Kevin Barral

JUPITER, FL—Last spring, Graham Pauley was easy to overlook in Miami Marlins camp. Although he posted a solid slash line of .286/.355/.429/.784 in exhibition games and ultimately made the Opening Day roster, Pauley wasn't thought of as a key piece of the team's long-term plan. That perception change towards the end of the 2025 season. In his final 34 games, Pauley slashed .238/.358/.450/.808 with four home runs and six RBI. Throughout the season overall, he posted plus-six outs above average and plus-three defensive runs saved in 52 games at third base. "I think the defense took a big step from where I've been in the past," Pauley told Fish On First in an exclusive interview. "I think going into this spring, I was able to build up to some stuff in the offseason and continue to work at that. I think the defense is in a great spot and then offensively, I felt like I did a lot of good things to my swing. Just looking back at the second half of last year, I think I've worked on a lot of stuff and then continue to build on that and hopefully have success." Following the season, Pauley trained at Movement Performance and Sports Medicine in Atlanta and made plenty of changes, including in his setup where he is "starting the hands a bit lower." That leads to a more vertical swing, "allowing me to create more space and stay more towards the pitcher with all my force, instead of just turning off balls and being late." "Also just how my bat's going to the zone," said Pauley. "I feel like my bat is starting in the zone and also going a lot further, allowing me to get to more pitches and stay on pitches for longer. I think those are gonna help with time. I took some at-bats before coming here, and then we'll get a bunch here, so it'll be good to work on that kind of approach in spring training." Pitchers and catchers reported to the Jupiter Academy on Wednesday. Pauley is at camp early along with them as he has to compete for the third base job, but comes into camp with "a little more confidence." "Coming in this year, I feel a lot more ready to just compete early on in spring and really focusing in on those games, treating them just like a real game as much as possible and put good at-bats together and play good defense." Pauley received an extended opportunity at the major league level because Connor Norby was sidelined by various injuries. He will be fighting for the starting third base job as well. Pauley's attention is only on controlling what he can control. "Just come in here and work on the stuff I've been working on the offseason," Pauley said. "Did the work with some of the new hitting and infield coaches, so decided to work with those guys and not put too much pressure or anything on anything. Just go out there, compete, have fun, and continue to work on that stuff." Towards the end of the 2025 season, the Marlins experimented with Pauley by playing him at first base for five games (three starts). "I think I'm athletic enough that I can do that without focusing on those other positions," Pauley said. "I think I can just go over there in a pinch, but I think the goal right now is to just focus at third and to get better there." The Marlins' full-squad report date is set for Monday. Principal owner Bruce Sherman and president of baseball operations Peter Bendix will address the local media that morning. View full article

