Kevin Barral

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.”

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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."

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MIAMI—The Miami Marlins held their annual FanFest on Saturday. A total of 20,737 fans attended the event, per a club official, the highest total recorded during Bruce Sherman's ownership tenure. As usual, the Marlins held a variety of Q&A sessions with players and "State of the Marlins" with team leadership. On top of that, the second Marlins Legends Hall of Fame class was revealed and teal uniforms were revived. Entry to the four-hour event was free.

All things considered, this was one of the best FanFests that the Marlins have ever hosted. Here's what you may have missed.

Player availability

From 4:30-6:30 pm on the main stage, Marlins players were organized into small groups. It started with the voice of Marlins Radio, Jack McMullen, talking to pitchers Braxton Garrett, Max Meyer and Pete Fairbanks and outfielder Jakob Marsee.

Spanish Marlins radio voices Yiky Quintana and José Luis Nápoles did a panel in Spanish. In that interview, Agustín Ramírez said that his goal is to hit 30 home runs and drive in 100 runs. He was joined by Eury Pérez, Sandy Alcantara and Otto Lopez.

The last time a Marlins player reached 30 home runs and 100 RBI in the same season was Giancarlo Stanton (59 HR and 132 RBI) and Marcell Ozuna (37 HR and 124 RBI) in 2017. Stanton won the National League MVP and Ozuna made the All-Star Game and finished 15th in MVP voting. Only 12 Marlins ever have achieved a 30 HR/100 RBI season.

In his rookie season, Ramírez slashed .231/.287/.413/.701 with 21 home runs, 67 RBI and a 91 wRC+ through 136 games played.

Ramírez also stated that he wants to prove to everyone that he can remain a catcher. He emphasized throughout the interview that he has worked extremely hard to make that possible.

State of the Marlins

At 6:30 pm, president of baseball operations Peter Bendix and manager Clayton McCullough took the stage to answer questions from Marlins.TV play-by-play man Kyle Sielaff. Later on, fans asked questions and let out some of their frustrations.

The first question asked was about why the Marlins do not spend more money or value having veteran leadership on their roster. Bendix said that money is being invested in all aspects of the organization. He first mentioned the recently renovated Jupiter Academy.

Regarding veteran leadership, he agreed with this fan, and then said that they signed Pete Fairbanks. Fairbanks, 32, is the oldest player on the team and has the second-most service time (6.057) behind Alcantara (7.100).

"Pete Fairbanks is here partly for that reason," Bendix said. "I have a relationship with Pete from my time in Tampa Bay. I know what he brings to the table on the mound, and I know what he brings to the table in the clubhouse. I think he's going to be really really good for our clubhouse."

Not only does the Marlins media ask McCullough about bullpen management, but fans do as well. One fan asked if sometimes decisions were made for developmental reasons instead of trying to win games.

"I definitely hear the feedback," McCullough said. "I think with the bullpen, when we get into a good stretch and we are playing close games every day, I'd love to be able to pitch the same people all the time, but in reality, you just can't do that. In order to get through a full season and have a chance to win a lot of games, everybody has to be able to contribute."

McCullough also mentioned that when very high-leverage situations present themselves early in the game, he will "try to go win this moment" instead of limiting his best options to the eighth and ninth innings.

One clever fan began his question by naming Marlins infielders and when he got to first, he asked, "Who's first?" Bendix with a smile said, "I don't know," so McCullough took the longer answer noting all the competition that is happening throughout camp, specifically first base.

"There will be a lot of competition for playing time and one thing that we tried to put upon our group last year and preach was positional versatility and flexibility," said McCullough. "We have talked to a number of players this offseason about being open-minded about it." Christopher Morel and Griffin Conine were brought up as examples, both of whom are completely inexperienced at the position.

For the final question of this session, a fan asked Bendix if we will see players get locked up to contract extensions. No Marlin has been extended in nearly four years (Richard Bleier in March 2022), which was when Kim Ng was still general manager.

It was reported this offseason that Kyle Stowers, Jakob Marsee and Eury Pérez have been engaged in extension talks. Stowers seems to be the least likely of those candidates given that the Marlins already have club control of him through age 31, but Marsee and Pérez are both realistic.

"We're expecting that we are going to have a lot of these really good players for a long time," Bendix said. "Right now, we have a lot of players who are 23, 24 and 25. These guys are going to be here for a while. Yes, the answer to your question is we want to keep our best players for as long as possible."

Following that final statement, the crowd erupted as Bendix and McCullough walked off the stage. With how much of a closed book Bendix typically is, that statement was likely the most transparent he has ever been in public to fans or media.

Marlins Hall of Famers

Very briefly, the Marlins announced that they will be inducting pitchers Josh Beckett and Dontrelle Willis into their Marlins Legends Hall of Fame. Both Beckett and Willis were on the 2003 World Series-winning team. Unlike the players chosen for the inaugural HOF class in 2025, they were not in attendance at FanFest.

Isaac Azout has more on the upcoming inductions of both players, which will take place on September 6 (Beckett) and September 13 (Willis).

The teal is BACK

After months of build-up, the Marlins announced that they will be bringing back teal jerseys for every Sunday home game. The uniform set also includes Florida Marlins caps. The blue jerseys previously used on Sundays are now out of the regular season rotation, but will remain their primary spring training look.

What's next?

Marlins pitchers and catchers will report to Jupiter, Florida, on Wednesday. The full-squad report day is Monday. February 16. The first spring training game will take place on Saturday, February 21 at 1:10 pm in Port St. Lucie against the New York Mets.

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MIAMI—Through the first two months of 2025, Max Meyer was on track to lead the Miami Marlins in innings pitched. Then a hip issue popped up, leading to season-ending surgery. 

"I feel good," Meyer said when he spoke to the media on Friday. "Had a good offseason, put on some weight and everything feels good—how it should feel. Hoping that I can just continue that throughout the whole season."

The Marlins saw a 17-win improvement from the previous year, though Meyer unfortunately had to watch most of that from the dugout due to his injury. While being sidelined, he kept himself involved in team activities and tried to make the best of the situation.

"There is a lot you can always learn every day and you just can't stop while going through injuries like that," Meyer said. "You have to be there for your teammates and you always have to be a good guy in the clubhouse. There is a lot you can do when you are even on the shelf for a long time. You can help the team out by being with guys who are maybe down or playing games and having fun in the clubhouse, so you just have to attack it a different way every day."

In 2025, Meyer pitched 64 ⅔ innings, posting a 4.73 ERA, 4.47 FIP, 9.46 K/9 and 2.78 BB/9. He had gotten off to a red-hot start, highlighted by his 14-strikeout performance against the Cincinnati Reds. Within his first five outings, he posted a 2.10 ERA and 2.50 FIP.

In Meyer's final seven starts before landing on the IL, he posted a 7.01 ERA and 6.16 FIP. He had two games where he surrendered 10 hits.

Meyer already began to feel like himself again at the end of the 2025 season. "The whole offseason, I've felt pretty good," he said. "Started running and sprinting probably halfway through and everything just feels good."

With the exception of his signature slider, Meyer has made "tweaks" to the other four pitches in his arsenal. He "tightened up" his sweeper and worked on a "more consistent sinker shape." He also focused on "getting my depth back on my changeup and a little more (induced vertical break) on my fastball."

The Marlins went into the offseason with a projected 2026 rotation featuring Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers. Now that Cabrera is a Chicago Cub and Weathers is a member of the New York Yankees, there's a lot more room for Meyer...as long as he stays healthy.

"I wanna be there when they call my name," said Meyer. "When they call my name, I don't want to be sitting on the sidelines anymore because it's pretty frustrating. I'm gonna miss those guys, fun to be around, but obviously I gotta step it up."

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On Friday, the Miami Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays agreed on a trade that sent outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. to the Rays in exchange for minor league infielder Angel Brachi. Mesa had been designated for assignment on Tuesday in a corresponding roster move that allowed the Marlins to claim Garrett Acton off waivers.

Mesa remains in the state of Florida, but leaves the only professional franchise that he's ever known. The 24-year-old had been the longest-tenured position player in the Marlins organization, signing alongside his brother, Victor Victor Mesa, in October 2018 when both were international free agents.

 

 

 

 

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In 2025 at the Triple-A level, Mesa slashed .286/.352/.460/.813 with seven home runs, 33 RBI and a 121 wRC+ in 52 games played. He was called up to the majors and made his debut where in 16 games, he hit .188/.297/.344/.641 with one home run, six RBI and an 81 wRC+.

