Kevin Barral

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It's been only a few weeks since Fish On First's previous 2026 roster projection, but the Miami Marlins have been very busy. Since then, they signed right-handed reliever Pete Fairbanks to a one-year deal worth $13 million, traded Dane Myers to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for outfield prospect Ethan O'Donnell, acquired Esteury Ruiz from the Los Angeles Dodgers for pitching prospect Adriano Marrero and dealt Eric Wagaman to the Minnesota Twins for pitching prospect Kade Bragg. The Marlins also lost right-handed reliever Ronny Henriquez to season-ending right elbow UCL reconstruction surgery.

Accounting for those transactions, here is our Marlins Opening Day roster projection, version 3.0.

Position Players

Default Starting Lineup: C Agustín Ramírez, 1B Christopher Morel, 2B Xavier Edwards, 3B Graham Pauley, SS Otto Lopez, LF Kyle Stowers, CF Jakob Marsee, RF Griffin Conine, DH Heriberto Hernández

Bench: INF/OF Connor Norby, UTIL Javier Sanoja, OF Esteury Ruiz, C/1B Liam Hicks

Ruiz is the leading candidate to fill Myers' shoes. He isn't as good defensively, but can play all three outfield spots, and his speed makes him even more useful off the bench in late-game situations. Ruiz has hit much better versus left-handed pitchers during his MLB career (.720 OPS), so most of his plate appearances should come against them.

The Marlins can use Ruiz's final minor league option at the end of spring training if another hitter in camp clearly outperforms him.

Just Missed: OF Victor Mesa Jr., C Joe Mack, 1B Deyvison De Los Santos

An injury to any of the left-handed-hitting outfielders listed above could open the door for Mesa to make his first career Opening Day roster. He appeared in 16 Marlins games in 2025 across two separate stints.

Mack will likely finish the year as the club's most-used catcher. However, expect his debut to be delayed long enough for the Marlins to secure an extra year of club control over him.

Once De Los Santos shows that his winter ball success can translate to affiliated ball, he'll get his opportunity to earn the full-time first base job.

Pitchers

Starting rotation: RHP Sandy Alcantara, RHP Edward Cabrera, RHP Eury Pérez, LHP Ryan Weathers, RHP Max Meyer 

Bullpen: RHP Pete Fairbanks, RHP Anthony Bender, RHP Tyler Phillips, RHP Calvin Faucher, LHP Cade Gibson, RHP Josh White, RHP Lake Bachar, RHP Janson Junk 

Edward Cabrera continues to draw widespread trade interest. Still, we can't assume his departure yet—the Marlins have made him available in the past without receiving what they consider to be a fair offer.

Fairbanks essentially replaces the injured Henriquez. He will be the Marlins' highest-leverage reliever, pitching in most save situations.

White is coming off one of the best seasons by a Marlins minor league reliever in recent memory, posting a 1.86 ERA and 1.65 FIP in 67 ⅔ innings pitched. He has zero left to prove in Triple-A. Relievers are so volatile that service time shouldn't influence the timing of his debut like it would for a starting pitcher or position player. His inclusion leaves the Marlins with only one left-hander in their bullpen, but keep in mind that White struck out more than 40% of the lefties he faced in 2025.

Just missed: LHP Braxton Garrett, LHP Josh Simpson, LHP Andrew Nardi

Garrett's overall career numbers are actually slightly better than Cabrera's. He would be the first starting pitcher called up in the event of a trade. Going down to AAA may help shake off the rust after spending last year rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.

The Marlins have had opportunities this offseason to squeeze Simpson and Nardi off their 40-man roster, but other players were sacrificed instead. That suggests the club truly believes in the positive flashes Simpson showed at the end of a difficult season and the progress Nardi is making in his comeback from recurring back problems. They will both be monitored closely during spring training.

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The Miami Marlins traded right-handed starting pitcher Edward Cabrera to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. Outfield prospect Owen Caissie is the centerpiece of the package coming to Miami, joined by shortstop prospect Cristian Hernández and infield prospect Edgardo De Leon. The clubs have yet to make the deal official. 

Cabrera, who the Marlins signed for $100,000 in 2015, finally broke out in 2025 after inconsistencies with his command and control. He posted a 3.53 ERA, 3.83 FIP, 9.81 K/9 and 3.14 BB/9 in a career-high 137 ⅔ innings pitched. It marked the first time in Cabrera's career that he surpassed the 100-inning threshold. His walk rate was also the lowest of his career.

The main concern is his injury history. Cabrera was placed on the injured list twice last season alone, first in March with a right middle finger blister and late into the season, he suffered a right elbow sprain. Many assumed that would not only knock him out for the remainder of the 2025 season, but jeopardize all of 2026 due to possible surgery. Instead, Cabrera returned on September 22, making two more starts, going four innings against the Philadelphia Phillies and five innings against the New York Mets to close out the season.

President of baseball operations Peter Bendix would be taking a gamble by moving Cabrera, who is capable of having an even better season in 2026, but the Marlins are also banking on their crop of talented, less experienced starters—including top prospects Thomas White and Robby Snelling—to keep the team competitive.

Cabrera is projected to make $3.7M in 2026 via arbitration and will be under club control through 2028.

Northside Baseball ranked Caissie as the No. 1 overall prospect in the Cubs organization. At the Triple-A level last season, he slashed .286/.386/.551/.937 with 22 home runs, five stolen bases and a 139 wRC+ in 99 games. The 23-year-old left-handed hitter played 12 games at the major league level. He slashed .192/.222/.346/.568 in that limited opportunity.

Hernández, a 22-year old shortstop prospect, is ranked 16th on Baseball America's recently released top 30 prospects list. MLB Pipeline has Hernández ranked 11th. He spent the entire 2025 season in High-A, slashing .252/.329/.365/.694 with seven home runs, 53 RBI, 54 stolen bases and a 99 wRC+. He was regarded as the fifth-best prospect in the 2021 international signing class, per Pipeline.

As for De Leon, he slashed .276/.353/.500/.853 with five home runs, 15 RBI and a 118 wRC+ in the complex league. Standing at 6'0," 170 pounds, De Leon played first and third base, with some outfield sprinkled in as well. This is what you can call a throw in with some upside to see what you can get.

In addition to the Cubs, Cabrera's other reported suitors this offseason included the New York Yankees, New York Mets and San Francisco Giants.

With the trade, the Marlins Opening Day starting rotation now projects to be Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Ryan Weathers, Max Meyer and Janson Junk. A source has told Fish On First that the Marlins could sign a veteran starting pitcher in free agency for additional depth, similar to what they did with bringing in Cal Quantrill last year.

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On Friday, the Miami Marlins announced that they have traded Eric Wagaman to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for left-handed minor league pitcher Kade Bragg.

Wagaman, who signed a split deal as a free agent during the previous offseason, played 140 games in a Marlins uniform. He slashed .250/.296/.378/.674 with nine home runs, 53 RBI and an 85 wRC+. He finished second amongst National League rookies in hits, fourth in RBI and second in doubles. He received playing time at both corner infield and both corner outfield positions, but he mainly handled first base.

The only bright spot in Wagaman's 2025 season was his production against left-handed pitching. He slashed .283/.321/.462/.783 with five home runs and 26 RBI with the platoon advantage. Expect him to continue in that role in Minnesota, filling in for former Marlin Josh Bell against lefties. Although Bell is a switch-hitter, he had significant platoon splits last year (.804 OPS vs. RHP, .552 OPS vs. LHP).

Wagaman had been designated for assignment to make room for newest Marlins outfielder Esteury Ruiz.

As for the return, left-handed pitcher Kade Bragg split the 2025 season across three levels (Low-A, High-A and Double-A). Overall, he had a 2.94 ERA, 3.73 FIP, 10.96 K/9 and 4.14 BB/9 in 67 ⅓ innings pitched (42 appearances). The year before, he was limited to only six appearances due to injury.

Bragg, 24, could potentially find himself as a spring training non-roster invitee. He'll be Rule 5 draft-eligible following the 2026 season.

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The final Miami Marlins trade of 2025 was a relatively small one on the surface. They acquired outfielder Esteury Ruiz—a classic "Quad-A player"—from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for pitching prospect Adriano Marrero.

The Marlins were very high on the 18-year old pitcher Marrero, who signed for $350,000 out of Cuba. But it should be noted that he failed physicals with two other MLB teams before turning pro with the Fish. Also, the organization has a handful of rookie-level pitchers who they value even more, so this was dealing from an area of strength.

Looking at Ruiz, he has a long history of great minor league production. We've seen that his elite speed translates to the majors, but so far, the rest of his skill set hasn't.