JUPITER, FL—Day two of Miami Marlins spring training from the Jupiter Academy featured Sandy Alcantara and Thomas White taking the mound and facing hitters. Alcantara, who is entering his ninth season with the organization, debuted his new sweeper in a pitch design session. He threw it about nine times. Why such an emphasis on the sweeper when he already has a deep arsenal to work with? "Because I throw hard, and everything I throw is hard," Alcantara said. "So me and (pitching coach Daniel) Moskos had a conversation last year about that. We needed a big break more and more slow, and finally we got it, so hopefully we do a good job throwing it." Following the pitch design, Alcantara went to hitters for feedback and they said the pitch looked "great." Likely to be named the Opening Day starter for the Marlins, Alcantara will first make his way back down to loanDepot park and represent the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. WBC participants have helped each other ramp up for the tournament by reporting to the Academy early. That includes Venezuela's Javier Sanoja, who faced Alcantara. "Before I took the mound today, I asked Moskos, 'Hey, is Sanoja here?' He said, 'No, but I can get him for you.' So okay, just put him out there. I know he's very aggressive. Maybe he can get an at-bat in the WBC, so let's see what happens." Midway through the at-bat, Moskos yelled "DR 1-0," and Alcantara threw his sweeper, which landed in for a strike. White is the consensus top prospect in the organization and a first-time non-roster invitee to big league camp at age 21. He faced four hitters. The goal for the talented left-hander is to put himself out there and talk to as many guys as he can and soak up information. "Any pitcher," said White when asked if there was anyone specifically he wanted to spend time with. "I also want to talk to some hitters about approach stuff. I threw some live BP's this offseason and Sal Frelick was one of the hitters, and I loved talking to him because he know the zone so well, and his approach is so good that it's good as a pitcher to know what hitters are taking, see if you can outsmart them or use them." White is spring training roommates with Robby Snelling, Fish On First's number three prospect. White describes him as a cheat sheet for his development because the 22-year-old Snelling has "done pretty much everything that I've done a year ahead of me." Making 21 starts across three minor league levels, White had an outstanding 2025 season overall, posting a 2.31 ERA and 2.27 FIP. However, battling through a back issue, his walk rate spiked to 17.6% over his final six starts (compared to 11.6% in all of his previous outings combined). "I just think I wasn't pitching like myself," White said. "My mechanics weren't really where I wanted them to be, not staying through the ball. It made the sweeper really good, but everything else—and especially the command—was affected a little bit." During the offseason, White made mechanical adjustments, increasing his stride length. In limited Triple-A action last September, he averaged only six feet of extension, but currently, he is around 6.8 feet and has maxed out at 7.1 feet. The key now for White in that aspect is consistency. Additional Notes - Manager Clayton McCullough said that Braxton Garrett touched 95 mph in his live BP session on Wednesday. "Yesterday was to try to mimic a little bit more of the first time of getting loose, sitting down and then go out there and kind of simulate what it would feel like to start a game," McCullough said. - On Monday, Andrew Nardi threw a pitch design, two sets of 15 pitches. "Sat 91 mph which is great for me, especially in a bullpen," said Nardi. "I sat down for five minutes and came back out. Was a little stiff, but kind of what everybody was expecting. Haven't done that in over a year." The next step for Nardi is to throw live BP at some point next week. - In addition to Alcantara and White, the following players threw pitch designs on Thursday: Janson Junk, Ryan Gusto, Robby Snelling, Lake Bachar, Tyler Zuber, Josh Simpson, Adam Mazur, Justin King, Karson Milbrandt and Garrett Acton. - Still no word from McCullough regarding which pitcher will start the spring opener on February 21. View full article

Top-ranked Marlins prospect left-hander Thomas White speaks with the media about learning from big leaguers in camp and the mechanical adjustments he's made entering 2026. View full video

Fish On First shows you the dramatic transformation to the Marlins' side of the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium complex entering the 2026 season. View full video