Mesa will have a slightly easier path to regular MLB playing time with Tampa Bay than he had in Miami, but making the Opening Day roster looks like an uphill battle for him. The Rays have three other left-handed-hitting outfielders ahead of him on their depth chart in Chandler Simpson, Cedric Mullins and Jake Fraley. If necessary, the Rays can option him to the minor leagues (Mesa has one more option left).

As for Brachi, 19, he signed for $800k in the 2024 international signing class. Repeating the Dominican Summer League last season, he slashed .337/.453/.408/.861 with 21 RBI, 17 stolen bases and a 142 wRC+ in 51 games. The Cumana, Venezuela, native has led all rookie-level players in Minor League Baseball with 30 HBP since making his pro debut—that is a major reason for his career .403 OBP.

Entering the 2025 season, FanGraphs had Brachi as the 49th-best prospect in the Rays organization with a 35+ future value on the 20-80 scale. "He’s a gritty scout favorite with limited tools but advanced baseball acumen and feel to hit," wrote Eric Longenhagen and James Fegan. Brachi's biggest obstacle long term will be producing power (zero homers in his MiLB career thus far).

The Marlins and Rays have linked up on at least one trade with each other every year dating back to 2021, so this deal extends that streak to six years.

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At Marlins Media Day, right-hander Josh White reflects on his dominant 2025 season and looks ahead to his first big league spring training camp.

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At Marlins Media Day, outfielder Jakob Marsee speaks with Fish On First about his mindset entering his first full major league season and World Baseball Classic debut.

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As unveiled on Thursday night, rosters for the 2026 World Baseball Classic include 11 players from the Miami Marlins organization, representing seven different countries.

In alphabetical order:

• Sandy Alcantara (Dominican Republic, second career WBC)
• Owen Caissie (Canada, second)
• Yiddi Cappe (Cuba, first)
• Liam Hicks (Canada, first) 
• Ian Lewis (Great Britain, first)
• Otto Lopez (Canada, second) 
• Jakob Marsee (Italy, first) 
• Michael Petersen (Great Britain, second)
• Agustín Ramírez (Dominican Republic, first)
• Javier Sanoja (Venezuela, first)
• Jared Serna (Mexico, first)

Alcantara is the only Marlins starting pitcher participating this time. He made the Dominican Republic's first start of the tournament in 2023, went 3 ⅔ innings, allowing three runs on five hits, three walks and two strikeouts. The Dominican Republic did not make it past pool play. 

Ramírez was seemingly on the bubble for the D.R. as they finalized the roster. Although earning a spot on such a talented team at 24 years old is a great accomplishment, he is unlikely to see significant playing time as long as fellow catchers Austin Wells and Yainer Diaz stay healthy.

Lopez and Caissie were Canadian teammates in 2023. In their WBC debuts, Lopez slashed .294/.333/.588/.921 with one home run and six RBI in four games. Caissie slashed .231/.286/.462/.748 with one home run and four RBI in three games of action. Canada did not advance in the tournament.

Hicks, who was a Rule 5 draft pick last offseason, spent the entire 2025 season on the Marlins major league roster and slashed .247/.346/.346/.693 with six home runs, 45 RBI and a 98 wRC+. Freddie Freeman's decision to withdraw from the tournament made Hicks a easier fit on Canada's roster. He could play a combination of catcher, first base and designated hitter.

Cappe, who is 23 years old, played in 62 games last season between High-A Beloit and Double-A Pensacola. He slashed .278/.328/.392/.722 with six home runs, 32 RBI, 29 stolen bases and a 107 wRC+. The Marlins view him mainly as a second baseman, but he does have significant minor league experience at shortstop and third base as well.

Marsee in his rookie campaign slashed .292/.363/.478/.842 with five home runs, 33 RBI, 14 stolen bases and a 133 wRC+. He will slot in as the Marlins Opening Day center fielder.

Petersen is the only active big leaguer who was born in the United Kingdom. He made one scoreless relief appearance during the 2023 WBC.

Bahamians like Lewis are eligible for Great Britain as well. The speedy switch-hitter slashed .278/.357/.431/.788 in 73 MiLB games last season.

The very versatile Sanoja finished the 2025 season slashing .243/.287/.396/.683 with six home runs, 38 RBI and an 86 wRC+. His second half of 2025 was encouraging, posting a .777 OPS. Five of his six home runs came in the second half, including a two-homer performance against the New York Yankees.

Serna is coming off a very disappointing regular season, but dominated in his native Mexico over the winter.

Because their countries are in Pool D, Alcantara, Ramírez and Sanoja won't have to travel far during the WBC—all of their games will be at loanDepot park.

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On Tuesday, the Miami Marlins announced that they have claimed right-handed pitcher Garrett Acton off waivers from the Colorado Rockies. To create a spot for him on the 40-man roster, the Marlins designated outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. for assignment.

Acton, 27, spent the 2025 season in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. Aside from one scoreless relief appearance at the major league level, he pitched for their Triple-A Durham affiliate. In 58 ⅔ innings pitched against AAA competition, he posted a 3.68 ERA, 4.01 FIP, 10.89 K/9 and 4.14 BB/9. He made 45 appearances (four starts). He also picked up some MLB experience with the 2023 Athletics, where he made six appearances, posting a 12.71 ERA.

The Rays designated Acton for assignment at the end of the 2025 season. He was then claimed by the Rockies and remained on their roster until they DFA'd him as well on January 22.

The right-hander's arsenal consists of a four-seam fastball, slider and changeup. Knowing the Marlins organization and how they are with pitchers, it wouldn't be shocking if they tried teaching him additional pitches.

Perhaps being an additional year removed from Tommy John surgery will benefit Acton, whose average fastball velocity dipped from 95.4 mph in 2023 to 93.7 mph last season. He still has two minor league options left.

Mesa, 24, signed with the Marlins organization for $1M as an international free agent in 2018. After several injury setbacks, he made his major league debut in 2025. In 16 games for the Marlins, he slashed .188/.297/.344/.641 with one home run, six RBI and an 81 wRC+. This past season in AAA, he slashed .286/.352/.460/.813 with seven home runs, 33 RBI and a 121 wRC+ in 52 games played.

Just two years ago, Mesa was considered one of the top position player prospects in the Marlins system, but a handful of outfielders have surpassed him on the depth chart since then. Even with the ability to play all three outfield spots and a solid hit tool, he was unlikely to crack Miami's Opening Day roster.

Now with one minor league option remaining, Mesa will hope to land somewhere with a clearer path to consistent playing time. The Marlins have seven days to negotiate a trade with interested teams.

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The Miami Marlins are set to hold their annual FanFest this Saturday from 4:00-8:00 pm. The following tips and event details will help fans enjoy themselves to the fullest.

“This event is all about bringing our fans and the South Florida market closer to our brand, through player interactions, exclusive sneak peeks at what’s coming in 2026, and capping it off with a fireworks show,” said Marlins chief brand officer Alex Parker. “We can’t wait to see Marlins fans at the ballpark to mark the start of baseball season.”

You can claim free FanFest tickets here (up to six tickets available for each MLB.com account). More than 31,000 tickets have been claimed as of Monday afternoon, according to club sources. Tickets will be delivered to the Ballpark app. A personal suggestion for my fellow iPhone users would be to add them to your digital wallet—that will keep the line moving as fast as possible on Saturday.

Parking is complimentary for this event. You will be able to use any of the ballpark's four garages at no additional cost.

To ensure that you and your children can participate in all FanFest activities, make sure to fill out this waiver in advance.

Who will be there?

In addition to president of baseball operations Peter Bendix and manager Clayton McCullough, the vast majority of Marlins major league players are expected to be at FanFest (Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Xavier Edwards, Jakob Marsee, Agustín Ramírez, etc.). This is your first opportunity to meet players who were acquired this offseason via trade and free agency like reliever Pete Fairbanks, infielder/outfielder Christopher Morel, outfielder Owen Caissie and outfielder Esteury Ruiz. Most spring training non-roster invitees attend, including top prospects Thomas White, Robby Snelling and Kemp Alderman.

One notable absence will be 2025 Marlins All-Star representative Kyle Stowers. He and his wife, Emma, are expecting the birth of their first child in the days leading up to FanFest.

