Kevin Barral

Fish Unfiltered—Episode #67 Jonah Bride emerged as a great hitter for the Miami Marlins during the second half of the 2024 season. How does he plan to build upon that? A few weeks in advance of spring training, Bride joins Kevin Barral and Isaac Azout on Unfiltered to reflect on the pros and cons of his first year in Miami, all of the organizational changes that the Marlins have made this offseason, Ichiro Suzuki's election into the Baseball Hall of Fame and more. Find Fish Unfiltered on the Fish On First YouTube channel, our new-look Apple Podcasts channel and wherever else you get your pods. FOF's audio programming also includes The Offishial Show, Swimming Upstream, Big Fish Small Pod and more. Bride snuck onto the 2024 Opening Day roster in the aftermath of the Jon Berti trade, but spent most of the season's first half with Triple-A Jacksonville. He had a permanent roster spot from July 4 onward and his production really took off following the July 30 trade deadline. The right-handed-hitting infielder slashed .284/.372/.497 with a 136 wRC+ and 11 home runs over his final 56 games. The vast majority of Bride's defensive reps came at first base, but he wasn't satisfied with his performance there (-1 DRS/-2 OAA). "When you're in the big leagues, everything speeds up much more," Bride tells Fish On First. "I'm just trying to be more comfortable over there, increasing the speed side to side and the explosiveness, the diet. All those things will help...I'm definitely focusing on defense." Bride was previously unaware of the extreme splits he had when facing starting pitchers compared to relief pitchers. "That really made me think about how I need to have a much better preparation going in and facing these relievers...Those are definitely eye-opening to me." In 2025, Bride will be working with a completely different Marlins coaching staff led by Clayton McCullough. "I have gotten to talk with a lot of them," Bride says. "Definitely bringing an exciting vibe and a lot of energy...Individually, just gonna work with them. We're gonna have an idea as a team how to approach pitchers and stuff, but it was good to hear that, 'we're not gonna teach one move.' Not everybody can do the exact same thing and look the same way." On the heels of his second-half success and in the absence of accomplished veterans competing for playing time at the corner infield spots, the 29-year-old looks like a lock to crack the Opening Day roster again this season. Follow Jonah (@JBride11), Kevin (@kevin_barral), Isaac (@IsaacAzout) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. View full article

Despite being only 16 years old, right-handed pitcher Kevin Defrank could climb up the ranks quickly. Andrew Salas is the top prospect in this year's Miami Marlins international signing class and understandably commanded the largest bonus, but there's some depth to this class as well. The second-largest bonus went to right-handed pitcher Kevin Defrank, who the organization believes has the potential to develop into a great MLB pitcher. Signing for $560k out of the Dominican Republic, Defrank enters pro ball listed at 6'5", 202 pounds. He just turned 16 years old on August 11, which makes him the youngest member of the 2025 Marlins IFA class. MLB Pipeline ranked him 40th among all international amateurs who were eligible to sign. Defrank's arsenal consists of a fastball, sweeper and changeup. His fastball has already reached 95 mph and he has the physical projection to increase his velocity significantly down the road. fukx71_1.mp4 "We're very excited about Kevin Defrank," said Marlins director of international scouting David Hernandez Beayne. "He's one of the most advanced pitchers I've ever seen in my short career of doing international baseball. We're equally as excited with understanding how good our development system is with pitchers, especially Dominican pitchers, and how he's going to further develop an already advanced skill set to begin with." Defrank's changeup is "unusually advanced for his age thanks to its sink and fade," said Baseball America in their signing day report. Pipeline is similarly impressed, considering it a 60-grade pitch (out of 80). The development of his sweeper and possible addition of a fourth pitch will go a long toward determining whether he ultimately sticks as a starter, but his fastball/changeup combo will serve him well in any role. "He's got a really good foundation to begin with," said Hernandez Beayne. "He's been involved in our process, coaches are fully aware of what he brings to the table. I'm equally as excited to begin working with him and getting that process going. I think because he is so advanced in certain areas, he should put himself in a really good position for his talent to show up on the field." In all likelihood, Defrank will begin his minor league career in the Dominican Summer League, but he could come stateside as soon as 2026 and consistently face older competition from there. View full article

