to Low-A, where he seemingly has shown plenty of improvements. As nice as it is to see Vargas surge offensively, it's hard to believe in him as a long-term contributor until he gets tested at High-A again.. After a strong start for Luis León, he is now slashing .273/.314/.364/.678 with one home run, six RBI and an 85 wRC+. An international signing out of Cuba in 2024, Leon struggled in 2025, but after repeating the FCL to begin 2026, he had a 106 wRC+ in 34 games before being promoted to Jupiter. Between both levels, he is slashing .254/.362/.420/.782 with four home runs, 23 RBI, 24 stolen bases and a 102 wRC+. His FCL numbers carry that slash line for the most part. Left-hander Elier Morillo appeared in one game against Dunedin, where he went 1 ⅔ shutout innings, striking out four and only allowing one walk. Fish On First recently spoke to Morillo in detail about his development with the Marlins org. Overall, he now has a 4.30 ERA, 3.99 FIP, 17.49 K/9 and 7.06 BB/9. Despite almost always working in relief, he ranks fifth on the Hammerheads with 57 total strikeouts. FCL Marlins Yohanfer Santana has struggled with command throughout his career, walking 62 batters in 60 innings. That's a common profile at the lower levels of the Marlins system. On the other hand, he possesses some of the best strikeout stuff you'll find. This year in the FCL, Santana owns a 15.0 K/9. His H/9 is down by more than a hit compared to last year, but the walks continue to hold him back, as he owns a career 9.30 BB/9 in the minors. This week he showed a glimpse of his potential, throwing two innings while striking out five, walking none, and hitting one batter. Santana is still just 20 years old, and the raw stuff is there. However, with this being his fourth professional season and the command still not taking a step forward, it will be interesting to see what the organization's plan is moving forward. John Cruz is riding an eight-game hitting streak dating back to June 19 and has raised his season average to .295. His .495 slugging percentage is nearly double what it was last year, while his .890 OPS is approaching the level he reached during his breakout season in the Yankees organization in 2023. This is the version of John Cruz the Marlins believed they were acquiring in 2024. Adrian Bello is putting together another nice season in the FCL after breaking out in the DSL last year. He is hitting .295 with seven doubles, one home run, and 16 RBIs. He has also shown a disciplined approach at the plate, walking 15 times while striking out just 16. He is currently riding a four-game hitting streak and has recorded a hit in seven of his last eight games. His consistency has been one of the more encouraging developments in the FCL lineup, and he continues to make a strong case for a promotion later this season. DSL Marlins & DSL Miami Evan Da Souza continues to impress across the board. Through the first month of the DSL season, the 16-year-old owns a 2.03 ERA. In 13⅓ innings, he has allowed just six hits and three earned runs. This past week he continued that trend, throwing three innings while allowing one hit, one run, and striking out five. He has walked 17 batters in those 13⅓ innings, but when he is in the zone, he is nearly unhittable. At just 16 years old, it's not a matter of if, but when. Carlos Ochoa is quite the opposite of most pitchers in the DSL. In 8⅓ innings this season, he has walked just three batters while striking out 11. This past week he struck out five over two innings while allowing just one walk. In 30 innings last year, he walked 22 batters, so the improvement is clearly there. At 19 years old, he could be knocking on the door of a stateside debut. Through five starts, Ricardo Morel—no relation to Christopher—has put together a solid season. In 14 innings pitched, he owns a 3.86 ERA while striking out 22 batters. This past week he turned in another strong outing, throwing four scoreless innings with six strikeouts and one walk. The biggest things to watch are the walks and the lack of ground balls he's generating. He has walked 13 batters in those 14 innings, and his GO/AO ratio sits at just 0.12. According to MiLB.com, he is averaging 21 pitches per inning, so if the command improves, the results should take another step forward across the board. Bayant Melo has made the report in back-to-back weeks as he continues to put together the best season of his professional career. This week he added three more scoreless innings while striking out four. The command is still a little shaky, but what a bounce-back year it has been for him. Daniel Peña made his professional debut this week and looked like he hadn't missed a beat. He went 4-for-7 (.571) with a couple of