Activities

"Access has been a big thing for us—making sure that there is enough activities for everyone to be occupied the whole time," said Marlins president of business operations Caroline O'Connor in an exclusive interview with Fish On First.

Similar to last year, there will be an arcade trailer on the West Plaza, behind-the-scenes tours, a pop-up challenge, speed pitch contest and wiffle ball home run derby. The Marlins Museum, located on the Legends Level behind home plate, will be open.

A new addition to FanFest will be the youth clinics. Kids from ages 5-13 will be able to play on the field with current Marlins players in one-hour sessions. The available time slots for this are 5:00 pm, 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm.

Weather permitting, the roof will be open for a fireworks show at 8:00 pm.

Photo Ops

Active players and Marlins alumni will be stationed throughout the ballpark. Fans can take selfies with them in Sections 1, 32 and 205. Only Marlins Members will be able to get autographs from players. For non-members, keep in mind that if you attend spring training in Jupiter, players may be willing to sign for free if approached politely before or after games.

The World Series trophies from both 1997 and 2003 will also be on display for photos.

Main Stage

The FanFest main stage will be located in center field this year. Exclusive to Marlins Members before the rest of the event begins, Peter Bendix and Clayton McCullough will discuss the 2026 team during their annual "State of the Fish" Q&A.

The Marlins have a tradition of making announcements at FanFest. That will be the case again with the unveiling of new Sunday alternate uniforms and this year's Marlins Legends Hall of Fame class.

The main stage will also have various player and alumni segments and an animal show hosted by Zoo Miami’s Ron Magill.

Food & Drink Add-ons

For fans 21 years of age or older, you'll have the option to add the Foodie Passport and Beerfest access to your FanFest experience. The Foodie Passport is your ticket to eating and drinking your way around the ballpark, with five separate stops featuring exclusive bites and specialty drinks. Beerfest will take place in the Bullpen Bar and Grill from 4:00-6:00 pm, offering 20 domestic, international and local craft brews.

Each add-on costs $25 plus taxes/fees.

Dollar hot dogs from Sahlen's will also be available for purchase at FanFest.

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Miami Marlins outfielder Jakob Marsee will represent Team Italy in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, a source told Fish On First. Italy's final 30-man roster for the tournament was submitted on Tuesday morning.

Expect Marsee to play center field and potentially bat leadoff for manager Francisco Cervelli. His teammates will include fellow major leaguers Vinnie Pasquantino, Aaron Nola, Kyle Teel and Jac Caglianone.

Marsee, 24, was one of four players acquired by the Marlins in the trade that sent Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres. He struggled offensively in 2024, but enjoyed a great 2025 season. In Triple-A, where Marsee played 98 games, he slashed .246/.379/.438/.817 with 14 home runs, 37 RBI, 47 stolen bases and a 126 wRC+. He was even better in 55 games after being called up, slashing .292/.363/.478/.842 with five home runs, 33 RBI, 14 stolen bases and a 133 wRC+. The Central Michigan product was named the National League Rookie of the Month for August.

Marsee was born and raised in the United States. However, his great grandparents on both his mother's and father's side are Italian, which granted him eligibility to represent Italy in the WBC. The tournament's eligibility rules are intentionally broad to help grow the game globally.

Fellow Marlins Sandy Alcantara (Dominican Republic), Otto Lopez (Canada), Liam Hicks (Canada) and Owen Caissie (Canada) are confirmed to be participating in the WBC, and additional players from the Marlins org are likely to join them. The full rosters will be revealed on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. ET on MLB Network.

Italy is in Pool B, which will take place in Houston, Texas, beginning on March 6. The United States, Mexico, Great Britain and Brazil are also in that pool, with the top two teams advancing to the quarterfinals. For Marsee to compete at loanDepot park, Italy would need to reach the semifinals for the first time in WBC history.

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For the most part, the players who find themselves on a 26-man Opening Day roster entered spring training as members of the 40-man roster. However, we usually see at least one non-roster invitee rise above the rest to break camp with the big league team, or earn a spot shortly after the season begins.

One of the most famous Miami Marlins examples was José Fernández in 2013. A first-time NRI at just 20 years old, he joined the MLB starting rotation in early April and quickly established himself as an elite pitcher. We saw a more traditional example last year with Janson Junk, who signed with the Marlins as a minor league free agent and made a strong impression during spring training. He was initially promoted when long relief help was needed and never went back down, finishing third on the club with 110 innings pitched in 2025.

On Thursday, the Marlins announced a list of 31 non-roster invitees who will get the opportunity to prove themselves in Jupiter this spring. The following names are worth watching very closely because of their talent and potential roster fit.

Fish On First's number three prospect Robby Snelling will be right at the top of this list with the Marlins recently trading Edward Cabrera (Chicago Cubs) and Ryan Weathers (New York Yankees). Between Double-A and Triple-A last season, Snelling posted a 2.51 ERA, 2.77 FIP, 10.99 K/9 and 2.58 BB/9 in 136 innings pitched. Snelling's AAA stint really set him apart, with a 1.27 ERA, 2.62 FIP, 11.45 K/9 and 2.40 BB/9 in 63 ⅔ innings pitched.

The Marlins can gain an extra year of service time with the left-handed starter by delaying his debut until mid-April. On the other hand, there is nothing left for him to prove in the minor leagues. Also, as a consensus Top 100 MLB prospect, he is eligible to earn a Prospect Promotion Incentive draft pick for the organization. A strong spring training could force the hand of president of baseball operations Peter Bendix.

Thomas White is the consensus top-ranked prospect in the organization. Across three MiLB levels, he posted a 2.31 ERA, 2.27 FIP, 14.55 K/9 and 5.12 BB/9 in 89 ⅔ innings pitched.

White's biggest issue has been command/control. If he can show the Marlins he has addressed that throughout the course of spring training, the 21-year-old could contribute right away. Beyond that, though, his limited workload in the past hasn't prepared him to be a full-season starter in 2026. Expect White to be called up later in the season.

Relievers Josh Ekness (FOF #27) and Nigel Belgrave (unranked) have been successful in the minors ever since the Marlins selected both of them with late-round draft picks in 2023. This will mark Ekness' second invite to major league camp while for Belgrave, this will be his first.

In 2025, Ekness posted a 4.17 ERA, 3.27 FIP, 11.33 K/9 and 4.33 BB/9 in 54 innings pitched. A main reason for the inflated ERA and FIP are due to his struggles when he got up to AAA, only making three appearances, surrendering nine runs in that span. With Pensacola, he had a 2.73 ERA, 2.50 FIP, 11.28 K/9 and 3.59 BB/9. Ekness' fastball velocity is a major standout along with a slider's ability to miss bats. If injuries come up impacting other bullpen options, there is a chance he can make the trip to Miami on Opening Day before even establishing himself at AAA.

Belgrave between AA and AAA posted a 2.51 ERA, 2.62 FIP, 12.18 K/9 and 3.84 BB/9 in 68 innings pitched. His ceiling may be lower than Ekness', but his history of dominating right-handed batters makes it easy to envision him contributing in the big leagues immediately.

Switching over to the hitting prospects, Kemp Alderman is knocking on the door. During a breakout campaign in 2025, he slashed .285/.338/.482/.819 with 22 home runs, 70 RBI, 22 stolen bases and a 135 wRC+. Alderman has incredible power to all fields. Being right-handed helps his case given how left-handed-heavy the Marlins outfield is, but consistency will be key with a prospect like this.

Jacob Berry slashed .261/.348/.394/.742 with eight home runs, 54 RBI, 27 stolen bases and a 104 wRC+ during a full season in Jacksonville. His offensive production ticked up as the year progressed. Berry was used in the outfield by his Puerto Rican Winter League team, but he is currently listed as an infielder by the Marlins. Ongoing defensive struggles make him unlikely to find a role on the roster.

Brendan Jones was acquired from the New York Yankees in the Ryan Weathers trade. Last season between High-A and AA, he slashed .245/.359/.395/.754 with 11 home runs, 69 RBI, 51 stolen bases and a 126 wRC+. His ability to play all three outfield spots, speed, strikeout rate of 19.9% and walk rate of 14.9% make him a strong option for the Marlins if he finds early success in his first taste of AAA.

Infielder Jesús Bastidas stands out amongst Miami's minor league free agent signings. Last season at AAA between the Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros orgs, he slashed .262/.352/.440/.792 with 16 home runs, 80 RBI and a 109 wRC+. That momentum carried over to winter ball.