MIA acquires OF Esteury Ruiz from LAD. The OF has elite speed but just average defense and a weak bat. If he can ever turn into an average hitter, he will be an impact player
Career stats 2022-2025:
197 games
.241/.396/.343
8 HRs
77 SBs
21% K%/4% BB%
.282 wOBA
81 wRC+
0.7 fWAR pic.twitter.com/2ulYrtGqnM

— Jackson Scudder (@jscud23) December 30, 2025

Ruiz was originally signed by the Kansas City Royals, then traded to the San Diego Padres with whom he made his major league debut in 2022. Flipped to the Milwaukee Brewers later that season in the Josh Hader trade, he joined the Athletics in the 2022-23 offseason as part of the three-team deal that sent Sean Murphy to the Atlanta Braves. Although his MLB experience is spread out across four different seasons, most of his playing time came with the A's in 2023.

In 197 games at the highest level, Ruiz has slashed .241/.296/.343/.639 with eight home runs, 59 RBI, 79 stolen bases and a 81 wRC+. While the high number of steals jumps out, the rest of those stats are about the same as the man he's replacing, Dane Myers.

The Dodgers barely used Ruiz on their way to another World Series title, but he did catch fire with their Triple-A affiliate, slashing .303/.411/.514/.925 with 16 home runs, 60 RBI, 62 stolen bases and a 137 wRC+. These numbers should be taken with a grain of salt as he already dominated the upper minors back in 2022.

It's exciting that Ruiz has been able to cut down on his chase rate. In the majors, his career rate is 33.6%; in AAA this past season, he was at 35.6%, putting him in the 67th percentile among AAA hitters, per Prospect Savant.

The problem for Ruiz is he usually doesn't hit the ball hard enough. His MLB hard-hit rate since debuting in 2022 is 20.9%, barely half the league average. Only Tyler Wade, Tony Kemp, José Herrera and Steven Kwan rank lower than him during that span (min. 500 PA). This past season with Triple-A Oklahoma City, it was up to 27.6%. That still leaves him relying far too much on his speed to create production.

That being said, it's surprising to see Ruiz's barrel rate in the 66th percentile. On the rare occasions when he crushed balls, he made them count by hitting them in the air and pulling them to left field. Being able to identify mistake pitches and swinging at max effort allows him to be more of a power threat than his small 5'10" frame would make you believe.

Marlins player development has a motto: "hit strikes hard." They seem to have targeted a guy in Ruiz who began doing that in 2025.

Now, the important part is putting this adjustment to the test in the majors. The Marlins will use Ruiz primarily against left-handed pitching. Due to limitations with his throwing arm, he fits best as a platoon left fielder, seeing action on days that Kyle Stowers and/or Jakob Marsee are on the bench.

Expectations should remain low for a player like Ruiz. After all, the Dodgers are in "win-now mode" and if they felt he was close to a breakout, they would've found a way to keep him. Worst-case scenario, the Marlins are deep with AAA outfield options who could take over for Ruiz by the middle of the season.

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Pete Fairbanks went into his free agency with no expectations, just looking to talk to teams and see what was out there, until his former boss Peter Bendix came calling. After various conversations, he signed a one-year, $13M deal to become a member of the organization. On New Year’s Eve, Fairbanks met with the media to discuss the process that led him to Miami.

"What Pete (Bendix) is doing here was definitely a pleasant surprise," said Fairbanks. "Definitely had some appeal there. My wife and I sat down and we really talked about it. I think that the people who we talked to throughout the process seemed great on the pitching side. Four hours from St. Pete and we're expecting our third kid basically on Opening Day, so that, the proximity, coupled with meeting everything else that we were looking for, is what made it a pretty good choice."

A major factor in Fairbanks choosing Miami was having a conversation with Bendix, hearing how much has changed and the direction that the organization is going in under this new regime. He even noted that the Bendix-era teams were much better than those of the 2021 and 2022 Marlins. The Marlins and Rays split the 2025 Citrus Series, snapping a long streak of Rays victories.

"To hear all the things that he's been doing over his tenure down in Miami, from what I've heard previously to what I have now, how much things are changing and how much he has been attempting to put his stamp on things. I felt like that made it a pretty easy choice, and I am excited to see the direction that he takes."

Fairbanks is the first pitcher to sign a major league free agent deal with the Marlins since they began calling pitches from the dugout last September. The team explained that this process doesn't lead to extra pitch clock violations, which is important to Fairbanks who works very slowly on the mound, averaging approximately 13.1 seconds with the bases empty last season (third-longest time in MLB). "Whether it comes from the dugout or the catcher, I figure I'll be just fine," he said.

After a season where he had a career-high in saves, Fairbanks was asked if there were any conversations regarding what his role would be with the team. The Marlins did not have a clear-cut closer in 2025, with nine different pitchers recording a save.

"I'm quite familiar with how the leverage-based bullpen gets ran, as I did it for quite a while until, really, the past three years," Fairbanks said. "Whether it's improving the counting stats in the ninth, or facing the heart of the eighth, whatever is asked of me is going to be what I do."

Fairbanks, 32, posted a 2.83 ERA, 3.63 FIP, 8.80 K/9, 2.69 BB/9 and 27 saves (career-high) in a career-high 60 1/3 innings pitched. One major decline for him has been the strikeout rate, which was roughly the same as his career-low of 8.74 from 2024. From 2019-2023, he averaged 12.9 K/9.

“I think that there's plenty of ways to skin the cat," said Fairbanks. "If that comes via strikeout or via first pitch pop-up to first, I'm not going to complain about it either way."

Towards the end of the season, Fairbanks began to experiment with a cutter, which he ended up throwing 42 times (4.3%). He will be using it a "decent bit" in 2026, he told Fish On First.

"I'm good at getting on the outside of the ball," said Fairbanks. "Whenever I was messing around with (Rays pitching coach Kyle Snyder) pregame, I was like, 'eventually I'm just gonna start throwing whiffle sliders for fun.' Turns out, it grades out well, and I'm able to throw it in the zone...It just seems like the it's an easy spot for my hand to get into throughout the delivery. As long as we're able to continue making the ball move how the intention behind it, and it's not blending with any of the other breaking balls, I think we should be pretty good."

Fairbanks also has a changeup in his arsenal—he threw it 4.9% of the time last season and opponents posted a .353 batting average against it. He doesn’t expect to increase its usage, noting that "four (pitches) would be a lot for a one-inning guy."

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On Saturday, the Miami Marlins traded Dane Myers to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for 23-year-old outfielder Ethan O'Donnell. The timing of the deal was not random—the Marlins had just reached an agreement with free agent Pete Fairbanks and needed to make a corresponding move to open up a 40-man roster spot for him. They got whatever they could for Myers, whose three-year tenure with the Fish had some great stretches, but ended with an ugly half-season slump and yet another injury. This was a sell-low situation.

That being said, O'Donnell is capable of being much more than just organizational filler.

Selected in the sixth round of the 2023 MLB Draft, O'Donnell destroyed Low-A pitching later that summer. In 23 games, he slashed .350/.447/.600/1.047 with a 180 wRC+, including a streak of homering in four consecutive games. That's a rare feat for anybody in the Florida State League.

Moving up to High-A in 2024, O'Donnell slashed .269/.358/.416/.774 with 10 home runs, 40 RBI, 31 stolen bases and a 124 wRC+ in 104 games. He was among Minor League Baseball's hottest hitters in August (1.076 OPS).

The Marlins are getting O'Donnell coming off his worst statistical year as a pro. It included a .236/.327/.325/.652 slash line with seven home runs, 56 RBI, 20 stolen bases and a 90 wRC+ in 125 Double-A games. He struck out 25.6% of the time, but also walked 10.7% of the time.

Just as it was looking like the Reds would be limiting O'Donnell to the outfield corners moving forward, he gave them reason to believe that center field is still a possibility. He played 64 games there, followed by 50 in left field, where he has more than enough arm strength to be successful.

On the surface, O'Donnell's .314 batting average on balls in play may look normal. However, he has a long history of being more productive thanks to his combination of above-average speed, hard contact and skilled bunting. His overall BABIP topped .400 in 2023 when combining college and the minors and he was at .357 in 2024. Perhaps there is some bounce-back potential for him in that category.

It also needs to be noted that the Southern League is an extremely pitcher-friendly league where the average slash line is .230/.321/.340/.660. Since becoming affiliated with Double-A Pensacola, the Marlins have seen a bunch of their prospects take huge steps forward offensively upon being moved up to Triple-A Jacksonville, with Jakob Marsee and Kemp Alderman as recent examples. We'll see if O'Donnell can benefit from the change of scenery like they did. 

One area of focus for O'Donnell should be refining his approach against left-handed pitching. In 2025, he struck out 37.8% of the time vs. lefties with zero homers in 98 plate appearances.

Even if O'Donnell winds up as a platoon player at the major league level, that's an outcome the Marlins would be happy with given the tools he has to impact winning in other aspects of the game.

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On Monday, the Miami Marlins agreed to acquire Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Esteury Ruiz in exchange for pitching prospect Adriano Marrero, sources confirm to Fish On First. Neither club has announced the trade yet. To add Ruiz to the Marlins 40-man roster, Eric Wagaman is being designated for assignment.