With another rotation spot now open, the Marlins should be looking at free agents who have track records of pitching full seasons at the major league level. The Miami Marlins will be without starting pitcher Braxton Garrett during the 2025 season as he recovers from UCL revision surgery. In his absence, the Marlins still have Sandy Alcantara, Ryan Weathers and Edward Cabrera in their projected Opening Day rotation, but there are a lot of question marks beyond that. Max Meyer and Adam Mazur have had mediocre results against MLB competition, Valente Bellozo's rookie season was encouraging though likely unsustainable, Eury Pérez is still rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, and their other internal options have even less experience. Only Alcantara has ever gone through a full-length MLB season as a starter before. With pitchers and catchers scheduled to report to Jupiter in one week, "the Marlins are considering adding a veteran starter or two" to address their lack of rotation depth, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. They should be focused on veterans attainable on short-term deals who can be trusted to eat innings. As of February 5, these are the available starters who threw the most innings in 2024 while still being in Miami's price range. LHP Patrick Corbin 2024 workload: 174.2 IP After a great 2018 season, the Nationals signed Corbin to a six-year, $140 million contract. It's safe to say that it didn't pan out. Corbin allowed the most earned runs in Major League Baseball in 2021, 2022 and 2024, allowed the most hits in 2020, 2022 and 2024, and led the majors in losses for three straight seasons (2021-23). Even including his initial success with Washington, Corbin had a 5.11 ERA overall with the franchise. With that being said, if there was one thing Corbin provided, it was innings. In every single "normal" season of that contract (excluding 2020), he surpassed 150 innings pitched. He never missed time due to injury. Corbin's fastball has maintained the same velocity deep into his 30s, averaging 91-92 mph. Last season, his slider was his most-used and most effective pitch—hitters had a .216 batting average against it and whiffed 35.4% of the time. LHP José Quintana 2024 workload: 184.2 IP (regular season and postseason combined) Quintana would be a best-case scenario for the Marlins. He's coming off a two-year, $26 million deal with the New York Mets where he lived up to expectations. In 2023, a left rib fracture limited him to 75 ⅔ innings pitched, but when healthy, he posted a 3.57 ERA and 3.52 FIP. This past season, Quintana pitched to a 3.75 ERA, 4.56 FIP, 7.1 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 through 170 ⅓ innings pitched. He also played a huge role in getting the Mets to the National League Championship Series. At this stage of his career, Quintana is known for pitching to contact. His sinker, which had a plus-12 run value in 2024, is the key to that. His 47.4% groundball rate at age 35 was a new personal best. Quintana already knows what it's like to be moved at the trade deadline (2017 and 2022), so he'll be prepared for that possibility if the Marlins go in that direction once they feel their younger arms are ready to be tested in the majors. RHP Kyle Gibson 2024 workload: 169.2 IP After Gibson posted a 4.24 ERA, 4.42 FIP, 8.0 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 30 starts, the St. Louis Cardinals declined his club option for 2025. He could still be a valuable addition for the Marlins. The 37-year-old pitches to contact, doesn't walk many batters and has only ever been a negative fWAR player once in his career (as a rookie in 2013). Gibson was an All-Star in 2021 and led the majors in 2023 with 33 starts. The tall right-hander has reached the postseason three times in his career (2019, 2022 and 2023). He uses a very deep pitch mix, leaning most of all on his sweeper for strikeouts (41.2% whiff rate). c97a2f74-59d81dd1-b1c4b241-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4 A young clubhouse would benefit from Gibson's experience. RHP Chris Flexen 2024 workload: 160.0 IP As mentioned by Christina De Nicola in her recent newsletter, Flexen would make sense for Miami. In 2024, he posted a 4.95 ERA, 4.80 FIP, 6.9 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9. At 30 years old, he's by far the youngest of the free agents on this list, but also the least successful historically. Flexen's best season as a starter came in 2021 with the Seattle Mariners where he posted a 3.61 ERA through 179 ⅔ innings pitched. He continued to outperform his FIP in 2022, but over the course of his career, that hasn't been repeatable (4.95 ERA vs. 4.93 FIP). This past season, Flexen used a five-pitch mix. He tries to keep hitters off balance with a slow, loopy curveball. In terms of price, Flexen should be much cheaper than Quintana and Gibson, but likely more expensive than Corbin. View full article