Defensively, Bastidas has played primarily second base and shortstop, but has experience at third base as well, so he does provide some versatility, which the Marlins are always searching for.

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In the short term, the Miami Marlins could wind up missing left-hander Ryan Weathers. After trading Weathers to the New York Yankees earlier this month, they will have to rely on some inexperienced arms to fill out their 2026 starting rotation. "We got a package of players that we thought was too good to pass up," president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said when justifying the deal. That four-prospect package was highlighted by outfielder Dillon Lewis, who brings a combination of tools that's unlike anybody else in the organization.

Per Marlins insider Craig Mish, Lewis was also involved in trade talks that the club previously had with the Yankees regarding Edward Cabrera. Clearly, the Marlins targeted this player.

Lewis, 22, ranks fifth on our Fish On First Top 30 list. In 2025, between Low-A and High-A, he slashed .237/.321/.445/.766 with 22 home runs, 79 RBI, 26 stolen bases and a 121 wRC+.

A 20 HR/20 SB season in the minor leagues is not as rare as it used to be. The Marlins have had players reach that milestone in three straight years—Troy Johnston (2023), Agustín Ramírez (2024) and Kemp Alderman (2025). However, Lewis pairs that offensive production with the ability to play all three outfield spots and legitimately stick in center field moving forward.

Lewis' power should translate to big leagues. Per Lance Brozdowski of Marquee Sports Network, his 90th percentile exit velocity of 107.7 mph was the same as brand-name prospects Bryce Eldridge and Konnor Griffin. He paired that with a whiff rate below 22% on pitches in the strike zone. When Lewis made the jump from Low-A to High-A, his walk rate increased from 9.2% to 10.8%. If he can continue improving his swing decisions, there's the upside for him to be a complete hitter.

Baseball America considers Lewis' power and speed to both be 60-grade tools. At this stage of his career, he compares closely to where former Marlins prospect Monte Harrison was entering the 2018 season. Harrison would go on to crack MLB Top 100 prospect lists, earn a Futures Game selection and make his major league debut in 2020. Unfortunately, his hit tool did not develop as hoped. He played just 50 MLB games in his career, striking out in nearly half of his plate appearances.

We will know much more about Lewis based on how he adjusts to the Double-A level. The ceiling is extremely high. Even in an org that's stacked with outfield depth, he could move quickly and contribute to the Marlins as soon as the 2027 season.

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It is widely known that the Philadelphia Phillies don’t want to continue their professional relationship with Nick Castellanos in 2026. They are actively trying to move him, as the club's president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, has confirmed publicly multiple times.

The Miami Marlins actually showed serious interest in Castellanos when he was a free agent four years ago, but the Phillies outbid them with a five-year, $100M deal. A National League All-Star and Silver Slugger at the time, he has declined since then. Last season, Castellanos slashed .250/.294/.400/.694 with 17 home runs, 72 RBIs, and a 90 wRC+. His playing time was reduced as the year went on and his strained relationship with manager Rob Thomson became a storyline. His postseason performance was also unimpressive—he went 2-for-15 at the plate with a .400 OPS in a four-game NLDS loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

On the January 22 episode of Fair Territory, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic mentioned the Marlins as a potential Castellanos destination, given  the lack of veteran bats on their roster and his background as a Hialeah native and Archbishop McCarthy alum. Rosenthal adds that the Phillies would be taking responsibility for most of the $20M still owed to the right-handed hitter to facilitate any deal.

However, Castellanos doesn’t have a place in Miami where he’d receive regular playing time.

A full-time outfielder since 2018, Castellanos’ minus-82 defensive runs saved is the worst in MLB during that span, per Fielding Bible. The next-closest player, Jorge Soler, is 30 runs better at minus-52. With the inconsistency of his bat at this stage of his career—wRC+ below 100 in two of the last four seasons—there's no guarantee of him even performing above replacement level moving forward.

It's hard to imagine Castellanos taking playing time away from fellow outfielders Kyle Stowers, Jakob Marsee, Owen Caissie, Griffin Conine or Heriberto Hernández. Even Esteury Ruiz might be ahead of him on the depth chart considering his great Triple-A production in 2025 and elite speed.

Castellanos is showing a willingness to make the move to first base and videos have surfaced of him getting work there. He has solid height for the position at 6'3", but due to his inexperience, who knows what that will look like.

The Marlins already signed Christopher Morel to a one-year deal and identified him as a candidate to learn first base. Conine is also experimenting at first entering this spring and Liam Hicks recently told the Marlins Radio Network that he is still working at the position after making 23 starts last season. While the Marlins should be open-minded to finding another 1B option, Castellanos does not represent a clear upgrade.

The likelihood of Castellanos bouncing back to being an impactful run producer is too low for the Marlins to make room for him.

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MIAMI, FL—The Miami Marlins will be relying heavily on Eury Pérez in 2026. Trades of Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers earlier this month leave the 22-year-old as the clear number two starter in their rotation. 

Weeks in advance of spring training, Eury Pérez is already in South Florida. Pérez tells Fish On First that he's been here throughout the entire offseason.

Following a bullpen session on Friday, Pérez did an interview in Spanish looking ahead to his third Marlins season, which he hopes will be his first full-length season at the major league level.

"I feel super healthy. This offseason has been incredible. I stayed here in Miami all year and I’ve tried to work as hard as possible to arrive ready," Pérez said.

Last season, the right-handed pitcher was coming off Tommy John surgery and rejoined the Marlins roster in early June. He posted a 4.25 ERA, 3.67 FIP, 9.91 K/9 and 3.02 BB/9 in 95 ⅓ innings pitched. He made 20 starts, which was a career-high. "After the Tommy John, my arm feels great," Pérez said. "I’m trying to stay that way to start the season with the team, which is what I want most, and to finish healthy as well."

Pérez has been focused on adding some weight to his massive 6'8" frame. Currently listed at 220 pounds, he says that he entered the offseason weighing in at 225 and is now up to 240, with the intention to add on more.

Pérez added a sweeper to his pitch mix near the end of the 2025 season, which he threw 7.7% of the time overall. In the small sample, he generated a 46.4% whiff rate and 28.9% PutAway rate. "It's a pitch that we begun throwing during the season, but it's still a pitch that we need to keep working on, by trying to keep it in the zone and when I want to throw it outside the zone," Pérez said.

The changeup was highly rated while he was climbing up through the minor leagues. That's been another focus for him as he plans to increase its 7.8% usage rate. It generated a 61.1% whiff rate and 15.2% PutAway rate. "It's a pitch that is going to help me a lot in this league," Pérez said.

ZiPS projections expect Pérez to work 110 innings, pitching to a 4.02 ERA, 3.99 FIP and finishing second on the team with 112 strikeouts.

Pérez threw alongside his teammate and mentor Sandy Alcantara on Friday. Alcantara will once again participate for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic coming up in March, but Pérez was not contacted, so he will remain with the Marlins throughout all of spring training.

"I’m waiting for the opportunity in a few years," Pérez said regarding the WBC.

Marlins pitchers and catchers are set to report to Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on February 11. The full-squad report date is February 16.

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Following an offseason bullpen session, Marlins right-hander Eury Pérez speaks with Fish On First about filling out his 6'8" frame and continuing to develop as a pitcher.

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On Friday, the Miami Marlins claimed right-handed pitcher Osvaldo Bido off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays (first reported by Daniel Álvarez Montes of El Extrabase). The Marlins 40-man roster was at 39, so no corresponding roster move was required.

Throughout most of his career, Bido has been a swingman, with his best season coming in 2024 with the Athletics, pitching to a 3.41 ERA and 3.36 FIP through 63 ⅓ innings pitched. He had much less success in 2025, posting a 5.87 ERA, 6.07 FIP, 7.68 K/9 and 3.95 BB/9 in 26 appearances (10 starts). The A's waived him in December.

What stands out about Bido is his deep pitch mix, which consists of a four-seam fastball, slider, sinker, changeup and cutter. In 2025, his four-seam fastball took a huge dip (minus-12 run value) and the sinker remained his best pitch (plus-4). The sinker averages 94.5 mph. His slider and cutter were also strong pitches in 2024, but both were negative run value pitches this past season.

Bido, 30, has a history of allowing fly balls. The difference between 2024 and 2025 was how much hard contact there was against him. As a result, his HR/FB rate skyrocketed from 3.8% to 14.7%. It just seems like opposing hitters were seeing him better, or maybe they had a clearer idea of which pitch was coming.