Ruiz, 26, is being traded for the fifth time in his professional career. He began the 2025 season with the Athletics, but was quickly picked up by the Dodgers. With their Triple-A affiliate, he slashed .303/.411/.514/.925 with 16 home runs, 60 RBI, 62 stolen bases and a 137 wRC+. He was called up late in the season and in 19 games, slashed .190/.261/.333/.594 with one home run, two RBI, four stolen bases and a a 67 wRC+.

Once regarded as a top prospect, Ruiz led the American League with 67 stolen bases in 2023.

However, his aggressiveness at the plate has been an issue, going from a 19.9% strikeout rate against MLB pitching in 2023 to a 31.8% in limited opportunities since then.

This acquisition essentially replaces the recently traded Dane Myers. The organization is looking to take advantage of Ruiz's elite speed and hoping to fix his hit tool. He has one more minor league option remaining and is still pre-arbitration eligible.

Marrero, who signed with the Marlins for $350,000 in the most recent international signing class, pitched in 33 innings (10 starts) in the Dominican Summer League, posting a 3.82 ERA, 4.22 FIP, 9.55 K/9 and 3.27 BB/9. The organization was high on Marrero, who showed a promising ability to spin the ball.

Wagaman, who was designated for assignment, signed a split deal with the Marlins last offseason. He made the team's roster out of spring training and stuck throughout the entire 2025 season. In 140 games, he slashed .250/.296/.378/.674 with nine home runs, 53 RBI and an 85 wRC+. Despite playing various positions around the diamond, it was all below average and he provided -0.4 fWAR overall.

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Last week, the Miami Marlins made their signing of Christopher Morel official. Sources tell our own Isaac Azout that Morel will not be the last bat added this offseason. Whether it's via free agency or trade, the Marlins will continue shopping for efficient ways to upgrade an offense that ranked tied for 19th in MLB in wRC+ and 27th in home runs.

Below are four names (two trade targets and two free agents) that should be considered by the Marlins front office.

1B Triston Casas (Boston Red Sox)

With the Boston Red Sox acquiring Willson Contreras from the St. Louis Cardinals, former top prospect Triston Casas does not have a clear spot in the club's future plans.

The American Heritage product is only entering his age-26 season, but he has been hampered by injuries—he was limited to playing 63 games in 2024 and 29 games this past season. Even before suffering a left patellar tendon rupture, Casas was on pace for the worst year of his career.

However, Casas had an impressive .250/.357/.473 slash line prior to 2025. Under previous front office leadership, the Marlins were reportedly very interested in his combination of power and plate discipline. 

Maybe Casas' value is too low for Boston to move him right now. He could still be helpful as depth behind Contreras. Any potential trade sending him to the Marlins would likely involve the Sox getting starting pitching in return.

OF Jo Adell (Los Angeles Angels)

On the other hand, another former first-round pick, Jo Adell, is coming off a career year. Splitting his time between center field and right field, Adell slashed .236/.293/.485/.778 with 37 home runs, 98 RBI and a 112 wRC+.

Adell has always struggled to get on base (career .277 OBP) and he shouldn't see much action in center field moving forward, but his power stands out. He has two more years of club control remaining.

The Angels pitching depth is still shaky and their lineup is too right-handed-heavy. The Marlins are a natural trade partner, though there hasn't been any indication yet that Adell is on the market.

OF Starling Marte (free agent)

Marte was a very popular Marlins player in 2020 and 2021. Back then, he was their everyday center fielder and No. 2 hitter.

A lot has changed. This past season at age 36, the New York Met slashed .270/.335/.410/.745 with nine home runs, 34 RBI and a 112 wRC+. He averaged only 99 games per year in Queens and he's mainly a designated hitter at this stage of his career. His speed has also been in a steady decline.

Playing in Miami where Marte already resides might bring out the best in him. The Marlins would platoon him so that he faces left-handed pitching as much as possible.

UTIL Luis Rengifo (free agent)

Given the Marlins' desire for defensive versatility, Rengifo seems like a logical fit. Typically a second baseman/third baseman, he can handle shortstop or any of the outfield spots if needed.

Last season, Rengifo slashed .238/.287/.335/.622 with nine home runs, 43 RBI and a 73 wRC+ through 147 games played. Even in a disappointing season, he struck out under 20% of the time. Prior to that, Rengifo was coming off three straight seasons where he posted a wRC+ over 100, including career-highs of a 118 wRC+ and 24 stolen bases in 2024.

It's rare for 29-year-olds with solid MLB track records to settle for one-year deals. Rengifo's uncharacteristically bad 2025 has created a nice opportunity for the Marlins if they believe he'll bounce back.

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Miami Marlins right-handed reliever Ronny Henriquez will miss the entire 2026 season after undergoing right elbow UCL reconstruction surgery with an internal brace. MLB.com's Christina De Nicola was the first to report the news Monday night and the club later followed with official confirmation.

Dr. Keith Meister performed the procedure—that's the same surgeon who worked with fellow Marlins Sandy Alcantara and Eury Pérez when they required UCL reconstruction.

Henriquez, 25, was claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Twins on February 11 and made the Opening Day roster out of spring training. In 69 appearances (73.0 IP), he posted a 2.22 ERA, 3.15 FIP, 12.08 K/9, 3.33 BB/9 and notched seven saves. His 98 strikeouts tied Edwin Díaz for second-most among National League relievers last year. He didn't spend any time on the injured list.

In 2025, the Marlins ranked 26th amongst MLB bullpens in fWAR and 22nd in bullpen ERA.

Before the loss of Henriquez, the Marlins had been in pursuit of veteran relievers this offseason. They are now even more desperate for outside help. Original top targets such as Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley and Kyle Finnegan are now off the market after receiving multi-year deals. Miami remains very interested in Pete Fairbanks, who may be the best option in free agency willing to take a one-year deal.

Current in-house candidates to enter games in high-leverage situations include Calvin Faucher, who led the team last year with 15 saves, Anthony Bender and Tyler Phillips. Also, Lake Bachar and left-hander Cade Gibson were on the active roster for most of the year.

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On Thursday, the Miami Marlins made the free agent signing of Christopher Morel official, inking him to a one-year deal worth $2M. In his previous two offseasons as Marlins president of baseball operations, Peter Bendix gave similar deals to shortstop Tim Anderson ($5M) and starting pitcher Cal Quantrill ($3.5M). Neither of them finished the season with the team.

After getting burned by Anderson and Quantrill, why should Marlins fans be hopeful about Morel turning his career around? The 26-year-old isn't likely to emerge as a consistent everyday player, but Miami may be the right landing spot to help him improve upon what he did last season.

In 2025 with the Tampa Bay Rays, Morel slashed .219/.289/.396/.684 with a 90 wRC+ through 105 games played. He struck out 35.7% of the time and walked at a 8.2% rate while hitting only 11 home runs, which were all career-worsts for him.

Morel's raw power remains impressive. His average exit velocity of 91.8 mph would have ranked in the 87th percentile among MLB hitters if he had enough playing time to qualify, tied with Julio Rodríguez and Jarren Duran. He also made an interesting adjustment to his swing decisions in 2025. Morel offered at 77.1% of pitches inside the strike zone after never previously reaching 70%.

The main issue with Morel is connecting with the ball. He just set a career-low with his 72.6% contact rate and he was among MLB's worst when chasing outside of the zone (36.5% O-Contact).

In some ways, Morel has a similar profile to Kyle Stowers and Griffin Conine. Working with the Marlins hitting development staff, both outfielders improved their plate approach and mechanics. They enter 2026 as key pieces of the club's lineup.

Stowers went from a 34.5% O-Swing in 2024 between his stints with the Orioles and Marlins to 29.0% in 2025. On top of that, he made much more contact inside the zone, allowing him to break out into an All-Star. Prior to Bendix joining the organization, Conine struck out 34.9% of the time in 2023. The following year in Triple-A, he lowered his strikeout rate to 29.5%. This past season—albeit in only 24 games due to a dislocated shoulder—he struck out 29.1% of the time at the major league level.

Steamer projects Morel to slash .227/.307/.419 with 11 home runs and a 100 wRC+, which would get him to 0.6 fWAR. Even that ordinary production would make the Marlins consider retaining him for 2027 via arbitration. Morel can make the decision easier if he learns to play decent defense at first base.

Morel is just now entering what should be the physical prime of his career. To make the most of it, he'll have to trust his new organization and be open-minded to some major changes.

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The Miami Marlins made it clear early on that they'd be pursuing some of the top relievers available in free agency. Instead, they have been overshadowed by teams in their own division. The Atlanta Braves, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies have each signed multiple relievers to major league deals. The Marlins have only added pitchers on minor league deals.

The unwillingness to commit to any free agent for multiple years has prevented the Marlins from landing big names. To make matters worse, the biggest name in their current bullpen, Ronny Henriquez, has undergone right UCL reconstruction surgery. He will not be available to pitch next season.