After being limited by arm injuries for most of the 2024 season, Garrett will be out for another year while rehabbing from a left elbow procedure. Starting rotation depth continues to be a concern for the 2025 Miami Marlins. On Wednesday, SportsGrid's Craig Mish broke the news that left-handed pitcher Braxton Garrett has undergone left elbow UCL revision surgery with an internal brace and will miss the entire season. The surgery was performed on December 16 by Dr. Keith Meister, adds MLB.com's Christina De Nicola. Garrett, 27, is coming off a 2024 season where he only made seven starts, posting a 5.35 ERA, 3.82 FIP, 8.27 K/9 and 0.97 BB/9 through 37 innings pitched. The start of his season was delayed until May 12 as he had suffered a left shoulder impingement. In June, he went down with a left forearm flexor strain. After completing several rehab starts to try to make a late-season comeback, he suffered a setback and remained on the IL. In early December prior to the Winter Meetings, president of baseball operations Peter Bendix told Fish On First that he was "hopeful and optimistic" about Garrett being healthy entering 2025. He had the surgery less than two weeks later. A former first-round draft pick of the Marlins, Garrett has dealt with frequent injuries during his career, including Tommy John surgery in 2017. His best season came in 2023 when he provided 159 ⅔ innings and made a postseason start; in his four other MLB seasons combined, he has totaled only 166 ⅔ innings. Meister is the same surgeon who operated on the injured elbows of fellow Marlins Sandy Alcantara (October 2023) and Eury Pérez (April 2024). With the start of spring training barely a month away, the only clear-cut starters for the Marlins are Sandy Alcantara, Ryan Weathers and Edward Cabrera. Candidates for the two other spots who are already on the 40-man roster include Max Meyer, Valente Bellozo, Adam Mazur and Dax Fulton. Among non-roster invitees, Bendix previously mentioned Robby Snelling as a name the organization is high on. Another NRI, Freddy Tarnok, will also reportedly get a chance to prove himself as a starter. The Marlins have not yet signed anybody to a fully guaranteed major league deal this offseason. Per Mish, they are evaluating the remaining options on the free agent market. Jack Flaherty is the top starting pitcher still unsigned, though it is far more likely that the Marlins go with a lesser name who's willing to settle for a one-year deal. View full article

Under Peter Bendix in 2024, the Marlins acquired several quality relievers cheaply. Tarnok could continue that trend in 2025. Earlier this week, the Miami Marlins officially inked right-hander Freddy Tarnok to a minor league deal. Aram Leighton of Just Baseball reports that it includes an invitation to spring training and that Tarnok will "get a shot to start." Tarnok's prospect history and pitch mix make him more interesting than a normal NRI. Tarnok was selected in the third round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Atlanta Braves. He ranked as high as 11th on Baseball America's Braves prospect list during his minor league career. In 2022, he was one of five players traded to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for catcher Sean Murphy. Tarnok reached the major league level in his final season with the Braves, but only for one relief appearance. He got a longer look with the Athletics in 2023, going 14 ⅔ innings through five appearances and even earning his first career win. In 2024, Tarnok began the season in the Athletics organization, but was claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies on June 1. He spent the rest of the season in the minors and elected free agency before signing with Miami. The 26-year-old will now have a fresh start with his fourth MLB organization. The Marlins had success last season turning little-known pitchers into solid relievers at the major league level. Examples include Calvin Faucher and Declan Cronin. Could Tarnok be next? Tarnok's arsenal consists of a four-seam fastball, changeup, slider and curveball. The slider was his primary secondary pitch during previous stints in the majors, but he's been going with the changeup more since then. His best pitch by far is the changeup, which generated a 48.0% whiff rate at the Triple-A level in 2024. Nobody's changeup on the Marlins major league staff came close to that, per Baseball Savant. tarnok ch.mp4 Tarnok's fastball averages 94.8 mph. Six of his seven home runs allowed were off that pitch. His slider generated a 45.2% whiff rate and a lot of soft contact. The biggest issues for Tarnok are control and command. He had a 5.68 BB/9 in 2024 and threw only 58.1% strikes in AAA. Too often, his strikes finish middle-middle, leading to high HR/FB rate. Injuries have also held Tarnok back from reaching his potential. He's been placed on the injured list six separate times since being drafted, including twice in 2024. However, he has had a "fully healthy offseason," according to KineticPro Performance lead throwing strategist Cam Lanzilli. Tarnok will enter spring training with an opportunity to make the Marlins Opening Day roster. He profiles best as a reliever, a role that would allow him to lean heavily on his quality changeup and slider, but if he doesn't make the cut, there should be plenty of innings available on the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp for him to work as a starter until there's an opening in Miami. View full article