Bido continued to do a good job of getting hitters to whiff outside the strike zone. However, they took advantage of him on the first pitch of plate appearances (.487/.500/.872/1.372 slash line against).

This offseason, Bido has bounced around from the A's to the Atlanta Braves to the Rays before landing in Miami. That is largely due to him being out of minor league options—either he makes the 2026 Opening Day roster or else the Marlins will have to pass him through waivers like his previous teams did.

The recent trade of Ryan Weathers to the New York Yankees gives Bido an improved chance of earning a major league job, but he shouldn't be viewed as a Weathers replacement. With a strong spring, he could take over the long relief role that Valente Bellozo held for much of last season.

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On Thursday, the 2026 international signing period opened and the Miami Marlins inked deals with 21 players, highlighted by shortstops Santiago Solarte and Ronny Muñoz. They each received a $1M bonus, per sources.

This is the organization's second international signing class since David Hernandez-Beayne was named director of international scouting.

The following players officially signed Thursday on their first day of eligibility, with more to follow in the coming days:

Santiago Solarte ($1M)

Solarte, a 17-year-old out of Caja Seca, Venezuela, is ranked 16th on MLB Pipeline's Top 50 international prospects list. He's a 50-grade prospect overall with 45-hit, 65-power, 55-run, 50-arm and 55-field tools.

"Physical specimen type of build with raw explosiveness and top-of-scale strength," said one scout. "Advanced body control and athletic actions for someone that size and age."

Solarte briefly participated in Venezuela's professional summer league (LMBP), where the average player was more than a decade older than him. In nine games with Samanes de Aragua (mostly off the bench), he slashed .143/.250/.143 with one hit, one walk, two strikeouts and one stolen base.

Solarte has been trained at Academia Carlos Guillén. New Marlins outfielder Raunny Figueredo ($350k bonus) trained at that academy as well.

Ronny Muñoz ($1M)

Muñoz, who ranks as the #27 prospect on MLB Pipeline, is another 50-grade prospect (55-hit, 55-power, 60-run, 60-arm and 45-field).

"He's probably the most talented player in this class," said David Hernandez-Beayne. "The way that I would describe him as short as possible would be traits-based prospect. Very tooled up, explosive and athletic. He's very strong within his frame. He's a plus runner, he's got a plus arm, he's got plus impact, plus hand speed. He's one of those guys that, for us, in terms of the raw tool package of having that skill set to be able to progress, improve, get better, become that impactful prospect we think he can, he has it all."

Muñoz had already seen action in what are called "committed games," hitting a home run to straightaway center field.

Eliezer Peralta ($275k)

The Marlins view Peralta as this class' top international pitching prospect. The 17-year-old pitcher out of the Dominican Republic throws a fastball which sits 90-92 mph with a spin rate between 2,176-2,220 rpm. His changeup averages 82 mph with a spin rate between 1,601-1,834 rpm. His final pitch, a 77-80 mph slider, has a spin rate between 2,239-2,341 rpm.

"We have a lot of things that we look for when it comes to pitching," said Hernandez-Beayne. "Obviously, a big part of it is the size, projection and athleticism. We believe heavily in biomechanics traits that create outliers for pitchers being able to bend pitches and generate future velocity. There's a lot of specific things that we care about, but makeup is also very important."

Maikel Acosta ($225k)

One Marlins scout called Acosta the most underrated signing of the class. His exit velocity already averages 90 mph. He has a 40-yard dash time of 4.96 seconds. He possesses a strong arm at shortstop, averaging 90 mph on max-effort throws (the MLB average at the position is 85.7 mph).

Ben Badler of Baseball America adds, "The foundation of his right-handed swing works well, and he has a knack for putting the ball in play, so getting stronger will be key to do more damage on contact."

Acosta will be making his professional debut as a 16-year-old.

Francisco Del Campo ($400k)

Out of the four catchers that the Marlins signed, Del Campo seems to be the best of the bunch.

"He recognizes pitches well, has good bat-to-ball skills and strength, though with a flatter path that doesn’t lend itself to much loft yet," Badler writes. "His hands work well behind the plate, he has a clean transfer and his arm strength has ticked up considerably over the past couple years to become at least an average tool."

He represented Mexico in the 2024 U-15 World Cup in Colombia. More recently, Del Campo trained with the Mexican League's Leones de Yucatan. He appeared in one game for them last summer.

Other standouts

Right-hander Batista already spins his fastball above 2,500 rpm. He signed for $100k.

"Batista is an interesting case, because very rarely do you find players that are slight frame like he is," said Hernandez-Beayne. "He's 6'0", 130 pounds right now...He's truly a unique case, a real outlier, someone we're incredibly excited about."

Onardi Santos, who stands at 6'5" and is a left-handed pitcher, signed for $220k.

Right-hander Evan Da Souza, a native out of Nicaragua, is committed to sign for $250k. The deal will become official on Sunday, according to Nicaraguan journalist Fernando Rayo. Da Souza's agent brought him to the Dominican Republic to give him more exposure and that is when the Marlins discovered him at a big showcase in Punta Cana.

"Immediately stood out by the guy with elite size, elite frame, high projectability traits, unique outlier pitch characteristics and that ability to really calm the strike zone, and so all those elements made teams really want to get involved within that process," said Hernandez-Beayne.

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Highlights of five key prospects who signed with the Marlins on Thursday: SS Santiago Solarte (Venezuela), SS Ronny Muñoz (Dominican Republic), C Francisco Del Campo (Mexico), RHP Eliezer Peralta (Dominican Republic) and SS Maikel Acosta (Dominican Republic).

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Not even a week after trading Edward Cabrera to the Chicago Cubs, the Miami Marlins have dealt left-handed pitcher Ryan Weathers to the New York Yankees. The return is centered around outfield prospect Dillon Lewis and includes fellow position players Brendan Jones, Dylan Jasso and Juan Matheus.The trade was officially announced on Tuesday evening.

The Marlins acquired Weathers on the day of the 2023 MLB trade deadline, sending first baseman Garrett Cooper and reliever Sean Reynolds to the San Diego Padres. He pitched only 13 innings at the major league level with his new club that year, but impressed in their regular season finale was included on the National League Wild Card Series roster.

Weathers made the 2024 Opening Day roster, but was bit by the injury bug, as he suffered a left index finger strain. This would be the first of three IL stints in Weathers' tenure on the Marlins. In 2024, he was threw 86 ⅔ innings, which was the most in a season with the Marlins, and posted a 3.63 ERA, 4.11 FIP, 8.31 K/9 and 2.49 BB/9 (career-low).

In 2025, Weathers showed increased fastball velo during spring training, topping out at 99 mph multiple times. Unfortunately, he began the season sidelined, being placed on the injured list with a left flexor muscle strain. He wouldn't return until May 14. His final IL stint came following a start against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 7. He suffered a left lat strain, keeping him out until September, where he made three starts to wrap up the season.

Weathers finished 2025 with eight starts, going 38 ⅓ innings pitched and posting a 3.99 ERA, 4.60 FIP, 8.69 K/9 and 2.82 BB/9. His fastball averaged 96.9 mph, which is the highest of his career up to this point.

Recently, Weathers and the Marlins settled on a $1.35M salary for 2026 to avoid arbitration.

Especially early in the season, the Yankees will be relying heavily on the 26-year-old as veteran arms Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón are expected to start off on the IL. Weathers is under club control through 2028 for a total of three full seasons.

Lewis comes in ranked as the Yankees eight-ranked prospect per Baseball America and 16th per MLB Pipeline. He spent the 2025 season between Low-A and High-A. He slashed .237/.321/.445/.766 with 22 home runs, 79 RBI, 26 stolen bases and a 121 wRC+ between both levels. He was one of just 12 players in the minor leagues to hit 20 doubles and 20 home runs while stealing 20 bases.

Offensively, Lewis profiles more as a power-first bat with plenty of speed. "His impact potential showed up in a 90th percentile exit velocity of 107.7 mph that placed him in the same range as top prospects like Bryce Eldridge and Konnor Griffin," his Baseball America scouting report says.

BA also describes Lewis as the Yankees' best defensive outfielder. In 2025, Lewis played primarily center field, spending 59 games at the position. He also played both corner outfield spots pretty evenly.