JUPITER, FL—The Miami Marlins adjusted their approach to spring training in 2025, putting their players in competitive environments from day one. That has carried over into 2026. With pitchers and catchers reporting to camp for the first time on Wednesday, left-hander Braxton Garrett was thrown into the fire despite missing all of last year recovering from elbow UCL surgery. He was among a small group of Marlins pitchers who threw live batting practice sessions. Garrett hasn't appeared in a major league game since early in the 2024 season. In seven starts, he posted a 5.35 ERA, 3.82 FIP, 8.27 K/9 and 0.97 BB/9. The long layoff has been "tough," he admitted to the media on Wednesday morning, "but as I've said a couple times, my teammates, just being around in Miami, the new facilities we have down there really made it a lot easier. My (physical therapist), Mike Chamberlain, really made it easy for me. Worked with me on a schedule that was comfortable for me...Thanks to the organization, it wasn't as bad as it could be." Agustín Ramírez caught Garrett and the opposing batters were Graham Pauley, Liam Hicks, Javier Sanoja and Connor Norby. "I was talking to him after and was just telling him to continue going through the process and he's looking really good," Ramírez said, noting that the 28-year-old used most of his pitch mix, including his changeup, slider and cutter. "He went through a lot last year, trying to come back, and it's good seeing him back on the mound," Pauley said. "It looks good and ready to compete." Although Garrett has been in the Marlins organization for a while and showed he could hold up as a quality starter for a full-length season in 2023, he believes nothing is "going to be handed to me." He feels like he needs to earn back his spot in the rotation. "I worked really hard this offseason," Garrett said. "I'm really excited. Here to compete, do the best I can and help the team the best I can." Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez and newly signed Chris Paddack are viewed as locks for the Marlins Opening Day rotation. That leaves Garrett battling with the likes of Max Meyer, Janson Junk, Robby Snelling, Adam Mazur and others for the two unclaimed spots. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough considered this "an exciting day" for both Garrett and lefty reliever Andrew Nardi on their journey to re-establish themselves coming off injuries. "We'll just go from each outing they have and see how those two in particular just continue to respond, recover and help us map out and guide what's next." Additional Notes - Outside of Garrett, Max Meyer, Cade Gibson and Josh Ekness also threw live BP sessions. Nardi, Tyler Phillips, Zach Brzykcy and Nigel Belgrave each threw pitch design sessions. - Every Marlins pitcher and catcher reported on Wednesday except for Calvin Faucher, who is awaiting the verdict of his arbitration hearing. McCullough expects him in camp this weekend. - The workload for World Baseball Classic participants will be different. "We'll ramp them up here early in camp and not try to push the gas too much because what's coming," McCullough said. - Outside of the WBC position players, some notables who have reported early are Xavier Edwards, Graham Pauley, Griffin Conine, Connor Norby, Maximo Acosta, Daniel Johnson, Dillon Lewis, Brendan Jones, Fenwick Trimble, Andrew Pintar and Kemp Alderman. - Following the workout, the Marlins reached an agreement with left-handed reliever(!!!) John King on a one-year, $1.5M deal. View full article

Beginning his second season on the job, Marlins manager Clayton McCullough speaks to the media on the first day of spring training, describing his pitching staff as the backbone of the 2026 team. View full video

Marlins left-hander Braxton Garrett speaks to the media on the first day of spring training about the team's much-improved spring training facilities and how he hopes to reclaim his starting rotation spot. View full video

New Marlins right-hander Bradley Blalock speaks to the media on the first day of spring training about expanding his arsenal and coming to a more pitcher-friendly environment. View full video

MIAMI—Josh White is coming off of a dominant season, posting a 1.86 ERA, 1.65 FIP, 14.23 K/9 and 3.06 BB/9 in 67 ⅔ innings between Double-A and Triple-A. The homegrown Miami Marlins reliever was on the mound when the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp clinched the 2025 International League championship. Now, White looks to go into his first big league spring training and potentially break camp with the Fish. "Very excited to be here and grateful for the opportunity," White told Fish On First in an exclusive interview at Friday's Marlins Media Day. "Being in minor league camp for three years is definitely exciting. I backed up a game last year. I was around (the big league side) a little bit, but everything is new here." White, 25, missed the original phone call informing him that he was selected to the 40-man roster because he was working out. It wasn't until a couple minutes later that he called them back and received the news from Marlins director of player development Rachel Balkovec and director of minor league operations Hector Crespo. "I called them right back, talked to Rachel and Hector, so it was a good call and it made my day for sure," White said. In Pensacola, White had a 1.27 ERA and 1.03 FIP in 28 ⅓ innings pitched, striking out 15.88 batters per nine. In Jacksonville, although the ERA (2.29) and FIP (2.10) ticked up, he was walking fewer guys (2.52 BB/9) than he had in AA. Prior to 2025, his MiLB career averages were a 3.52 ERA, 3.94 FIP and 4.44 BB/9. White attributes the breakout year to "just knowing what my strengths are and utilizing that, going after guys directly at all times in the count and then just trying to rack up punchouts as I can." One of the nastiest pitches in the Marlins organization is White's curveball, which generated a 59% whiff rate last season and was given a 65 grade by Baseball America. "It comes out of my slot and I am able to throw it hard," he said. "The harder it is, the less loopy it gets, the less it pops. It plays off the fastball well." White has also developed a 60-grade slider, which helps him neutralize left-handed batters. "The slider was a new add this year that was definitely refined through (Jerad) Eickhoff in Double-A and then (Robbie) Marcello in Triple-A." Marcello has since been promoted to Marlins assistant pitching coach. "I texted him right when I found out. Super happy for the guy. We worked well together last year and exciting to keep working with him here." History says that White will probably head back to Jacksonville following spring training. The last reliever with zero MLB service time to break camp and make the Marlins Opening Day roster was Zach Pop in 2021, who was under Rule 5 draft pick restrictions. But with nothing left to prove against MiLB competition and the Fish attacking 2026 with a sense of "urgency," in the words of manager Clayton McCullough, maybe White could force the issue and earn a spot right away. View full article