One of many names that the Marlins acquired at last year's trade deadline, Ramírez is close to beginning what could be a long career in the big leagues. When the Miami Marlins traded away fan favorite Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the New York Yankees, many were left questioning the return of catcher Agustín Ramírez along with infielders Jared Serna and Abrahan Ramírez. Agustín was seen as the main piece in this deal despite entering the 2024 season ranked in the bottom half of Baseball America's and MLB Pipeline's Yankees Top 30 prospects lists. However, when you look deeper into his breakout season, there's plenty of reason to be excited about his offensive profile. Ramírez finished last season slashing .267/.358/.487/.845 with 25 home runs, 93 RBI and a 130 wRC+. That includes a .262/.358/.447/.805 slash line with five home runs and 24 RBI during his Triple-A Jacksonville stint. He was very consistent with an OPS of at least .750 in every month. He played most of the season as a 22-year-old, facing older competition in 95% of his plate appearances. You would think that trying to hit for so much power would comes with some swing-and-miss issues, but Ramírez struck out only 18.6% of the time. He was also a patient hitter, walking 11.1% of the time. His decision-making stands out. He was above the league average at connecting on pitches both inside and outside the zone, often resulting in hard contact. In a limited sample size against left-handed pitching (119 PA), Ramírez posted an amazing 1.067 OPS. That was the eighth-best mark in Minor League Baseball among players with at least 100 plate appearances vs. lefties. Compared to other Triple-A hitters, he ranked in the 89th percentile of 90th% exit velocity and 88th percentile of max exit velo. The main thing limiting his offensive production is a high groundball rate. Regularly trying to pull the ball leads to a lot of routine grounders to the left side of the infield. That aspect of his approach should be fixable. Ramírez would likely be the top position player prospect in the Marlins organization if he could be trusted to stick at catcher. His performance last season shows there's a lot of work to be done—in his 72 games as a catcher, he had 10 errors, 11 passed balls and surrendered 110 stolen bases while only throwing out 12 baserunners. He uses the one knee down receiving technique that has become increasingly popular across baseball, but he's lacking the athleticism and reaction time to make it work right now. 1dIGvwITCGn6O2Oj.mp4 In a perfect world, Ramírez would be part of the Marlins' catching tandem, splitting time with Nick Fortes during the 2025 season, with Joe Mack taking over for Fortes in the near future. The organization will give him every opportunity to make that happen, but the likely outcome for Ramírez is he will be a first baseman/designated hitter. Here at Fish On First, we are a little lower than other outlets on his potential for a defensive turnaround, though with enough reps and the right instruction, he could prove us wrong. Ramírez, just like every prospect, will have to overcome obstacles in the major leagues, but he has talent to be a long-term fixture in the Marlins lineup. View full article

Fish Unfiltered—Episode #66 Kevin Barral and Ely Sussman bring on Philadelphia Phillies expert Alex Carr to better understand the timing of last week's Jesús Luzardo deal and the pair of prospects that the Miami Marlins received in return. Don't forget about Paul McIntosh's inclusion, either! Find Fish Unfiltered on the Fish On First YouTube channel, our new-look Apple Podcasts channel and wherever else you get your pods. FOF's audio programming also includes The Offishial Show, Swimming Upstream, Big Fish Small Pod and more. Thanks very much to everybody who watched/listened to Fish On First content in 2024. Follow Alex (@AlexCarrMLB), Kevin (@kevin_barral), Ely (@RealEly) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. View full article