Fortunately, several effective relievers are still out there who wouldn't require commitments beyond 2026, most notably Pete Fairbanks.

Despite a career 3.19 ERA and 90 saves, Fairbanks' injury history seems to be hurting his market. Sources told our own Isaac Azout that the Marlins remain "very interested" in Fairbanks and have made a strong one-year offer worth more than the $11M he was due to make with the Tampa Bay Rays before his club option was declined. 

Here are five more veteran relievers to monitor.

LHP Taylor Rogers

Rogers spent the 2025 season with the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs, posting a 3.38 ERA, 4.38 FIP, 9.41 K/9 and 4.09 BB/9 through 50 ⅔ innings pitched. Once he was traded to the Cubs, Rogers did begin to struggle, posting an ERA of 5.09. You can make the case that pitching at Wrigley was the issue, as his HR/FB ratio went from 8.8% to 21.7%. He was walking fewer players, but just giving up a lot more contact.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported that the Marlins had shown interest in both of the Rogers brothers. While Tyler signed a three-year deal, $37M with the Toronto Blue Jays, Taylor should be significantly cheaper.

LHP Andrew Chafin

Chafin continues to bounce around the league, giving teams great results more often than not. In 2025, he started the season with the Washington Nationals before being dealt to the Los Angeles Angels. He posted a 2.41 ERA, 3.46 FIP, 9.62 K/9 and 5.08 BB/9 through 33 ⅔ innings pitched.

Despite being 35 years old, Chafin's slider is still a solid swing-and-miss pitch with a 41.0% whiff rate. His sinker generates plenty of ground balls. He's also very comfortable inheriting baserunners in the middle of an inning.

Teams always have a need for relievers at the trade deadline, and Chafin has been moved during the last three of them. If the Marlins are out of contention, history says they should be able to get something in return for him.

RHP Hunter Harvey

Marlins fans should be familiar with Hunter Harvey, the son of Bryan Harvey who pitched with the Washington Nationals from 2022 up until the 2024 trade deadline, when he was moved to the Kansas City Royals.

The 31-year-old pitched in only 12 games this past season due to a right teres major strain and a right adductor strain. In limited appearances, he posted a 0.00 ERA, 1.35 FIP, 9.28 K/9 and 0.84 BB/9. Looking at a larger sample size going back to 2024, in 50 ⅔ innings, he posted a 4.44 ERA, 3.52 FIP, 9.77 K/9 and 2.84 BB/9.

Harvey's combination of high velocity and control is hard to find.

RHP Seranthony Domínguez

Domínguez was with the Philadelphia Phillies from 2018 through the 2024 trade deadline. He's been dominant over 11 scoreless innings in his career pitching at loanDepot park.

This past season, Domínguez posted a 3.16 ERA, 3.47 FIP, 11.35 K/9 and 5.17 BB/9 through 62 ⅔ innings pitched. He was also used in 12 of Toronto's 18 postseason games, including Game 7 of the World Series.

If not for his strike-throwing issues (including 12 wild pitches last season), Domínguez would probably get a multi-year deal. It would make sense for him to show improvement in that area in 2026, then test the market again.

RHP Kirby Yates

After an awesome 2024 season where Yates posted a career-best 1.17 ERA through 61 ⅔ innings pitched, he landed on the injured list three times last season. Limited to 50 games, he struggled with a 5.23 ERA, 4.76 FIP, 11.32 K/9 and 3.70 BB/9.

Yates' four-seam fastball (plus-15 run value to plus-1 run value) and splitter (plus-8 to minus-7) both regressed. There was a huge increase in the amount of hard contact he allowed on both pitches.

Yates will turn 39 right before Opening Day.

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On Tuesday, the Miami Marlins announced their full major league coaching staff for the 2026 season.

Four coaches from the previous season have departed the organization after receiving promotions from other MLB teams—Derek Shomon (Chicago White Sox), Joe Singley (Baltimore Orioles), Tyler Smarslok (Washington Nationals) and Alon Leichman (Colorado Rockies). To fill their shoes, manager Clayton McCullough has added Blake Butler, Craig Driver, Corbin Day, Chris Hess and Rob Marcello.

Here are notes about each of the newcomers and what their job responsibilities will be in Miami.

Blake Butler, infield coach

Previously with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, Butler began his coaching career in 2020. During his six-year stretch in the organization, he led High-A Greensboro to consecutive playoff appearances as a minor league manager (2024-25), including an 88-43 record last season. Butler is also a former player who selected in the 2015 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds and made it to the High-A level as a utility guy.

Butler is partially replacing Smarslok, who handled infield and baserunning instruction last year while also serving as first base coach.

Corbin Day, assistant hitting coach

Day spent the 2025 season with the Minnesota Twins organization . His most recent role was as an advanced scout for run production. Prior to that, he was in the Twins minor league system as the hitting coach for High-A Cedar Rapids in 2023 and Double-A Wichita in 2024. During his High-A stint, the Kernels led the Midwest League in triples (41), homers (137), runs (694), walks (634), on-base percentage (.340) and OPS (.738).

Craig Driver, first base coach and catching instructor

Driver comes from the Los Angeles Dodgers organization where he overlapped with current Clayton McCullough in 2024. Before that, he spent four seasons with the Chicago Cubs (2020-23), working as a first base and catching coach while also doing game strategy. Prior to his time with the Cubs, he was the bullpen catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies during the 2018-19 seasons, overlapping with Marlins general manager Gabe Kapler, who was the Phillies manager back then.

As Joe Singley's successor, Driver has a big job ahead of him overseeing the defensive development of Marlins youngsters Joe Mack, Agustín Ramírez and Liam Hicks.

Chris Hess, assistant hitting coach

A former New York Yankees farmhand who spent three seasons with the organization after being selected in the 2017 MLB Draft, Hess began his coaching career at the University of Rhode Island. He switched to the professional side with the Boston Red Sox in 2021. He worked his way up to Double-A hitting coach before being hired by the Marlins.

Hess and Day will combine to handle the duties that previously belonged to Shomon.

Rob Marcello, assistant pitching coach

Unlike the names above, Marcello has been promoted from within. He spent the 2025 season as pitching coach of the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, who won the International League Championship and Triple-A National Championship. That means he has directly worked with many members of the current Marlins pitching staff as well as top prospects who are projected to debut next year, including Thomas White, Robby Snelling and Josh White.

Outgoing assistant pitching coach Alon Leichman was responsible for relaying signs to the catcher when the Marlins decided to call pitches from the dugout at the major league level. We haven't received confirmation yet on whether Marcello will be doing that in 2026, but he's fully familiar with the process because it was implemented across all Marlins MiLB affiliates.

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Just after the 2025 Winter Meetings ended earlier this week, the Miami Marlins reached an agreement on Friday afternoon with Christopher Morel. It will be a one-year big league deal, sources tell Fish On First. Morel is getting $2 million, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Morel, 26, spent the 2025 season with the Tampa Bay Rays, slashing .219/.289/.396/.684 with 11 home runs, 33 RBI and a 90 wRC+. He was designated for assignment at the end of the season and elected free agency after going unclaimed. He spent most of the season in left field. A source tells Fish On First that they expect him to play first base as well, a position he has never played in his career.

The Marlins are buying low on Morel in hopes that he can recapture his 2023 season, where he slashed .247/.313/.508/.821 with 26 home runs, 70 RBI and a 120 wRC+. In the middle of the 2024 season, he was shipped off to the Rays with two other players in exchange for Isaac Paredes. He was never able to get it going with the Rays after that.

A main reason for Morel's struggles has been his high strikeout percentage. In 2025, he struck out 35.7% of the time, which is a career-worst. The hope here is that they can help him cut down on the K%. In a best-case scenario, he could follow in the footsteps of Kyle Stowers (35.4 K% in 2024 and 27.4 K% in 2025). Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic cites hitting coach Pedro Guerrero as a key part of this acquisition.

Despite having a great arm—ranking in the 93rd percentile of arm strength, per Baseball Savant—Morel posted minus-five defensive runs saved in left field, and has never been able to find a home defensively. Maybe the move to first base can help him establish himself defensively, opening up for more production on the offensive side.

It is worth noting that Morel has two more arbitration years after 2026. That gives the Marlins club control of him through the 2028 season. He doesn't have any minor league options remaining.

Morel was being pursued by teams in both Japan and Korea, according to Francys Romero. It's unclear if any other MLB teams were willing to offer him a guaranteed major league deal.

Ely Sussman's updated Opening Day roster projection has Eric Wagaman losing his spot to make room for Morel. We could possibly see Morel in a platoon situation, with Liam Hicks or Graham Pauley getting starts at first base against tough right-handed pitchers.

The Marlins 40-man roster will be at 40 players once the deal is announced.

Per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Marlins are trying to acquire another bat via trade.