Just two days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Jupiter, the Miami Marlins have signed right-handed pitcher Chris Paddack to a one-year deal worth $4M, with $500k in incentives. Jon Heyman of the New York Post was to report the news and Fish On First was able to confirm it. Paddack, 30, is someone that all Marlins fans are familiar with. He was selected by the team in the eighth round of the 2015 MLB Draft, but was later traded in 2016 to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Fernando Rodney. Paddack is now a seven-year major league veteran, but his best overall season remains his rookie campaign with the Padres in 2019 where he posted a 3.33 ERA, 3.95 FIP, 9.79 K/9 and a 1.98 BB/9 in 140 ⅔ innings pitched. He has never been able to replicate those numbers. In 2022, the Padres traded Paddack to the Minnesota Twins along with Emilio Pagán for Taylor Rogers, Brent Rooker and cash. Injuries continued to limit his production, including the second Tommy John surgery on his professional career. Last season, Paddack threw a career-high 158 innings, posting a 5.35 ERA, 5.01 FIP, 6.38 K/9 and 2.11 BB/9. He was traded to the Detroit Tigers at the deadline along with reliever Randy Dobnak in exchange for catcher Enrique Jimenez. Things didn't go much better with the Tigers, where he posted a 6.32 ERA in 47 innings pitched. Paddack's four-seam fastball is currently his best weapon, with a run value of plus-two in 2025. It averages 93.7 mph and generates a 18.6% whiff rate. His signature changeup was arguably his worst pitch last season (-8 RV), leading to 10 of the 31 home runs that he allowed. On the bright side, Paddack gets plenty of chase (85th percentile) and doesn't walk a lot of guys (89th percentile). His long extension (92nd percentile) helps him overpower hitters even with ordinary velocity. He's also younger than most of the remaining free agent arms who have comparable experience. Look at this signing like a re-do of the 2025 Cal Quantrill acquisition. Even the date and contract size is practically the same in Paddack's case. The expectation is that Paddack will make the Marlins Opening Day rotation as a back-end starter. From there, his performance and the progress of top prospects Robby Snelling and Thomas White will determine how long he holds onto that job. View full article

At Marlins Media Day, veteran reliever Pete Fairbanks speaks with Fish On First about getting acclimated to a new team, new MLB rules and more. View full video