One of the most exciting elements of spring training is getting a look at recent acquisitions and emerging prospects who participate in their first Marlins big league camp. The Miami Marlins are going to bring an entirely different group of players to Jupiter in 2025 than they did last spring training. That includes the new additions to their 40-man roster, but don't forget about non-roster invitees. Every year, there are NRIs who make a name for themselves or even come out of nowhere to earn an Opening Day job. There are two types of NRIs: players within the organization who haven't made it onto the 40-man yet and free agents who sign one-year minor league contracts. So far this offseason, the Marlins have signed INF Ronny Simon, RHP Robinson Piña, OF Heriberto Hernández and LHP John Rooney in free agency. Expect a few more of those deals in the coming weeks. This article focuses on the top candidates for the other NRI category, starting off with players who have been to big league camp before (either with the Marlins or another team), then going into younger prospects hoping for a taste of the action. Previous NRI experience LHP Robby Snelling The San Diego Padres made the aggressive move to invite Snelling to camp entering his age-20 season. After struggling in the first half of the year, the lefty was traded to the Marlins and pitched much closer to expectations with a 4.00 ERA, 2.76 FIP, 10.25 K/9 and 2.75 BB/9 through seven starts in Double-A Pensacola. Snelling did reach the Triple-A level where he made one start, striking out seven and allowing one earned run. President of baseball operations Peter Bendix recently singled out Snelling as someone who can shape out the starting rotation at some point in 2025. LHP Josh Simpson Drafted and developed by the Marlins, Simpson was a part of the 40-man roster for a while and made a good impression last spring, but he missed half of 2024 while recovering from left elbow ulnar neuritis. He didn't look sharp during minor league rehab appearances and was eventually removed from the 40-man altogether. He will likely be an NRI given Miami's lack of left-handed relievers at the moment. RHP Woo-Suk Go Go was acquired in the Luis Arraez trade early on in the season. The Korean veteran stayed in the upper minors, posting a 6.54 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, 8.9 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 through 52 ⅓ innings pitched. The Marlins are stuck paying Go's $2.25 million salary no matter what, so it couldn't hurt to invite him to camp before giving up on him completely. INF Troy Johnston The former Marlins Minor League Player of the Year, Johnston took a step back in 2024 and slashed .276/.339/.424/.763 with 11 home runs, 63 RBI and a 99 wRC+. This would be his third straight spring as an NRI. OF/INF Jacob Berry In 2024 with AA-Pensacola, Berry slashed .238/.306/.360/.666 with nine home runs, 45 RBI and a 100 wRC+. It was Berry's second half of the season that earned him a promotion to AAA. He continues to be a liability on defense, most recently transitioning to right field. OF Jakob Marsee Marsee slashed .188/.342/.303/.645 with seven home runs, 37 RBI and a 103 wRC+ as a member of the Blue Wahoos. What stands out is Marsee's speed and high walk percentage. In AA, he posted a 15.2 walk% and overall stole 51 bases. He is a nice fourth outfield option who is experienced in center field. INF Nathan Martorella Martorella came over with Marsee in the Arraez trade after also spending spring in Padres camp. Following a horrid start with Pensacola, he finished the season off strong, especially in the power department. He's seen action at first base and in the outfield. C/INF Bennett Hostetler Hostetler is coming off his most disappointing season as a pro, slashing .236/.275/.339/.614 with two home runs and 19 RBI between AA and AAA. His versatility to play catcher has earned him an invite in the past and should one more time. Potential first-time NRIs LHP Thomas White It can go either way for White, who isn't close to reaching the majors, but has established himself as Miami's No. 1 prospect and could benefit from the experience. He was excellent as a 19-year-old in Low-A/High-A with a 2.81 ERA, 11.3 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 through 96 innings pitched. Even if invited, he'd be reassigned to minor league camp pretty quickly. RHP Christian Roa Roa was placed on waivers by the Cincinnati Reds after the 2024 season ended and claimed by the Marlins, then outrighted to the minor leagues. He posted a 5.55 ERA, 6.08 FIP, 8.69 K/9 and 5.55 BB/9 through 48 ⅔ innings pitched, finishing the year on the injured list. The 25-year old reliever has a slider, four-seam, sinker, changeup and curveball. The slider is his plus pitch with a 107 tjStuff+ and 42.3 whiff%. LHP Adam Laskey The Marlins took Laskey in the minor league phase of the 2023 Rule 5 Draft and it's safe to say that he impressed in his first season. He pitched to a 3.10 ERA, 3.04 FIP, 8.41 K/9 and 2.21 BB/9 through 81 ⅓ innings pitched. With a lack of lefties in the Marlins bullpen, he will likely receive an invite. Even assuming he does not make the initial roster, Laskey has earned a promotion to AAA-Jacksonville. RHP Josh Ekness A lights-out reliever this past season at three different minor league levels with a high-90s fastball and wipeout secondary stuff, Ekness has come a long way since the 2023 draft. He will begin the season in AA Pensacola most