RBIs and a pair of stolen bases. All four hits were singles, but it's encouraging to see him get comfortable immediately. What's better than a week with one home run for the 17-year-old? A week with two. Santiago Solarte launched two more home runs this week, bringing his season total to four. He is off to a 4-for-10 (.400) start in July and has already stolen five bases this month, giving him 21 on the year. Defense remains the glaring weakness for him, as he has committed 15 errors this season, including 12 in just 106⅓ innings at shortstop. This week's schedule Triple-A Jacksonville vs. Durham Double-A Pensacola vs. Montgomery High-A Beloit at Wisconsin Low-A Jupiter vs. St. Lucie FCL Marlins, DSL Marlins and DSL Miami against various opponents View full article

Major League Baseball announced the 2026 MLB All-Star Game rosters on Saturday night. For the first time since 2023, multiple Miami Marlins players have made the National League roster: shortstop Otto Lopez and right-hander Max Meyer. It’s the first career selection for both of them. Lopez, who was acquired via waivers from the San Francisco Giants in 2024, now becomes the first All-Star Marlins shortstop since Hanley Ramírez (2010). He also joins Álex González (1999) and Édgar Rentería (1998) as the fourth different Marlins shortstop to make the All-Star game. Lopez has been the best acquisition of the Peter Bendix era thus far, amounting 10.5 bWAR in parts of three seasons to easily lead all Marlins players in the category. This season alone, Lopez already has 4.1 bWAR, which is fifth-most by a Marlins shortstop in a single season behind four different Hanley Ramírez seasons. In 87 games this season, Lopez is slashing .337/.368/.493/.861 with seven home runs, 37 RBI, 17 stolen bases and a 135 wRC+. Lopez leads MLB in batting average and hits. He also is tied for second in doubles (23), tied for third in triples (five) and ranks sixth among National League hitters in total bases (171). Amongst all shortstops, Lopez ranks first in OPS (.861), second in on base percentage (.368) and fourth in stolen bases (17). Lopez also set the franchise record for most multi-hit games (37) before the All-Star break, surpassing Miguel Cabrera. The Marlins selected Meyer with the third overall pick in the 2020 draft out of the University of Minnesota. After battling multiple injuries that have kept him off the field and struggling even when he was healthy, Meyer has taken a huge leap in 2026, posting a 2.53 ERA, 3.45 FIP, 9.79 K/9 and 3.15 BB/9 in 18 starts (103.0 IP). Meyer had a 9-0 record prior to his last outing, tying Liván Hernández (1997) for the best start to a season in Marlins history. He set a club record for longest undefeated streak by a starter in a single season. A main reason for Meyer's success was the addition of a sweeper and sinker to his arsenal. The sweeper, which is now his most-used pitch (30.8%), has a plus-four run value, generating 38.2% of his strikeouts. The sweeper has been a good compliment to his already nasty slider, which has a plus-nine run value. Meyer becomes the fourth first-round pick in franchise history to be named an All-Star while with the Marlins, joining Charles Johnson, José Fernández and Trevor Rogers. He also becomes the 11th different Marlins starter to be named an All-Star and the first since Sandy Alcantara in 2022. The Midsummer Classic will take place at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies, on Tuesday, July 14. View full article

After being considered behind the times compared to other major league organizations, the Miami Marlins have invested heavily in player development in recent years. That includes opening a new academy in the Dominican Republic to serve their international signings. They are just beginning to see results in players like 20-year-old left-handed pitcher Elier Morillo. Morillo, who signed out of the DR back in 2023 for $100k, idolized Clayton Kershaw growing up because of how he played the game, but later on, he began to watch a lot of Cristopher Sánchez, trying to emulate the Phillies starting pitcher. He was expected to sign with the Baltimore Orioles initially before some talks with the agency of his training academy led him to the Marlins instead. Morillo spent his first three professional years down in the Dominican. He pitched in 2023 and 2025, but missed all of 2024 rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Wakeup time is at 7:00 a.m. at the Marlins' academy, Morillo explains, and depending what time of the year it is, their schedule is different. Usually, when games aren't going on, they go to training soon after waking up, they go through defensive drills and after they go to the gym. They wrap their