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ORLANDO, FL—One of the strengths of the Miami Marlins organization in 2025 was their minor league relievers. Other MLB teams took advantage of that during Wednesday's Rule 5 draft, selecting major league-ready bullpen arms who the Marlins did not have room to protect on their roster. The Marlins held the 12th pick of the draft and passed. Meanwhile, they lost Matt Pushard to the St. Louis Cardinals and Zach McCambley to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Pushard, 28, was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022. In 2025, he posted a 3.61 ERA, 2.98 FIP, 10.54 K/9 and 3.32 BB/9 through 62 ⅓ innings pitched (all of that with Triple-A Jacksonville). He has a three-pitch mix, which begins with a fastball that averages 94-96 mph, topping out at 97 mph, then has a sweeper and curveball. He also has a changeup and cutter, but does not consistently use them. He was among the oldest draft-eligible players.

McCambley, 26, was selected in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft. He made the switch from the starting rotation to the bullpen in 2023, but has dealt with a plethora of injuries. Health was not an issue in 2025 as he threw 62 innings, posting a 2.90 ERA, 2.60 FIP, 12.05 K/9 and 3.19 BB/9 in 47 appearances.

McCambley mainly relies on his fastball/slider combo. He also uses an occasional cutter. McCambley's slider has always been his best weapon—this past season, it had a 51% miss rate with a 34% chase rate.

As Rule 5 picks, Pushard and McCambley must either make the Opening Day 26-man roster with their new clubs or be placed on the major league injured list. They also cannot be optioned to the minors at any point during the 2026 season. Otherwise, they have to be offered back to the Marlins. Last year, for example, the Marlins lost Anderson Pilar to the Atlanta Braves in the Rule 5, but he was returned to Miami during spring training.

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ORLANDO, FL—Edward Cabrera is no stranger to trade rumors, whether it be this past MLB trade deadline or previous offseasons. Right now, his value is as high as it's ever been. In the late hours of Day 2 of the Winter Meetings, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that Cabrera's market is heating up, with the Baltimore Orioles as a possible landing spot.

In 2025, Cabrera broke out, posting a 3.53 ERA, 3.83 FIP, 9.81 K/9 and 3.14 BB/9 through a career-high 137 ⅔ innings pitched. His talent is undeniable, but the Marlins already have a very deep rotation for 2026 and beyond, opening up the possibility that they could flip Cabrera to address other areas of need.

These teams had a positive experience trading with each other in 2024 when the Marlins sent Trevor Rogers to the Orioles in exchange for Connor Norby and Kyle Stowers. That could lead to them once again linking up on a big deal.

Mock Trade #1

• Orioles receive Edward Cabrera
• Marlins receive 1B Coby Mayo and LHP Boston Bateman  

Mayo, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft, was a consensus Top 100 prospect entering 2024 and 2025. However, he hasn't lived up to the hype since being called up, slashing .217/.299/.388/.687 with 11 home runs, 28 RBI and a 95 wRC+ last season. With that being said, a right-handed hitting first baseman is exactly what the Marlins are looking for.

The Marlins organization remains extremely high on Deyvison De Los Santos despite coming off a disappointing season of his own. Perhaps they could co-exist in the future with Mayo moving over to third base.

The second piece in this deal, Boston Bateman was acquired from the San Diego Padres in July. Bateman spent most of 2025 at Low-A, but was promoted to High-A for his final three starts. Overall, he finished the season with a 4.14 ERA and 3.54 FIP in 87 total innings.

The 20-year-old's best pitch is his slider, which is a 60-grade pitch, per Baseball America.

The 6'7" lefty could have a future in the bullpen or as a back-end starter. Either way, he's a couple seasons away from contributing in the majors.

Trade #2

• Orioles receive Edward Cabrera
• Marlins receive OF Nate George, LHP Luis De León and OF Austin Overn  

George, who was selected in the 16th round of the 2024 MLB Draft, has gotten off to a phenomenal start to his professional career. At age 19, he posted a 158 wRC+ with 50 stolen bases through his first 87 career games. Ranked as the number four Orioles prospect by Baseball America and ninth by Just Baseball's Aram Leighton, George is still raw, but if it goes well, he can be the future at center field with a nice hit tool.

In 2025 between three levels, De León posted a 3.30 ERA, 2.59 FIP, 11.03 K/9 and 4.23 BB/9 through 87 ⅓ innings pitched. After that, he did well in the Arizona Fall League, raising his strikeout rate even more with a fastball that sat in the mid-90s. He did not allow a single home run all year.

Baseball America has his fastball as a 70-grade pitch and his slider and changeup as 60-grade pitches. The lefty could eventually be a number two or three starter in the rotation.

De León's control/command will need some improving as he continues to develop.

The final piece is Overn, who is the 30th-ranked Orioles prospect, per MLB Pipeline. Across High-A and Double-A, he slashed .249/.355/.399/.754 with 13 home runs, 43 RBI, 64 stolen bases and a 123 wRC+. With his combination of speed and swing decisions, the hope is that Overn can follow in the footsteps of someone like Jakob Marsee.

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ORLANDO, FL—Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara has accepted the invitation from the Dominican Republic to participate in the World Baseball Classic, per FanDuel Sport Network's Craig Mish. This will mark the second time he participates in the WBC, having previously done so in 2023.

Dominican Republic manager Albert Pujols could not confirm that Alcantara had accepted when asked on Tuesday afternoon, but said DR was interested in having him on the team. "Hopefully, he can be part and help us win," said Pujols.

Alcantara, who returned from Tommy John surgery this past season, posted a 5.36 ERA, 4.28 FIP, 7.32 K/9 and 2.94 BB/9 through 174 ⅔ innings pitched. Even while struggling early in the season, he expressed his desire to once again participate in the tournament, saying "if they want to call me, I'm ready."

In his lone outing of the 2023 tournament, Alcantara went 3 ⅔ innings, allowing three runs on five hits (one home run), three walks and struck out two. He took the loss against Venezuela and DR was eliminated during pool play.

It has been announced this week that MLB All-Stars Elly De La Cruz, Manny Machado and Junior Caminero will also be on the team.

The Dominican Republic has been assigned to Pool D along with Venezuela, Netherlands, Israel and Nicaragua. All of their tournament games will be played at Miami's loanDepot park, beginning with their March 6 opener against Nicaragua.

Alcantara might not be the only Marlin representing DR. Nelson Cruz, the general manager of the team, told Fish On First that they have contacted Agustín Ramírez, but also Samuel Basallo of the Baltimore Orioles, so there is competition at the catcher position.

"We have so many players, and it's hard to choose," said Cruz. He does not expect a decision to be made until February.

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ORLANDO, FL—The Winter Meetings are underway and on day one, president of baseball operations Peter Bendix and manager Clayton McCullough spoke to the local media.

After a 17-win improvement, Bendix believes that the 2026 club will be one that can compete for a National League wild-card spot, noting that 79 wins "is not the goal." Bendix also said that there will be additions needed from outside the organization to ensure the goal of another improving year.

"We are trying to put a really competitive team together in 2026 and we're trying to build for to be as good as we can for as long as we can," said Bendix on Monday morning. "We're having lots of conversations with free agents and with other teams. It's my job to listen and to understand where the market is and what our opportunities are to ultimately to make the best decisions."

When it comes to the current free agent market, a couple big names connected to the Marlins have come off the board. Relievers Devin Williams and Ryan Helsley signed multi-year deals with the Mets and Orioles, respectively. 

"I think there's parts of the market that are surprising, other parts that are taking a long time," said Bendix. "That's how it is every year. I think it's very easy to craft narratives when you get to the end of the offseason and look back, but in the moment, it's hard to tell."

One of the main topics discussed was the potential trades of starters Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera. As Fish On First reported ahead of the winter meetings, Cabrera appears to be the most likely to get traded, with the market looking similar to what it was during the trade deadline. Other reports have surfaced that the team is listening on every starter aside from Eury Pérez.

"It is my job to listen," said Bendix. "I would be doing a disservice to our fans, a disservice to Bruce (Sherman), the organization if I didn't listen to what is out there and understand our possibilities. The second thing is that not everything that you read is true."

Following an uneven season returning from Tommy John surgery, the Marlins expect Alcantara to be closer to his Cy Young self in 2026.

Later in the day, manager Clayton McCullough opened his press conference, noting how year two of this process has been much more slowed down, rather than the craziness of having to fill out a staff and taking in as much information as possible. This also bleeds into spring training, now having more familiarity and a structure that the coaches and players are familiar with.

"When you walk on the fields, it's one thing to know someone, their name, we watch them on the other side of the field or know a stat sheet," McCullough told the media. "But to spend a year or spend months with a person, that's when real bonds start to form. We hope that we can just somewhat pick up where we left off last year. The players will come in with an expectation and an understanding of what's important to us, how we are going to run our drills and going to run camp. There's going to be less of those unknowns. We can firmly make the focus on areas of which our team and individuals need to get better for us to accomplish what we'd like to."