Jones, 23, spent the 2025 season between High-A and Double-A where he slashed .245/.359/.395/.754 with 11 home runs, 69 RBI, 51 stolen bases and a 126 wRC+. The Marlins have been prioritizing speed throughout this entire offseason and the acquisition of Jones continues that trend.

Defensively, it is likely that Jones will wind up in a corner outfield spot due to his arm strength, which Baseball America gave a 40-grade. Expect Jones to most likely begin the 2026 season in Triple-A Jacksonville.

Jasso, a-23 year-old corner infield prospect, spent the 2025 season in AA where he slashed .257/.326/.400/.725 with 13 home runs, 76 RBI and a 115 wRC+. Ranked as Baseball America's No. 26 Yankees prospect, Jasso profiles more as a power-first type of bat, as his average and 90th percentile exit velocities are 90.8 mph and 103.7 mph. Jasso spent most of the 2025 season at third base, playing and starting 83 games at the position. For his career, he has split time between first and third. The expectation is that Jasso would begin the 2026 season in Triple-A Jacksonville.

The final prospect included in the trade was Juan Matheus, who is a 21-year old infield prospect. He spent the 2025 season between Low-A and High-A, slashing .275/.365/.376/.742 with three home runs, 56 RBI, 40 stolen bases and a 115 wRC+. He primarily played third base, with a little bit of shortstop mixed in. Matheus will likely begin the 2026 season in High-A Beloit.

Looking at the Marlins 2026 projected rotation, the one-two punch of Sandy Alcantara and Eury Pérez remains intact, but the rest is pretty murky. You have Max Meyer, Janson Junk, Adam Mazur and Ryan Gusto as candidates who made starts for the 2025 Marlins (Junk was the most effective of that group). Braxton Garrett is a total wild card, but his left-handedness and track record of filling up the strike zone may help his case.

Then there are top prospects Robby Snelling and Thomas White.

Snelling, who is knocking on the door, should have a much better chance at making the Opening Day roster following the trade. Fish On First's number three prospect in the organization threw in 136 innings between AA and AAA, posting a 2.51 ERA, 2.77 FIP, 10.99 K/9 and 2.58 BB/9. Once Snelling made it to AAA, he posted a 1.27 ERA and a 11.45 K/9. A very strong spring training may very well land him in the Opening Day rotation as the fourth or fifth starter.

White, who MLB Pipeline rated as the best left-handed pitching prospect in all of baseball, posted a 2.31 ERA, 2.27 FIP, 14.55 K/9 and 5.12 BB/9 in 89 ⅔ innings pitched. White only made two starts in AAA. He still will need some time to develop, specifically to lower the high amount of walks.

Following Weathers' departure, there is now an open spot on the Marlins 40-man roster.

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Since the inception of the World Baseball Classic in 2006, there have been a plethora of Miami Marlins players who have participated, including a few you may not have known about. As the sixth edition of the WBC inches closer and closer, Fish On First has created this all-time list of players who were part of the Marlins organization when the tournament took place.

This list will be updated again following the 2026 tournament, which is being hosted at Miami's own loanDepot park.

2006

Miguel Cabrera (Venezuela)—Cabrera participated in all versions of the World Baseball Classic through the end of his Hall of Fame-caliber playing career, but only the 2006 one as a member of the Florida Marlins. In six games, he slashed .211/.400/.579/.979 with two home runs and five RBI. The 2006 season would be arguably his best as a Marlin, posting a .998 OPS in 158 games played.

Dontrelle Willis (United States)—D-Train struggled in both of his outings, posting a 12.71 ERA while taking losses against Canada and  Korea.

Alfredo Amézaga (Mexico)—Also part of the inaugural World Baseball Classic, Amézaga slashed .250/.400/.250/.650 with one hit, two stolen bases and one hit by pitch.

2009

Hanley Ramírez (Dominican Republic)—Ramírez is one of the most electric players Marlins fans have ever seen. Representing the Dominican Republic, in three games, he went 2-for-9 with one RBI and two walks.

Jorge Cantú and Alfredo Amézaga (Mexico)—After participating as a member of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2006, Jorge Cantú was a member of the Florida Marlins in 2009. In six games, he slashed .360/.407/.800/1.207 with two home runs, six RBI and overall, went 9-for-25 in that stretch. Amézaga appeared in just one game, where he went 2-for-5 with one home run and two runs scored.

Rick van den Hurk (Netherlands)—van den Hurk spent almost a decade in the Marlins organization. Towards the end of his tenure, in 2009, he represented the Netherlands, where in two starts, he went 5 ⅓ innings pitched, allowing one earned run off of seven hits (one home run), five walks and struck out four.

Dave Davidson and Chris Leroux (Canada)—In his lone appearance for Canada in 2009, Davidson went one inning, allowing one hit, one walk and struck out one. He went on to make one appearance for the Marlins during the regular season. As for Leroux, he was in the '06, '09 and '13 tournaments, making a total of four appearances. He was only a member of the Marlins in 2009 where in two appearances, he went 1 ⅓ innings, allowing one hit, one walk and struck out one. During the MLB regular season, he made five appearances posting a 10.80 ERA.

Andy González (Puerto Rico)—In four games, González went 1-for-4 with a run scored. With the Marlins in 2009, he only played in 14 games posting a .333 OPS. González returned to the WBC in 2013, but he was under contract with the Chicago White Sox by then.

2013

Giancarlo Stanton and Steve Cishek (United States)—This would be Stanton's first of two World Baseball Classic's as a member of the Miami Marlins. In the 2013 installment, he played in five games slashing .235/.381/.235/.616 with one RBI and four walks. This would mark the one time Cishek participated in the WBC, but he made four appearances (2.1 IP) for the United States, posting a 3.86 ERA, allowing one run on no hits, walking two and striking out two. He was an excellent closer for the 2013 Marlins, throwing 69 ⅔ innings pitched, which still stands as a career-high. He led Major League Baseball with 62 games finished.

Henderson Álvarez (Venezuela)—Álvarez only made one appearance, but in three innings of work, he allowed three runs off of five hits, walking one, hitting one and not generating a strikeout. Later that year, Álvarez went on to finish the 2013 season with a 3.59 ERA, 3.18 FIP, 5.0 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 102 ⅔ innings pitched. His season was cut short due to injury, only making 17 starts.

2017

Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich (United States)—In his second go-around in the WBC, Stanton slashed .227/.320/.455/.775 with one home run and four RBI. Stanton's home run came against the Dominican Republic. In his lone WBC appearance, Yelich played in eight games, slashing .310/.375/.448/.823 with three RBI. Yelich went on to have a great 2017 season with 18 home runs and a 120 OPS+. The United States won the tournament for the first time, defeating Puerto Rico, 8-0.

During the ensuing offseason, the Marlins traded Stanton and Yelich to the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers, respectively.

Martín Prado (Venezuela)—Prado played in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, but not as a member of the Marlins. In 2017, he played in five games, slashing .368/.429/.526/.955 with five RBI.

Edinson Vólquez (Dominican Republic)—Vólquez had just signed with the Marlins that offseason leading up to the WBC, but he was a vet on that DR squad, having participated in 2009 and 2013 tournaments. In 2017, Vólquez started two games, going eight innings, allowing three runs (one earned) off of 10 hits. He also struck out eight. On June 3 of that year, Vólquez became the sixth Marlins pitcher in franchise history to throw a no-hitter, which came against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Tayron Guerrero (Colombia)—Guerrero was acquired by the Marlins at the 2016 MLB trade deadline in the infamous Andrew Cashner trade with the San Diego Padres. In his lone appearance of the WBC, Guerrero went one inning, allowing one hit and struck out two.

2023

Sandy Alcantara, Johnny Cueto and Jean Segura (Dominican Republic)—The National League's reigning Cy Young Award winner, Alcantara made the first start of the WBC for the Dominican Republic, where he allowed three runs off of five hits in 3 ⅔ innings pitched. He struck out two against Venezuela. Cueto, who had just signed with the Marlins in that offseason, made one start, going 4 ⅔ shutout innings, allowing three hits and striking out five against Puerto Rico. Just like Cueto, Segura was a new Marlins free agent signing and was set to play third base for the team. In two games, he went 4-for-11 with three RBI. Segura flopped during the regular season, though. The Marlins dumped him at the 2023 trade deadline and he announced his retirement in 2025. 