likely. RHP Jacob Miller Miller broke out in 2024, posting a 3.85 ERA, 7.3 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 through 114 ⅔ innings pitched. Although his velocity is below average, his control has proven to be great and when he reached AA, he succeeded there. A potential call-up in 2025 isn't out of the picture if he continues to pitch the way he is. RHP Matt Pushard Pushard thrived in AA with a 2.36 ERA, 3.48 FIP, 11.14 K/9 and 3.04 BB/9 through 53 ⅓ innings. He also reached the AAA level and succeeded in his two innings of work. At 27 years old, he is the oldest player in this group of NRI candidates. RHP Austin Roberts Roberts had similarly impressive numbers to Pushard: a 2.28 ERA, 11.4 K/9, 3.9 BB/9 and 17 saves through 67 innings pitched. His three pitch-mix of a fastball, curveball and changeup stand out. He will have an opportunity to compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster. C Joe Mack Mack had a breakout 2024 season, earning him AA Player of the Year in the Marlins organization. Between two levels, he slashed .252/.338/.468/.807 with 24 home runs and 78 RBI. Although he didn't catch every day, he was fine defensively and should start the season at AAA. OF Kemp Alderman Alderman was slowed down by an injury and only slashed .240/.312/.344/.656 with two home runs, 11 RBI and a 92 wRC+. However, he finished the year on a good note in the Arizona Fall League and shows incredible power potential. INF Jack Winkler These final names were selected in the minor league phase of the latest Rule 5 Draft. Winkler slashed .223/.310/.345/.655 with eight home runs, 57 RBI and an 88 wRC+. Defensively, the former Athletics prospect will stick at shortstop. RHP Orlando Ortiz-Mayr A former Dodgers farmhand, Mayr made 27 appearances (25 starts) in AA posting a 4.71 ERA, 5.07 FIP, 7.16 K/9 and 3.98 BB/9. RHP Ricky DeVito DeVito is somewhat similar to former Marlins prospect Jefry Yan, a talented reliever who doesn't really know where the ball is going. In 2024, he posted a 4.00 ERA, 4.48 FIP, 12.33 K/9 and 8.83 BB/9 through 54 innings pitched. Cutting down on the walks will be his main focus. View full article

Jesús Luzardo would've been a lock for the 2025 Marlins starting rotation. In his absence, Mazur will be among the young arms competing to fill his spot. Starting rotation depth was supposed to be a strength of the Miami Marlins entering last season, but that wasn't exactly the case. Injuries forced the team to make constant changes and the results were mediocre. In 2025, they may have to once again rely on inexperienced starters, especially following Sunday's trade that sent left-handed pitcher Jesús Luzardo to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for two prospects. Following the trade, the projected rotation includes Sandy Alcantara, Edward Cabrera, Ryan Weathers and Braxton Garrett. With Eury Pérez rehabbing from the Tommy John surgery, the question is who will earn the fifth spot on Opening Day. Valente Bellozo made 13 starts as a rookie, which ranked fifth on the Marlins behind Cabrera, Weathers and two pitchers who are no longer with the organization, Trevor Rogers and Roddery Muñoz. The soft-tossing right-hander was a big success story with a 3.67 ERA, but his 5.73 FIP suggests he's very unlikely to sustain that moving forward. Former first-round draft pick Max Meyer made 11 total starts. He was demoted to Triple-A Jacksonville despite an April hot streak and slumped during the second half to finish with a 5.68 ERA. However, in addressing the media on Sunday, president of baseball operations Peter Bendix mentioned two other names instead when discussing Miami's rotation: Adam Mazur and Robby Snelling. "We have a lot of depth there as well as a lot of high-end talent, so I'm really excited to see how it shakes out," said Bendix. Mazur, 23, was one of four players acquired from the San Diego Padres in exchange for Tanner Scott and Bryan Hoeing. He has already seen time at the major league level, but the Padres rushed his development and the poor numbers reflected that (7.49 ERA, 6.23 FIP, 5.88 K/9 and 5.61 BB/9). Following the trade, the Marlins assigned Mazur to AAA-Jacksonville. In eight starts, he posted a 5.21 ERA, 4.67 FIP, 9.00 K/9 and 1.66 BB/9. He looked more like his usual self in terms of good control, limiting opponents to zero walks in five of those starts. Along with a high walk rate, Mazur struggled against MLB hitters because his fastball and curveball were getting crushed. The fastball, which averages 95.0 mph, was taken deep four times. He allowed a .333 batting average on it and an average exit velo of 93.5 mph with only a 13.4 whiff%. In a smaller sample, the curveball failed even more (.364 batting average, 93.9 mph exit velo and 8.3 whiff%). It was encouraging to see Mazur's swing-and-miss improvement on both pitches during his Jumbo Shrimp stint. He added a little velocity and horizontal break to the curveball on his way to a 32.4 whiff%. His fastball