Although McCullough is retaining the majority of his 2025 staff, assistant pitching coach Alon Leichman is the most recent ex-Marlin to depart for a promotion elsewhere as he will become the Colorado Rockies lead pitching coach. Derek Shomon, Joe Singley and Tyler Smarslok also left for gigs with the Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals, respectively. The additions to the staff filling their shoes are assistant hitting coaches Chris Hess and Corbin Day, first base/catching coach Craig Driver, and as Fish On First reported, Blake Butler will become the new infield coach.

"As we went through that process, Blake stood out," said McCullough. "Coming over from the Pirates, he managed in their system. He was going to be their infield coordinator. We love his technical acumen. He's also someone who culturally will be a real additive for our group. I feel like Blake will come in and build strong relationships with our guys and team up with Hector Crespo, and those guys will continue to push our infield program forward."

Looking at the team in 2026, the expectation is that Agustín Ramírez will catch Sandy Alcantara on Opening Day. The Marlins continue to believe in Ramírez as a catcher and want to see more out of him before pivoting. Driver and McCullough both spent time with the 24-year-old in the Dominican Republic.

"I think Gus had a chance to self-reflect some on the year, take a breath," said McCullough. "One thing that he mentioned: physically he felt okay, but mentally, it's quite the grind. I asked him to hit in the top of the lineup almost every day and having to go back there and catch, probably played more than he ever has. Gus was saying all the right things. He was embracing and taking on this offseason different than he did the last season, which is fair. He has a different perspective on what's ahead and what's expected."

Aside from the two media availabilities, it was a slow first day at the Waldorf Astoria in Orlando. Day two will feature the MLB Draft Lottery, where the Marlins have a 1.85% chance to earn the number one overall pick in the 2026 draft. A new episode of Fish On First LIVE begins at 6:00 p.m. ET to react to the lottery results.

Elsewhere around the league, Michael Soroka signed a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Steven Matz signed a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.

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The Winter Meetings: the biggest event of the MLB offseason. Annually, key figures from all across the baseball world gather in one place, this time in Orlando, Florida. The Winter Meetings give the sport a jolt of adrenaline, producing more than their fair share of rumors and transactions. Fish On First will have boots on ground with Kevin Barral and Isaac Azout there.

Our guide below covers everything you need to know from the perspective of the Miami Marlins. This page will be regularly updated leading up to the start of the event.

Table of contents

• Marlins moves so far
• Winter Meetings schedule
• Four big questions
• What we are hearing

Marlins moves so far

Here's a complete roundup of Marlins personnel changes since the end of the 2025 regular season.

Acquired players: RHP Zach Brzykcy (waiver claim), RHP Evan McKendry (minor league deal), RHP Samuel Vásquez (minor league deal) and RHP Tyler Zuber (re-signed to minor league deal)

Departed players who've found new teams: 1B/OF Troy Johnston (claimed by Colorado Rockies), RHP George Soriano (claimed by Baltimore Orioles), OF Joey Wiemer (traded to San Francisco Giants), LHP Adam Laskey (signed by Colorado Rockies) and RHP Freddy Tarnok (signed by NPB's Hiroshima Carp)

Departed players who remain free agents: C Brian Navarreto, RHP Jesús Tinoco, RHP Valente Bellozo, RHP Christian Roa, INF Jack Winkler, RHP Lane Ramsey, RHP Morgan McSweeney, UTIL Dalvy Rosario, LHP Luis Palacios, OF Grant Richardson, OF Shane Sasaki and RHP Evan Fitterer

Selected to 40-man roster: C Joe Mack, RHP Josh White and RHP William Kempner

Coaching staff additions: Chris Hess (assistant hitting coach), Corbin Day (assistant hitting coach), Craig Driver (first base/catching coach) and Harry Wilonsky (bullpen catcher)

Coaching staff departures: Derek Shomon (hired by Chicago White Sox), Joe Singley (Baltimore Orioles), Tyler Smarslok (Washington Nationals) and Chi Chi González

Winter Meetings schedule

The Hilton Bonnet Creek and Waldorf in Orlando, Florida, will host the 2025 Winter Meetings from December 8-11.

Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix is expected to hold multiple media availabilities during the course of the week.

2026 MLB Draft Lottery (December 9)

The lottery is very unpredictable, as the Marlins learned the hard way last year. They were tied with the Colorado Rockies for the best odds of winning the number one overall draft pick, but fell all the way to seventh.

This time, the Marlins have a 1.85% of winning the lottery. The most likely outcome is that they will land the 10th pick.

The drawing will be held at 4:00 p.m. ET and broadcasted to the public on MLB Network at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Rule 5 draft (December 10)

The Marlins are 12th in the Rule 5 draft order. However, they would need to open up at least one spot on their 40-man roster to participate in the major league phase of the draft.

The draft begins at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Unprotected Rule-5 eligible players in the Marlins organization include:

• Catchers Spencer Bramwell, Bennett Hostetler and Sam Praytor
• Infielders Nathan Martorella, Jacob Berry, Cody Morissette, Yiddi Cappe, Jesús Hernández, Echedry Vargas and Wilfredo Lara
• Outfielders Andrew Pintar and Ian Lewis
• Right-handed pitchers Zach McCambley, Matt Pushard, Jesse Bergin, Riskiel Tineo, Gabe Bierman, Alex Williams, Brandon White, Orlando Ortiz-Mayr, Tristan Stevens, Holt Jones, Juan Reynoso, Michael Pérez and Jhoniel Serrano
• Left-handed pitchers Dale Stanavich, Justin King, Dameivi Tineo and Brayan Mendoza 

Four big questions

1. What are the team's biggest needs?

The Marlins have a nice combination of depth and upside in their starting rotation and outfield. Beyond that, they have to consider outside acquisitions to put themselves in a position to contend in 2026.

First base is wide open for the Marlins. Eric Wagaman struggled in 2025 while starting the majority of the team's games, as did most of the other players who split time at the position. Still only 22 years old and coming off a disappointing season at Triple-A, Deyvison De Los Santos could use more development time. A veteran, short-term addition makes sense here. Ryan O'Hearn is coming off of an All-Star season with the Baltimore Orioles and later the San Diego Padres. Aging Paul Goldschmidt can still get red-hot for extended stretches. There's also the potential return of Josh Bell, who at the age of 33, still hit 22 home runs with a 107 wRC+. One trade target would be Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Díaz, who is coming off a season with a 135 wRC+.

Before the offseason even began, reports linked the Marlins to some of this offseason's top high-leverage bullpen arms, and that continues to be a priority. Other than Ronny Henriquez, manager Clayton McCullough didn't have relievers he could trust in strikeout situations last year. Among all MLB teams, the Marlins 'pen ranked 22nd in ERA and 26th in fWAR.

Free agents Raisel Iglesias and Ryan Helsley have already come off the board, signing with the Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles, respectively.

2. Which returning players are candidates for position changes?

One source told Fish On First that in addition to Wagaman, we could potentially see players such as Connor Norby, Graham Pauley and Liam Hicks receive reps at first base moving forward. Norby is the only one of that group who has no previous MLB experience there.

Norby struggled as a full-time third baseman this past season—he posted minus-4 outs above average and minus-5 defensive runs saved. That may have bled into his offensive performance, slashing .251/.300/.389/.689 with eight home runs, 34 RBI and a 90 wRC+. Norby's usage will depend on whether the Marlins are comfortable enough in Pauley's all-around game to make him an everyday starter at the hot corner.

Meanwhile, Agustín Ramírez will not be moved off of catcher anytime soon. There isn't a logical fallback plan for him, in the Marlins' opinion. When he was with the New York Yankees, Ramírez's minor league appearances at first base went very poorly. His lack of speed rules out a move to the outfield and they would rather live with flawed defense behind the plate than limit him to designated hitter.

3. Will any starters head to the bullpen?

In Fish On First's most recent roster projection, the Marlins starting rotation consisted of Sandy Alcantara, Edward Cabrera, Eury Pérez, Ryan Weathers and Janson Junk. That leaves Max Meyer, Braxton Garrett, Adam Mazur, Ryan Gusto and Dax Fulton on the outside looking in, not to mention top prospects Robby Snelling and Thomas White, who are expected to be called up at some point this season. Could any of these traditional starters be converted into relievers and compete for opportunities in the bullpen?

The Marlins have been patient with Meyer, a former first-round draft pick, but he's on the mend from yet another major surgery, this time to his left hip. His plus-plus slider has carried him for his entire career, and a move to the 'pen would allow him to throw it more often than ever. Although the Marlins could option him to the minors if he gets squeezed out of the rotation, he seems ready to contribute now in a more specialized role.

Last season between Double-A and Triple-A, Fulton posted a 5.38 ERA, 3.55 FIP, 9.98 K/9 and 5.12 BB/9. Other than limiting home runs, there weren't any positive takeaways. A move to the bullpen could be in everybody's best interest as the 6'7" lefty provides a much different look to batters than any of the club's other arms.