Luis Arraez, Jesús Luzardo and Enmanuel De Jesus (Venezuela)—Arraez was just traded to the Marlins in exchange for Venezuelan teammate Pablo Lopez that offseason. In five games in his new ballpark, he gave Marlins fans a lot of hope, going 4-for-17 with two home runs, four RBI and scored four runs. Both of his home runs came against the United States. This went on to be Luzardo's best season as a member of the Marlins, but before that, he made one start for Venezuela, where he went four shutout innings, allowing four hits and struck out five. De Jesus had signed a minor league deal. He made one WBC appearance, which came against Israel, where in 3 ⅔ innings of work, he allowed one run on four hits, walked one and struck out five.

Anthony Maldonado (Puerto Rico)—Maldonado—at the time a prospect in the Marlins system—made just one appearance where he struck out two against Nicaragua.

2026

Javier Sanoja (Venezuela)—The ultra-versatile Sanoja made two starts in center field during pool play, but then didn't set foot on the diamond again until the ninth inning of the WBC final. Pinch-running for Arraez in a 2-2 game, he stole second base and scored the go-ahead run on Eugenio Suárez's double. Thanks to his legs, Venezuela won its first-ever WBC championship. On a related note, Miguel Cabrera served as Venezuela's hitting coach.

Sandy Alcantara and Agustín Ramirez (Dominican Republic)—Alcantara's lone start was unremarkable (3.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K), but came in a winning effort. Ramírez was behind the plate twice. As a hitter, he went 1-for-6 with a walk.

Owen Caissie, Liam Hicks and Otto Lopez (Canada)—Caissie shined the brightest among this Marlins trio. He slashed .412/.476/.765 in five games, with good corner outfield defense, too.

Yiddi Cappe (Cuba)—Cappe defected from Cuba as a teenager. At age 23, he received the opportunity to represent his homeland in international competition again. The second baseman slashed .250/.308/.583 in pool play.

Ian Lewis (Great Britain)—The switch-hitting Bahamian slashed .214/.214/.429 in pool play with a home run in Great Britain's lone victory.

Jakob Marsee (Italy)—In six WBC games, Marsee posted a .174/.345/.217 slash line. His five walks were tied for the second-highest total on the team. Reaching the semifinals made this easily Italy's most successful run in tournament history.

Jared Serna (Mexico)—A standout performer in the Mexican Winter League, Serna cracked his country's WBC roster in a utility role. He appeared in three of Mexico's four games, every time as a late-inning substitute. He was hit by pitches in both of his plate appearances.

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Less than a month away from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training, the Miami Marlins pitching staff isn't any stronger than it was when the 2025 season ended. Yes, they made a big investment in closer Pete Fairbanks, but they also found out that Ronny Henriquez would miss all of 2026 due to injury. Then they traded Edward Cabrera for a package that included only position players.

Improvement is still very possible as a wave of talented pitching prospects headlined by Thomas White and Robby Snelling gets ready to graduate to the big leagues. However, it's risky to rely too much on rookies. Using Cabrera himself as an example, the former Top 100 MLB prospect was ineffective in his debut season—he didn't really put it all together until his fifth season with the Marlins.

A source told Fish On First that although the Marlins would be content with their starting pitching depth, signing a veteran innings eater to a short-term deal has not been ruled out. Also, there has yet to be anything done to address the club's left-handed reliever shortage.

With that in mind, the following free agents could be important, cost-effective pick-ups.

RHP Zack Littell

Littell, 30, was acquired by the Tampa Bay Rays as a waiver claim in 2023 when Peter Bendix was their general manager. Littell's previous teams had been using him out of the bullpen, but the Rays converted him to a starter. The experiment paid off as the right-hander made 65 starts in parts of three seasons in Tampa Bay, posting a 3.68 ERA in a total of 376 ⅔ innings pitched.

Last season, Littell split his time between the Rays and the Cincinnati Reds. He handled by far the heaviest workload of his career (186.2 IP), posting a 3.81 ERA, 4.88 FIP, 6.27 K/9 and 1.54 BB/9. His walk rate ranked in the 98th percentile of MLB pitchers, per Baseball Savant.

Littell's four-seam fastball has below-average velocity (92.1 mph). He also throws a slider, split-finger, sinker and sweeper. He pitches to contact, but ranked only in the 43rd percentile in ground ball rate. It is a weird but successful profile—he's been worth 5.0 fWAR since the Rays helped turn his career around.

Littell allowed 36 home runs in his 32 starts last season. His ERA would probably rise in 2026 if that happens again, but the Marlins can offer him a more pitcher-friendly environment compared to his previous homes (Steinbrenner Field and Great American Ball Park).

In Miami, Littell would be the fourth or fifth starter in the rotation. Our own Louis Addeo-Weiss explained why Lucas Giolito is another potential option to fill that role.

LHP Martin Pérez

In 2025, Pérez pitched with the Chicago White Sox, making 10 starts (11 appearances), posting a 3.54 ERA, 4.24 FIP, 7.07 K/9, 3.54 BB/9 through 56 innings pitched. It was unusual for the southpaw to spend that much time on the injured list—he threw more innings in each of the 10 previous seasons.

Pérez's sinker continues to be his best pitch, with a run value of plus-seven. He throws his changeup to both lefties and righties and still misses bats with it at age 34.

Having finished the season on the IL with a shoulder strain, perhaps Pérez would be available to the Marlins on a minor league deal. He would be the oldest player in camp.

LHP Jalen Beeks

On the reliever side of things, Jalen Beeks also crossed paths with Bendix while both were with the Rays. About two-thirds of Beeks' career innings have come with that organization.

In 2025 with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Beeks had a 3.77 ERA, 4.01 FIP, 7.38 K/9 and 3.14 BB/9 in 61 appearances. He had a 46.3% ground ball rate this past season, the second-highest of his career. His changeup is his best pitch, generating a 35.2 whiff% and a dominant .110 wOBA against it. His arsenal also includes a four-seam fastball and cutter.

A one-year deal in the $5 million range should be enough to bring in Beeks as much-needed lefty bullpen help.

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This week's Edward Cabrera trade was simple from the Chicago Cubs' perspective. Coming off a wild-card berth in 2025, they believe he can make their starting rotation even stronger. Cabrera is coming off a career year and under club control through 2028. The right-hander's long list of past injury issues cannot be ignored, but by accepting that risk, the Cubs were able to get him without depleting their farm system. 

In exchange, the Miami Marlins received outfielder Owen Caissie and infielders Cristian Hernández and Edgardo De Leon. Here's what Marlins fans should know about each of them.

Owen Caissie

Caissie, 23, is the main piece of the return. This is a player who the Marlins have had their eye on for a while now, dating back to last offseason when they were in discussions with the Cubs about a potential Jesús Luzardo trade. These teams held Cabrera talks leading up to the July 2025 trade deadline and Caissie was made available back then, sources tell Fish On First.

In Triple-A this past season, Caissie slashed .286/.386/.551/.937 with 22 home runs, 55 RBI and a 139 wRC+. The Cubs called him up towards the end of the season, and in 12 games, he slashed .192/.222/.346/.568 with one home run, four RBI and a 56 wRC+. He will very likely be on the Marlins Opening Day roster, slotting in right field, a source says.

Caissie's swing decisions were a lot better compared to 2024, when he also played at AAA. He chased less outside the zone, going from 29.7% to 25.7%. He also made contact 52.0% of the time after only making contact 47.5% of the time the previous year.

In Triple-A, Caissie had a barrel rate above 15%, hard-hit rate above 53%, average exit velocity above 92 mph, an xwOBA above .380, and a whiff rate under 28%. The only three MLB players to check all of those boxes last season were Juan Soto, Pete Alonso, and Ben Rice.

In his first taste of major league pitching, Caissie struck out 40.7% of the time against a 3.7% walk rate. Both of those marks will obviously need to improve for him to be successful.

Pitches up and in to the left-handed hitter have given him problems, as shown by the graphic below. That is something the Marlins organization was able to address with Kyle Stowers last season. Slight mechanical adjustments turned him into an All-Star. 

His power potential is elite, but expect Caissie to have growing pains in the majors. In a best-case scenario, his first full season of production could look similar to what James Wood provided for the 2025 Washington Nationals, consistently blasting extra-base hits to left-center field at loanDepot park.