velo remained the same as its whiff% went up to 19.1%. Mazur's slider is his signature pitch. The key is having enough trust in the rest of his arsenal to put him in strikeout situations, and he looks to be on the right track. Our own Isaac Azout will be following his progress closely after predicting him to make the Opening Day roster on the latest episode of Fish Unfiltered. Snelling, 21, reached the AAA level at the very end of the 2024 season after a great showing in AA-Pensacola. Snelling's velocity was down compared to his 2023 breakout year, but the command of all his pitches was impressive after joining his new organization. Snelling is a safe bet to attend big league camp, but it's a long shot that he starts the regular season in Miami given his lack of a 40-man roster spot and limited AAA experience. Several other pitchers who are already on the 40-man could be stretched out as starters during spring training. Meyer was excellent last spring and is capable of bouncing back. Xzavion Curry and Anthony Veneziano both started regularly in the minors while Dax Fulton showed promise in that role before undergoing elbow surgery. Unless the Marlins spend to bring in a veteran, it should be an interesting competition. View full article

The Marlins have moved on from Luzardo after three-and-a-half seasons with the organization. Prospect Paul McIntosh is also headed to Philly in the deal. The Miami Marlins received an offer that was "too good to pass up" and traded left-handed pitcher Jesús Luzardo and catcher Paul McIntosh to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday in exchange for shortstop Starlyn Caba and outfielder Emaarion Boyd. Robert Murray of FanSided was first to report the deal. Luzardo, 27, was acquired from the Oakland Athletics in the midst of the 2021 season in exchange for Starling Marte. Although Luzardo struggled in his Marlins 12 starts that season, the Broward native had an excellent 2022 despite being limited to only 18 starts. He posted a 3.32 ERA, 3.12 FIP, 10.76 K/9 and 3.14 BB/9 through 100 ⅓ innings pitched. His best season would come in 2023 as he pitched a career-high 178 ⅔ innings and had a 3.58 ERA, 3.55 FIP, 10.48 K/9 and 2.77 BB/9. He started Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series against the same Phillies team that he now plays for. In 2024, Luzardo was named the Marlins Opening Day starter. Less than one month into the regular season, he suffered left elbow tightness and was placed on the IL. In June, a lumbar stress reaction knocked him out for the remainder of the season. He was limited to 12 starts, pitching to a 5.00 ERA, 4.26 FIP, 7.83 K/9 and a 2.97 BB/9. Luzardo's name has come up in trade rumors dating back to the 2023-24 offseason. Last week, the Chicago Cubs pursued him, but the teams couldn't finalize a deal. Entering 2025, Luzardo is arbitration-eligible for the third time. He has another year of club control beyond that before he can become a free agent. The Phillies are the fourth different MLB organization he has played for (previously the Marlins, A's and Washington Nationals). A former undrafted free agent, McIntosh spent the 2024 season at the Double-A level and slashed .246/.340/.385/.725 with 12 home runs, 55 RBI and a 118 wRC+. He has always hit on his way through the minor leagues, never posting a wRC+ below 100. However, defensive limitations have held him back from getting a major league call-up as he enters his age-27 season. The main player returning in this trade is 19-year old shortstop Starlyn Caba who slashed .228/.385/.284/.669 with two home runs and 26 RBI between the complex and Low-A. As one of the top international prospects in 2023, he signed with the Phillies for $3 million. His best tool early on has been his defense. The expectation is that he will stick at shortstop. Baseball America ranks Caba is the No. 54 overall MLB prospect. "I think he's got a chance to be a superstar...He's extremely athletic, excellent tools, really good shortstop, great makeup, great bat-to-ball skills, great swing decisions," Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix says. "It's the whole package of what you're looking for from a prospect." Also involved in the return was outfielder Emaarion Boyd who slashed .239/.316/.330/.647 with three home runs, 40 RBI and a 90 wRC+. Boyd's plus-plus speed is what stands, stealing 56 bags in 2023 and 27 in 2024. He's seen time primarily at left and center field. He has the ability to stick in center field. This is the first trade made between the Marlins and Phillies since February 2019 when they swapped J.T. Realmuto for Sixto Sánchez, Jorge Alfaro, Will Stewart and international bonus pool money. The Marlins would come to regret that move—Realmuto remains Philly's starting catcher, while none of the pieces received for him are still with Miami. View full article