This is all assuming Alcantara and Cabrera are not moved. The Marlins listened to offers for both of them at the July trade deadline, but talks have not advanced to that point so far this offseason.

4. How much is Bruce Sherman willing to spend?

The 2025 Marlins finished with a payroll of approximately $68 million, which was the lowest in MLB. They are currently projected to spend even less next season. It's difficult to earn a postseason spot, much less contend for a championship, with such limited investment from ownership.

As we detail below, the front office is evaluating impactful free agents and potential contract extensions for core players. However, actually getting deals done will require money from principal owner Bruce Sherman, who has been non-committal about increasing payroll.

What we are hearing

- On the subject of high-leverage relievers, a source tells Fish On First that the Marlins are showing interest in both Devin Williams and Pete Fairbanks. Williams, who was with the New York Yankees last season, posted a 4.79 ERA, 2.68 FIP, 13.06 K/9, 3.63 BB/9 and 18 saves through 62 innings pitched. Fairbanks, who had his $11M club option declined, posted a 2.83 ERA, 3.63 FIP, 8.80 K/9, 2.69 BB/9 for the Rays. He had career-highs of 27 saves and 60 ⅓ innings pitched. Either of them would instantly become the club's closer.

- Despite recent reports linking Miami to right-hander Michael King, FOF has learned that a reunion with the former Marlins farmhand is highly unlikely.

- Miami is in discussions with several pre-arbitration players about potential contract extensions. No player has received an extension from the Marlins since Richard Bleier in March 2022.

- Between Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera, Cabrera appears the more likely trade candidate this offseason—but Miami will only consider a deal that nets an overwhelming return. The organization expects Alcantara to be on the mound for Opening Day 2026.

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The Miami Marlins have not signed any of their players to contract extensions since 2022. That should change this offseason, not only to lock them up for the future, but also to increase the team's luxury tax payroll and avoid a potential grievance from the Major League Baseball Players Association.

In a report from The Athletic, Brittany Ghiroli said that there was a large gap between Marlins and Kyle Stowers in their recent negotiations, which have since ceased. 

Expect the Marlins to now turn their attention to potential long-term building blocks like outfielder Jakob Marsee, catcher Joe Mack and pitcher Eury Pérez.

Eury Pérez

Fish On First has confirmed that the Marlins and Pérez's camp were engaged in extension talks last spring training. The expectation is talks will pick up again soon.

Pérez is coming off a season where he posted a 4.25 ERA, 3.67 FIP, 9.91 K/9 and 3.02 BB/9 through 95 ⅓ innings pitched. He made all of his scheduled starts after completing Tommy John surgery rehab and his average fastball velocity actually increased slightly from where it had been as a rookie (from 97.5 mph to 97.9 mph). The expectation is that the Marlins righty will have no innings limit and will be full throttle in 2026.

The 22-year-old has one more season to go before he's eligible for arbitration and he's four seasons away from free agency. A couple contract extension comparisons are Bryan Bello (Boston Red Sox), who signed for six years, $55M, and Spencer Strider's six-year, $75M extension with the Atlanta Braves.

Jakob Marsee

Marsee, 24, was one of four players acquired in the trade that sent Luis Arráez to the San Diego Padres. His first taste of the big leagues far exceeded expectations, as Marsee slashed .292/.363/.478/.842 with five home runs, 33 RBI and 14 stolen bases while playing all three outfield spots.

It has become increasingly common for players to be extended with only a partial season of MLB experience. However, in most of those cases, the player was considered an elite prospect before debuting. Marsee, on the other hand, wasn't even ranked on Top 100 lists.

The comparison that comes closest to being relevant to Marsee is Kristian Campbell of the Boston Red Sox. Just days after making his debut, he agreed to an eight-year, $60M guarantee and the Red Sox got club options for years nine and ten. Applying the same contract structure to Marsee would fully buy out two of his free agent years, with options covering two more if he's still an impactful player past age 32.

Joe Mack

Mack began the 2025 season in Double-A, but was quickly promoted to Triple-A, finishing the season slashing .257/.338/.475/.813 with 21 home runs, 58 RBI and a 120 wRC+ between both levels. Just as importantly, he is a fantastic defensive catcher, particularly when it comes to throwing out baserunners attempting to steal. The Marlins' search for a high-quality successor to J.T. Realmuto has been ongoing for seven years, but may finally be coming to an end here.

Likely the only way Mack makes the 2026 Opening Day roster is if an extension is agreed to ahead of time. Similar to Campbell's case, the Marlins would delay announcing the deal until the season gets underway to keep him eligible to earn them a future Prospect Promotion Incentive draft pick.

Eight extensions have been handed out to catchers at any point of the pre-arb process. Keibert Ruiz signed with the Washington Nationals for eight years, $50M. That contract has aged poorly from the team's perspective as Ruiz has a 79 wRC+ and negative fWAR through the first three years. Most recently, Samuel Basallo got eight years, $67M from the Baltimore Orioles.

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The Rule 5 draft will take place on Wednesday in Orlando, Florida. The Miami Marlins usually participate in the major league phase of the draft. They are set to pick 12th this time—compared to third the year before—and it's hard to justify carrying a rookie on the roster all season when there are expectations of the team being competitive in 2026. With that being said, the Marlins recently opened a 40-man roster spot, giving them the flexibility to make a pick if a player with the right upside and role falls into their lap.

Catcher Liam Hicks proved to be a nice pickup in the 2024 draft and the Marlins are starting to show an ability to develop under-the-radar players who didn't reach their potential with their previous organizations.

Below are 10 unprotected players who the Marlins should be considering.

Position Players

OF Kyler Fedko (Minnesota Twins)

Last season, Fedko broke out, slashing .258/.367/.487/.855 with 28 home runs, 82 RBI and a 131 wRC+. For such a power-heavy profile, the right-handed bat only struck out 21.2% of the time and walked 14.0% of the time.

There isn't much of a need for an outfielder in Miami, but the 2021 12th-rounder would provide some versatility having been used part-time at first base over the last two years.

1B/C Creed Willems (Baltimore Orioles)

In AA with the Orioles, Willems slashed .253/.338/.441/.779 with 16 home runs, 59 RBI and a 117 wRC+. He is even more familiar with first base than Fedko, including 29 starts there in 2025.

On the other hand, at only 22 years old, it would be a huge adjustment for Willems to face MLB pitching right now.

INF Austin Gauthier (Los Angeles Dodgers)

Gauthier, a former undrafted free agent, stands out for his plate approach, contact, and defense. In a full season at Triple-A, he posted a slash line of .259/.404/.354, with a wRC+ of 108 and .364 wOBA. Gauthier walked as many times as he struck out with a chase rate of 17.5% and whiff rate of 20.4%.

Gauthier's average launch angle is extremely low at three degrees, hence his 54% ground ball rate. He does have decent exit velocities, suggesting that if a team could increase his pulled fly ball rate, they could find themselves a diamond in the rough.

OF Yohendrick Piñango (Toronto Blue Jays)

Yohendrick Piñango is a true data darling with elite EVs. Between Double-A and Triple-A, Piñango slashed .258/.361/.430, with a wRC+ of 122 and .362 wOBA. He gives scouts a lot to dream on as well with his strong frame and sweet lefty swing.

The downside of Piñango is his lack of defensive ability—he'll probably be limited to left field in MLB.

The 23-year-old has two weeks left to raise his profile in the Venezuelan Winter League. He homered Tuesday in his first game with Cardenales de Lara.

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Miami Marlins fans are excited to see what the team does in free agency this offseason, but keep in mind that it's possible to add quality depth without getting big names on guaranteed contracts. Last year, for example, the Marlins signed Janson Junk and Heriberto Hernández to minor league deals. They both went on to spend the majority of the 2025 season in the big leagues and produced well enough to put themselves in strong position to crack the 2026 Opening Day roster.

The minor league free agent market is once again filled with hundreds of names. Fish On First has identified 10 of them who should be particularly attractive to the Marlins as either bounce-back candidates or diamonds in the rough. If signed, they would report to spring training as non-roster invitees.

The first three players highlighted below actually have some MLB experience, while the rest are career-long minor leaguers looking for their opportunity to prove themselves at the highest level.

RHP Matt Manning

2025 organizations: Detroit Tigers (AAA) and Philadelphia Phillies (AA)

Once a top prospect in the Tigers organization, Manning got called up multiple times, but never really found any consistency and hasn't surpassed 100 innings pitched in any individual MLB season. The former starter mainly worked out of the bullpen in the minors in 2025 and control was a huge issue for him (44 BB in 55.2 IP).

Manning's sweeper continues to be a plus pitch for him, generating a lot of whiffs. His fastball velocity peaks at 98 mph. The Marlins like to tinker with pitch arsenals and that could benefit Manning moving forward.