day up with English class at around 4:00 pm, they wrap up their day. "It helped me be a better person, better professional and a better player," Morillo told Fish On First in Spanish. "I went into the academy with little experience compared to what I walked out with. I walked out of there as a new person with tons of experience." As is the case for many others who were not born in the United States, transitioning to stateside life was "a bit tough" for Morillo. He was initially not a fan of the food available to him and at times would skip meals because he could not find something he liked. During his most recent stint in the Dominican Summer League, Morillo posted a 3.23 ERA, 2.96 FIP, 15.85 K/9 and 4.70 BB/9 in 30 ⅔ innings pitched in 2025. Going into 2026, Morillo's goal was simple: Have a strong spring training and try to begin at the highest level possible. "When I saw that the rosters were posted, I saw some players who were a bit down and some excited," Morillo said. "When I saw the Jupiter roster and saw that I wasn't there, I wasn't fazed by it and told myself that we are going to continue to work hard in extended spring training and when the FCL season starts, to have very little outings so I can get to Low-A. After throwing a bullpen in back-to-back days, I was getting out of the gym and I ran into our pitching coordinator and he tells me that I have been promoted to Jupiter." In 13 appearances (one start) this season for Morillo, he has a 4.30 ERA and 4.20 FIP. Most notably, he has struck out 42.2% of total batters faced, the highest rate in the entire Marlins organization (min. 20 IP). He wants to reach 100 strikeouts and is currently at 57. One of the main issues for Morillo have been the walks, which is something he admits he needs to improve on. Morillo has a four-pitch mix: four-seam fastball (63.7%), sweeper (20.3%), changeup (9.2%) and recently added gyro slider (6.8%). "When there is a left-handed hitter, I know he has no chance because the pitching coach will signal three straight fastballs and I will throw them with confidence, if he hits it or not," Morillo said. "I am also very confident in my defense, but I like to get outs on my own, striking guys out." Morillo says that his fastball has plenty of ride. It also averages 93.8 mph and in his most recent appearance on Thursday, it topped out at 96.0 mph. His best pitch is his sweeper, which happens to be his second-most-used pitch behind his fastball. It's got a 109 plus stuff and generates a 42.9% whiff rate. He said that the sweeper is a pitch that he has a lot of confidence in, where he can throw it behind the count to get back in at-bats. Morillo uses his changeup against right-handed hitters. Finally, the gyro slider, a new addition to his arsenal, has graded out well so far, with a 102 stuff plus rating. It averages 83.1 mph. Morillo who admitted the pitch isn't where it should be yet, has allowed a 75% hard-hit rate when using it. "They told me that for me to be a starter with a good arsenal, I needed to add a pitch that I can play off between the sweeper and fastball," Morillo said. "I can throw the gyro at about 87-88 mph. Little by little, I am getting the hang of it. I don't have a lot of confidence in it right now because I don't dominate with that pitch. I have allowed hits with it because I leave it hanging in the zone, but little by little I am going to begin getting the hang of that pitch." Morillo is part of a larger experiment. The Marlins under president of baseball operations Peter Bendix use "pitch design" sessions instead of bullpen session and call pitches from the dugout during games. These processes have been implemented from the Dominican Republic up through the majors. "The first time I saw the pitch design was 2024 in the Dominican Republic before I underwent my surgery," Morillo said. "I personally thought it was a good idea because you have the same system in a bullpen as in a game. What you do in the bullpen, you take to the game. You don't throw the pitch design with the same intensity, but you try to locate your pitches better, work on a specific pitch better, see the weakness of an opposing hitter and find the strike zone more." Morillo described calling pitches from the dugout as a good transition because of his relationship with pitching coach in the DSL. His numbers in 2025 back up what the Marlins are trying to do as well. Although his potential call-up is still years away, it is a thought that crosses Morillo's mind, calling it "the best news that I can receive." "It's a dream I've had since I was a kid," Morillo said. "Right now, what I hope is that I can stay healthy so I can continue to do my job on the field and just have fun." View full article