Even if their best years are behind them, these veterans could play a role in helping young Marlins players reach their long-term potential. The Miami Marlins want to create opportunities for their young players to gain experience and learn at the big level in 2025, but as currently constructed, their roster barely has any veterans for them to learn from. The trade that sent Jake Burger to the Texas Rangers last week removed yet another leader from the clubhouse. Although the main goal of next season is development, the value of having a veteran presence should not be completely ignored. “(Signing a veteran) is one of the things we're certainly looking at,” president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said following the Burger trade. “I think having veteran presence, having leadership in the clubhouse, is really important, and we're always looking for ways to address that.” The following names would be affordable for the Marlins on one-year deals and capable of providing help when needed on and off the field. Carlos Santana, 1B Santana is the best option we will discuss here in terms of on-field impact. He is coming off a season where he slashed .238/.328/.420/.749 with 23 home runs, 71 RBI and a 109 OPS+ through 150 games played. On the defensive side of the ball, he received the American League Gold Glove, posting a 14 outs above average and a 10 DRS at first base. Turning 39 soon after Opening Day should limit Santana's price tag, but he still has a case for topping the $5.25 million he received last year. Anthony Rizzo, 1B South Florida native and 2016 World Series champion Anthony Rizzo is a free agent after spending the last three-and-a-half seasons with the New York Yankees. He is coming off the worst season of his career, being limited to 92 games and slashing .228/.301/.335/.637 with eight home runs, 35 RBI and an 84 wRC+. Rizzo is younger than Santana (35) and had a more impressive prime, but he has been in a sharp decline since suffering a concussion midway through the 2023 season. af5q5e.mp4 ZiPS projections have him slashing .227/.316/.377 with 13 home runs, 44 RBI and a 95 OPS+. Perhaps the Marlins could get better production than that by limiting him to a platoon role. Signing Rizzo would also be a nice marketing opportunity for the team given his career accomplishments and local ties. Yasmani Grandal, C Yes, the Marlins 40-man roster is already filled with four catchers, but that does not necessarily block them from doing more to address the position. Outside of Nick Fortes, the other three current catchers have combined to play 20 MLB games. Grandal, 36, is coming off a season with the Pittsburgh Pirates where he slashed .228/.304/.400/.704 with eight home runs, 27 RBI and a 95 wRC+ in 72 games. He was inconsistent with a 34 wRC+ in the first half compared to a 172 wRC+ in the second half. According to DRS, he was right at league average. He was just above league average in blocking and ranked in the 86th percentile of framing, per Baseball Savant. Maybe the University of Miami alum has interest in returning home. Paul DeJong, SS Even 31-year-old Paul DeJong would become the oldest member of the 2025 Marlins if acquired. He's coming off a season with the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals where he slashed .227/.276/.427/.703 with 24 home runs, 56 RBI and a 95 wRC+. Defensively, the Marlins need all the help they can get. DeJong, who posted four outs above average last year and nine the year before, could be a good influence on shortstop Xavier Edwards without preventing Edwards from playing almost every day. Trevor Williams, RHP Former Marlins second-round draft pick Trevor Williams is coming off a season where he only made 13 starts due to a right flexor muscle strain. Prior to the injury, he was having a career year, posting a 2.03 ERA, 2.79 FIP, 8.0 K.9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 66 ⅔ innings pitched. Williams has a five-pitch mix: four-seam fastball, sweeper, changeup, slider and sinker. After years of struggling with his curveball, replacing that with a sweeper has made a huge difference. Opponents hit only .135 against his sweeper in 2024. Nobody should be expecting Williams to repeat the same numbers next season. He's had an inconsistent career that includes allowing the most home runs in the National League in 2023. Command is very important because he lacks fastball velocity (averaging 88.9 mph). His familiarity with both starting and relieving would be useful for a Marlins team that is reportedly considering trading Jesús Luzardo and other arms. Matt Moore, LHP Just one season ago, Moore was pitching in high-leverage situations and had a 2.56 ERA and a 3.73 FIP through 52 ⅔ innings pitched. In 2024, he posted a 5.03 ERA, 6.17 FIP, 7.6 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9 through 48 ⅓ innings pitched. That step back makes him affordable for any team, including the Marlins. As noted in our own Ely Sussman's offseason blueprint article, Moore could easily turn into a trade deadline candidate if he bounces back. View full article