The former first-round draft pick is entering his age-28 season.

RHP Elvis Peguero

2025 organizations: Milwaukee Brewers (AAA/MLB) and Chicago White Sox (AAA/MLB)

Peguero is not far removed from having an important bullpen role for a postseason-bound team. In 2024, he posted a 2.98 ERA through 51 ⅓ innings pitched, but did have a 4.04 FIP, showing some signs of being lucky.

The following season, Peguero struggled to stay up with the big league team and also finished 2025 with a right elbow strain.

Peguero is an uncomfortable pitcher to face because of how his sinker moves and how much extension there is in his delivery. If healthy, the Marlins should bring him in during spring training and see what he's got.

RHP Shawn Dubin 

2025 organizations: Houston Astros (AAA/MLB) and Baltimore Orioles (MLB)

More potential bullpen help for the Fish. Dubin has had MLB stints with the Astros and Orioles since making his debut in 2023. In 2025, he posted a 5.08 ERA and 4.95 FIP through 33 ⅔ innings in the majors. Most of the damage inflicted on him this season came during a rough patch in mid-August.

Dubin throws six pitches with good command, limits barrels, and generates ground balls.

Dubin's past as a starter and deep pitch mix give him a shot to contribute in a variety of roles moving forward. 

1B/3B Malcom Nuñez

2025 organization: Pittsburgh Pirates (AAA)

Once lauded as a top prospect in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, Nuñez is the youngest player we'll be covering (he turns 25 in March). Splitting time between first base and third base in AAA, he slashed .283/.335/.428/.763 with two home runs and 22 RBI. Injuries kept him out for the whole second half of the season.

His age, physical build and right-handed bat give Nuñez some things in common with Heriberto Hernández. His path to joining the Marlins active roster is clear considering the club's mediocre production at the corner infield spots.

1B Jake Holton

2025 organizations: Detroit Tigers (AA) and Gigantes del Cibao (LIDOM)

Holton just got through with his third consecutive season at the Double-A level. He slashed .257/.349/.479/.828 with 19 home runs, 66 RBI and a 142 wRC+. He also struck out 25.4% of the time, but walked 11.6% of the time, proving to be someone with nice plate discipline. Defensively, he has spent the majority of his career at first base, but does have some limited experience in the outfield.

An added plus: Holton is currently tearing it up in the Dominican Winter League, slashing .419/.510/.674/1.184 with two home runs and eight RBI through 13 games thus far.

Bringing both Nuñez and Holton to camp would suggest that the Marlins couldn't find the right match with a veteran first baseman and decided to spend their real money to address other positions.

LHP Mitchell Tyranski

2025 organization: Chicago Cubs (AA)

Tyranski is on the older side of this MiLB FA list at 28 years old. During the 2025 season, he posted a 2.37 ERA, 3.33 FIP, 9.32 K/9 and 5.53 BB/9 in 47 relief appearances.

The Marlins need more lefty bullpen depth. Tyranski's low-90s fastball won't overpower anybody, but he may still be able to generate enough soft contact to be effective.

OF Nick Schnell

2025 organization: Washington Nationals (AA/AAA)

Schnell was also a free agent last winter when he made the move from the Rays to the Nationals. In 2025 with the Rochester Red Wings, he slashed .244/.322/.490 in 92 games. 

The 25-year-old has shown legitimate MLB power—a 14.1% barrel%, 41.8% hard-hit%, and 113.2 max exit velocity. Schnell's poor contact rates and plate approach have culminated in a strikeout rate over 30% and held him back from cracking the major leagues.

The former first-rounder may be attractive to the Marlins because there is so much to gain if they can find a way to enhance his swing decisions. 

RHP Justin Yeager 

2025 organization: Milwaukee Brewers (AA/AAA)

A 2019 33rd-round draft pick, Justin Yeager began his minor league journey with the Atlanta Braves org. Three years ago, Yeager was included in the blockbuster trade that sent Sean Murphy to the Braves and William Contreras to the Brewers. 

Now 27 years old, Yeager has seen a sharp decrease in strikeouts since entering the Brewers org with a slight decrease in walks. In his 21 ⅔ innings pitched with Triple-A Nashville in 2025, he put up a 0.84 ERA, heavily aided by a low batting average on balls in play (his xFIP was 5.47).

Yeager throws a fastball, cutter, and slider, each of which had a sub-.300 xSLG. Good individual pitch characteristics may make him an interesting pickup regardless of his lackluster advanced metrics.

RHP Houston Roth

2025 organization: Baltimore Orioles (AA/AAA)

Another 2019 draft pick, Roth was selected in the 29th round by the Orioles.

Across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025, he posted a 2.96 ERA, 4.25 FIP, and 13.5 K-BB%. Those stats are skewed somewhat by Roth's very last appearance of the season in which he set season-highs with five earned runs and three walks allowed. 

Roth throws a four-seamer, sweeper, cutter, and splitter. His four-seam has 19 inches of induced vertical break, but it's thrown at a below-average velo of 92.3 mph. During his 40 ⅔ innings in Triple-A, Roth's sweeper recorded a 36.7 whiff%, .210 xwOBA, and .154 xBA. That was outdone by his dominant splitter, which got hitters to whiff 63.2% of the time, with a .085 xwOBA, and .050 xBA.

Video game numbers from Roth, with breaking pitches like that, any team that can unlock more velo out of Roth could lead him to being a mainstay in any MLB bullpen. 

OF Yonathan Perlaza 

2025 organizations: San Diego Padres (AAA) and Águilas del Zulia (LVBP)

After a 2024 season in the KBO, Perlaza came back stateside to play for the Padres, spending the whole season in Triple-A. He slashed .307/.391/.510 with a .397 wOBA and 115 wRC+ and won the organization's Minor League Player of the Year award. 

Perlaza is continuing to get everyday reps in the Venezuelan Winter League. As was the case during the regular season, right field is his primary position.

A switch-hitter, Perlaza brings loud pop to the plate with a max exit velo of 113.7 mph and a 46.1 hard-hit%. What has held Perlaza back is iffy contact rates, trouble with offspeed, and lackluster outfield defense.

Perlaza has enjoyed success everywhere he's been over the last two years. Why not give him a shot to translate that to MLB competition?   

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One of the more shocking moves of the MLB offseason thus far has been the Tampa Bay Rays declining the $11M club option on longtime reliever Pete Fairbanks. He finished his stint with the Rays throwing 256 ⅔ innings, posting a 2.98 ERA, saving 90 games (third in franchise history) and posted a 5.7 fWAR. Clearly, there will be a major market for Fairbanks in what is already a pretty loaded marker with Edwin Diaz and Robert Suarez leading the charge, but Fairbanks could potentially reunite with his former boss Peter Bendix in Miami.

The Texas Rangers drafted Fairbanks in the ninth round of the 2015 MLB Draft and was traded to the Rays in a one-for-one deal, sending Nick Solak to the Rangers in 2019. Bendix at that point was the Rays vice president, which who knows how much of a say he had when that deal is made, but certainly should mean something that the team traded for Fairbanks at that point.

Solak went on to slash .252/.327/.372/.700 with 21 home runs, 93 RBI and a 91 OPS+ in his four season with the organization. He was later traded to the Cincinnati Reds for cash considerations and has been bouncing around the league ever since. The trade went on to be a clear win for the Rays.

In 2025, Fairbanks posted a 2.83 ERA, 3.63 FIP, 8.80 K/9, 2.69 BB/9 and a career-high 27 saves through another career-high 60 ⅓ innings pitched. His four-seam fastball was his best pitch per Run Value (four), averaging 97.3 mph and generating 21.9% whiff rate with opposing hitters posting a batting average of .221 and slugging percentage of .319. The one pitch that took a major dip in production was his slider, going from a seven run value down to zero (league average) and a major reason for that was that he wasn't able to strike out many hitters with it, going from a 25.8 PutAway% to 19.7%. He did get many to whiff on it, going from a 23.6% whiff rate in 2024 to 30.8% this past season.

This past season, Fairbanks added a cutter to his arsenal, which he began to use midway through the season, ended up being an elite pitch that he is using to better manage contact against him. That pitch had a run value of three, averaging 90.5 mph and hitters whiffed on that pitch 34.4% of the time. Now with the opportunity to use that pitch for a full season, it'll be interesting to see how far along that pitch can go and how much more usage he will give it.

If the Marlins go out and sign Fairbanks, he would be at the highest end of the realistic price range that the team would spend and maybe Bendix, knowing the player from his time with the Rays, would go out and make a bit of a stronger push. Fairbanks would immediately become the team's everyday closer regardless of what has been said with a possible closer by committee. The team wants a high-leverage reliever per many reports and now, if they add one like Fairbanks, who is coming off a career year and has playoff experience, he needs to be the closer, shifting Ronny Henriquez over to the setup man. The likeliness that this happens is low, but it never hurts to dream assuming all the prior connections between the now two former Rays members.

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