MIAMI—Christopher Morel was the only free agent position player this offseason who signed a major league deal with the Miami Marlins. With a salary of two million dollars, he will be the club's highest-paid hitter despite coming off a disappointing 2025. In 105 games with the Tampa Bay Rays, he slashed .219/.289/.396/.684 with 11 home runs, 33 RBI and a 90 wRC+. His 35.7% strikeout rate was the highest in the American League among players with at least 300 plate appearances. The 26-year-old is grateful to still be in MLB—aside from the Marlins, his most serious suitors this offseason were teams in Korea and Japan. “I’m truly going to give my best every moment, every second that the manager gives me the opportunity, I’ll give 100 percent of myself," Morel said in Spanish at Friday's Marlins Media Day. "I've been working extremely hard this season to have an excellent season here. I feel healthy, and I’m going to give my best so we can win and keep pushing forward." Morel has had inconsistencies defensively as well. He was primarily used in left field last season and at second base and third base the year before. In 2026, he is expected to play a lot of first base, a position that he has never played in his career. He jokingly told the media that he is already "dancing bachata" at first base. "We’re already practicing it, getting some movement in, trying to find the coordination. I’ve felt a little more comfortable than the first time I practiced there. But wherever the manager needs me, I’ll be there to help the team.” The bar for Morel to clear is pretty low as the Marlins were one of only seven teams in 2025 to receive sub-replacement-level production at first base. As recently as 2023, he blasted 26 homers with a 120 wRC+. If he bounces back close to that level of production, the Marlins have the flexibility to retain Morel through the 2028 season via arbitration. Morel has a pre-existing relationship with Marlins right-hander Eury Pérez, who is also a native of Santiago, Dominican Republic. They've known each other since they were kids. "(Eury) was really the first person who showed me that love and support to come here," said Morel. "Seeing all those talented young guys who are coming up from the farm system, it really makes you feel it. Honestly, seeing the Latin culture as well, the Latin fans here, I know it’s going to be a very good year.” View full article

MIAMI—Connor Norby entered 2025 looking like a key building block for the Miami Marlins. His unremarkable performance on the field and limited availability pushed him out of the picture. In 88 games, Norby slashed .251/.300/.389/.689 with eight home runs, 34 RBI and a 90 wRC+. "Last year was the most frustrating year of my career," Norby told Fish On First in an exclusive interview at Friday's Marlins Media Day. "Never really been hurt, spending three different stints on the IL and most of it just freak things that popped up. Frustrating overall and just never really got into a rhythm." Norby's season debut was delayed by an oblique strain. Then he underwent left hamate surgery during the All-Star break and missed more time in September due to a quad strain. "I really thought I was playing my best baseball those last six weeks of the season along with the team, which is the most important thing," Norby said. "It was definitely a learning experience for me and it's going to be the most important year of my career. In Norby's final 16 games of the season, he hit .293/.344/.500/.844 with two home runs and 18 RBI. Norby has only played third base since being called up by the Marlins in August 2024 and he'll compete against Graham Pauley for playing time there in 2026. Norby's priority this spring is "to be the best third baseman that I can be." Pauley was clearly the better fielder last season as measured by outs above average (+6 to -4) and defensive runs saved (+3 to -5). "Learning third base is incredibly hard and I'm still learning," the 25-year-old admitted, "but with how I finished defensively and offensively, that last month was where I believe my standard is right there." Norby's natural position is second base, but he continues to be blocked there by Xavier Edwards. He played occasionally in the corner outfield spots during his minor league career with the Baltimore Orioles. Although undersized for first base, the Marlins have plenty of reps available there. "First and foremost, whatever helps the team win," Norby said when asked about the position change and where he feels best. "Secondly, I am an infielder and have always been an infielder...I have some experience [in the outfield]. It's whatever keeps me in the lineup, right? Whether it's third base one day or left field the next, wherever it may be. I'm sure we'll dive more into that when we get to camp." The next couple of weeks, Norby is expecting to take ground balls about two to three times per day with new infield coach Blake Butler. "I'm excited to see what he brings and I'm an open book," said Norby. "I'm eager to learn and try new things and he knows that...I'm eager to turn a lot of heads and prove a lot of people wrong and go out and prove a lot of people right." Last year at Media Day, Norby said that his 2025 goal was to hit 30 home runs. In 2026, he is going to keep the individual goals to himself, but as a team, he wants the Marlins to win the NL East division and make the postseason for the first time since 2023. As currently constructed, he believes they have the talent to achieve that. "My play elevates more when I am focused on team play and think so does everybody else's. It's going to be a hungry group this year and we're coming." View full article