Cristian Hernández

Hernández, 22, was a highly touted international prospect who signed with the Cubs out of the Dominican Republic in 2021. Unlike Caissie, he has not been showing much game power in the minors, with only 24 home runs through five professional seasons. This past season, in 115 games at the High-A level, he slashed .252/.329/.365/.694 with seven homers, 53 RBI, 54 stolen bases and a 99 wRC+. He was left unprotected for the Rule 5 draft and did not get selected.

One positive is that Hernández has been putting more balls in play as the years go by. After posting a 30.3% strikeout rate in 2022, he has improved every year, dropping down to a 20.7 K% in 2025.

#Cubs No. 11 prospect Cristian Hernandez has seven hits in his last 12 at-bats, including a pair of homers and five RBIs.@USAFRecruiting #AimHigh pic.twitter.com/1mRLpIBjQj

— South Bend Cubs (@SBCubs) August 12, 2025

Hernández is an aggressive and efficient base-stealer with a 84.3% success rate in his MiLB career. His 52 steals in 2025 would have ranked second among all Marlins prospects.

Defensively, Hernández is an above-average defender who has the chance to stick at shortstop. He's also been given reps at second base every season. It will be interesting to see how the Marlins use him considering that top draft pick Aiva Arquette is a promising shortstop himself and both players are expected to spend most of the 2026 season at Double-A Pensacola.

Edgardo De Leon

The final prospect included in this deal is a classic “lotto ticket” player. Fellow Dominican Edgardo De Leon turns 19 next month and doesn't yet have any experience above rookie ball. He's been an effective hitter in both the Dominican Summer League (142 wRC+) and Arizona Complex League (118 wRC+) while putting up a max EV of 112.6 mph.

17 year old Cubs infield prospect Edgardo De Leon gets every bit of this pitch for a long home run in the DSL. pic.twitter.com/CrRMKyg049

— Prospect Dugout (@prospectdugout) August 28, 2024

"De Leon’s profile questions surround his bat-to-ball skills, as he ran a 34% whiff rate in 2025," notes Geoff Pontes of Baseball America. A lot of refinement is needed.

De Leon has played both corner infield and both corner outfield positions in the past. He should be assigned to Low-A Jupiter.

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On Thursday, Miami Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix met with the media for about 15 minutes to discuss the moves his team has made up to this point in the offseason. Understandably, most of the questions concerned Wednesday's trade that sent Edward Cabrera to the Chicago Cubs.

"I think we're getting somebody who hits the ball very hard and hits for a lot of power—that's a hard thing to find," Bendix said via Zoom regarding the centerpiece of the trade return, Owen Caissie. "It's a hard thing to find in any area. It's usually very expensive to acquire and I think every good team needs power. With him, we're getting someone who has shown the ability to make adjustments as he's gotten older and as he's faced better pitching. He's still very young and has room for improvement offensively and defensively, but his performance to date in his career has been exceptional."

Caissie slashed .286/.386/.551/.937 with 22 home runs, 55 RBI and a 139 wRC+ through 99 Triple-A games last season. As a left-handed-hitting corner outfielder, Caissie's similarities to 2025 Marlins All-Star are "pretty easy to see," Bendix admitted.

"To have somebody who's on that career trajectory much earlier in their career, who crushed Triple-A pitching at a much younger age, that's really exciting," said Bendix. "It doesn't guarantee anything and doesn't mean that he's necessarily going to step in right away and hit 40 home runs or anything like that. There's certainly risk there, but it is unusual to have a player like Caissie, at his age, perform the way that he did at a high level, and that makes us really excited."

Bendix also told the media that Caissie will still go to the World Baseball Classic, which takes place during spring training in March. He previously represented his native country at the 2023 WBC.

"I think that's going to be a great experience for him," said Bendix. "I think the more high-level competition he and all of our young guys can get, the better it is for them and for us."

Caissie will compete alongside one of his new Marlins teammates in shortstop Otto López. Canada is part of Pool A, which takes place in Puerto Rico.

Along with Caissie, the Marlins acquired shortstop prospect Cristian Hernández and Edgardo De Leon, an 18-year-old infield prospect.

Hernández, who spent last season in High-A, slashed .252/.329/.365/.694 with seven home runs, 53 RBI, 52 stolen bases and a 99 wRC+. He played 95 games at shortstop, where it seems like he has a chance to stick long term.

In 2025, De Leon made the jump from the Dominican Summer League to the Arizona Complex League. In 43 games, he slashed .276/.353/.500/.853 with five home runs, 15 RBI and a 118 wRC+.

"I think Cristian Hernández is tooled up, does a lot of things well. Certainly has a lot of things he needs to improve, but he's very young and has a lot of ingredients in place," Bendix said. "Edgardo De Leon, he's even younger and has further to go, but the power that he has shown, the exit velocities that he has shown, the aptitude that he has shown, is really exciting for an 18-year-old. When we were able to get a package of these three players that we think can help us this year and beyond, that ended up being what got us over the line."

Cabrera had been the subject of trade rumors throughout the past couple of years. Last offseason, it seemed as if the Pittsburgh Pirates were a potential landing spot, then leading up to the 2025 MLB trade deadline, the Cubs and New York Yankees were among the clubs interested in the right-handed starter. During the Winter Meetings, it was reported that the Marlins and Baltimore Orioles were in discussions for Cabrera. Last Sunday, the Yankees reportedly re-emerged as a serious suitor.

In 2025, Cabrera broke out, posting a 3.53 ERA, 3.83 FIP, 9.81 K/9 and 3.14 BB/9 in a career-high 137 ⅔ innings pitched. That marked the first time in his career surpassing the 100-inning threshold. Even then, the injury-prone 27-year-old landed on the IL twice, most notably towards the end of the season with a right elbow sprain, but still made two starts to finish the season.

"There's risk with every player in baseball," Bendix said. "There's risk with Edward Cabrera. There's risk with just about anybody. There's no such thing as certainty. I think what we try to do is we try to get players who do things well and also have areas of improvement that we think we can help. That gets to the idea of developing players at all levels, including at the major league level."

 

 

 

 

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A source did tell Fish On First that although the Marlins feel comfortable with their current starting pitching options, they still may go out and sign an experienced pitcher who can eat innings, similar to the signing of Cal Quantrill last season. Bendix also did not rule out the possibility of a top prospect like Thomas White or Robby Snelling winning a rotation job out of camp.

"I think there’s an opportunity there," said Bendix. "There’s competition there, there’s open space there, and there’s a chance for a lot of guys to step up and earn a spot. There’s nothing we’re writing off at this point."

Prior to trading away Cabrera, the Marlins signed right-handed reliever Pete Fairbanks to a one-year deal worth $13M. Fairbanks, who Bendix knows well from this days with the Tampa Bay Rays, posted a 2.83 ERA, 3.63 ERA, 8.80 K/9, 2.69 BB/9 and a career best 27 saves in a career-high 60 ⅓ innings pitched.

"I really like him, respect him as a person, and I think he's an excellent pitcher," said Bendix. "I think that there's more upside, even than what he's shown recently. He added a new cutter that has a chance to be really good. I think he's better understanding himself, his body, how to execute his pitches, and really to be a team leader. He's going to step into a situation where he's the veteran, he's the guy in the bullpen, and I trust in him to be able to execute that leadership as well as execute his pitches."

The final acquisition which was touched on very quickly was the one of Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Esteury Ruiz, who the Marlins acquired in exchange for minor league pitcher Adriano Marrero. In 2025, Ruiz was primarily in AAA, where he slashed .304/.412/.511/.923 with 16 home runs, 61 RBI, 63 stolen bases and a 137 wRC+. During his MLB career, however, Ruiz's career slash line is only .241/.296/.343/.639 with eight homers in 197 games.

"We think (Ruiz) is a really helpful, complementary piece, who's got upside beyond that," said Bendix. "He's one of the fastest guys in baseball, an elite base-stealing threat and made some real adjustments to his offensive game that we think are going to pay off huge dividends. We think he needs an opportunity to play and we can help him get a little bit more out of his game. It's the type of skills that are truly elite at the top of the scale that are hard to find and it's somebody who is still young and still improving and really fits our roster really well, too."

"I think we're executing on our plan of building a club that we think can be really exciting in 2026 and also continuing on this plan to make our franchise competitive every single year for the foreseeable future," Bendix said. "I think we added a lot of really interesting talent and it's going to be fun to see how some of these competitions play out in spring training."

Thursday also marks the deadline to exchange salary figures with arbitration-eligible players. With Cabrera now gone, the Marlins have six players (all pitchers) who they are attempting to reach settlements with.

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