Alex Carver

Hey Siri, define “good problems to have.” As the Marlins’ minor league system continues to improve and deepen, top prospect rankings become harder and harder to decide. Before the latest release of our Fish On First Top 30 consensus list this past week, several players were highly considered to make the cut, but just missed. Herein, we give those players their flowers and ensure you know their names and skill sets. C Ryan Ignoffo Current level: Double-A Ignoffo is the ultimate team player. An unheralded 20th-round selection as a two-way player, he played virtually every single position except catcher as an amateur. Upon his arrival in Miami, he was tasked with exactly that. With confidence in his bat to succeed at the next level, the Marlins converted Ignoffo full-time to backstop. Ignoffo took the challenge in stride, continuing to hit well as he did, even amidst the call-up to the upper minors last season. After a bit of a slow start this year at the plate, Ignoffo is performing close to his norms by slashing .273/.310/.485. Overall, Ignoffo is a contact-oriented hitter who lengthens at-bats and limits whiffs by way of great timing and bat control. He shows a true penchant to make contact at an above-average frequency, with career rate norms above 80%. Because of his ability to cover the plate, he doesn’t walk a ton so his on-base numbers are largely driven by balls put in play. Keeping the ball off the ground and hitting line drives at a good clip, his career slash is well-earned proven by his BABIP, which sits at .282. Ignoffo won’t hit a ton of home runs, and with such low walk rates, he will need to be able to continue to make good contact at the next level to be effective, leaving him little room for error. Defensively, Ignoffo went through an atypical learning process as a backstop. The organization saw in him a plus throwing arm that execs and his teammates continue to rave about. This offseason, Ignoffo put a ton of focus on his lateral movement, framing and pop times. So far this season, the results are good: he’s allowed just one passed ball and thrown out 24% of potential base-stealers. Ignoffo shouldn’t have an issue sticking at catcher and he also offers positional flexibility, although he'd have to shake off years of rust to contribute elsewhere on the diamond. Ignoffo has been repeating the Double-A level because he was blocked by Joe Mack. Now that Mack’s promotion has occurred, Ignoffo is in line to make his Triple-A debut imminently, sharing catching reps with the optioned Agustín Ramírez and veteran Brian Navarreto. Going on 26, we place Ignoffo’s floor pretty high, but due to the lack of plus contact and walks, his ceiling is a bit low. That said, he could still be of great service to any organization as a backup catcher or utility type player, especially if he continues to make contact when he breaks into MLB. He could rejoin our Top 30 amidst the upcoming graduations of Mack and Josh Ekness. RHP Carson Laws Current level: High-A Laws is a 6’1”, 186-pound righty who was selected by the Marlins in the 14th round of last year’s draft out of Texas State. Laws didn’t have an extremely long track record as a hurler in college. He came into Miami’s organization having only pitched 37 NCAA innings on top of another 34 at JuCo, so even as he embarks on his first full professional season, he is very raw. What Miami does have in Laws, though, is a high ceiling rooted in a plus-plus stuff profile. Laws’ primary weapon is a four-seamer that sits at 98 mph and can touch triple digits. After the draft, he went to work on his secondary arsenal, adding a curveball and altering the grip on his changeup into a kick-change. Laws still maintains his best secondary, a high-80s slider with wipeout action. At this point, Laws needs reps and experience. That is why the Marlins currently have him working as a starter in High-A Beloit. As he fully learns his craft, Laws will need to rein in his control and command. At 23, the late-bloomer will need to learn quickly, but if he can, he has the upside of a shutdown high-leverage reliever. Because of the low floor though, Laws just misses our list for now. IF Edgardo De Leon Current level: FCL De Leon is a 19-year-old infielder who came to the Marlins in the trade that sent Edward Cabrera to Chicago. De Leon signed with the Cubs in 2024 for an undisclosed amount, which normally signifies the figure wasn’t very significant. What has been significant is what De Leon has done over his first two seasons pro. After slashing .277/.431/.433 in the DSL in 2024, the 6’, 170 righty proved his skill set could translate well stateside. Last season with the AZL Cubs, he hit .276/.353/.500. De Leon split time evenly at corner infield for the Cubs, playing 37 games at first and 35 at third. While De Leon has performed very well thus far, he has some questions to answer for as he begins his Marlins tenure, the most pressing being where will his defensive home be, can he solve for a high whiff rate as he matriculates through levels against better stuff and how much power can he grow into. If he can build up a strong but raw arm and stick at third base, be taught to select swings a bit better and make the most of stateside facilities physically, he will be part of future Top 30 lists. For now, stats aside, he remains a bit of a lottery ticket. RHP Aiden May Current level: High-A May, a 23-year-old righty, is the Marlins’ Competitive Balance Round B pick from 2024. Barely recruited as a high schooler, May built his stock basically from the ground up as an amateur, playing at three colleges over three years. That journey culminated with May holding down a sparkling 3.05 ERA and 84/23 K/BB in the PAC-12, earning him top-100 draft pick honors. Unfortunately for May, his tenure as a pro has only spanned 14 MiLB games. He did not pitch after signing due to a forearm strain and then underwent surgery to remove loose bodies from his throwing elbow, keeping him off the mound until July of last season. When back at full strength, he participated in the Arizona Fall League. It's been an inconsistent opening month for May with Beloit in 2026, including six no-hit innings on April 19. However, he was unable to complete four frames on April 26 and missed his most recent scheduled start on Sunday. May is just an average-sized 6’2”, 196, and doesn’t shorten the distance to the plate, but he throws from a funky low arm slot which allots him some deception. He has a deep arsenal which includes a sinker that sits 94 and can touch 96. His best pitch is a sweeper that can garner him whiffs in and out of the zone. With the Marlins, he’s strayed away from using his changeup in favor of a new cut fastball that he’s building confidence in. If May is going to stick as a starter, he will need to be able to consistently use that third pitch for strikes and be able to maintain his control throughout starts. He could still reach a ceiling as a back-end starter but at this point in his injury-marred career, it’s more likely he moves to the bullpen long term. That said, May’s plus velo and sweeper and the aforementioned tricky mechanics could be effective in shorter stints making the floor decently high. IF Ronny Muñoz Current level: DSL Muñoz is one of the newest Marlins in the organization, having joined the club in January as part of the current international signing period. The 27th-ranked prospect in the class per MLB Pipeline, his deal with Miami was worth $1 million, matching Santiago Solarte (FOF #18). Unlike Solarte, Muñoz is limited in size, but he comes by good power via elite bat speed stemming from quick hands that evaluators graded at the very top of the 20-80 scale. Those same hands serve Muñoz well in the infield where he has the athleticism to stick at shortstop. Once Muñoz can prove himself against pro stuff, it is likely he will shoot up our list. For now, his limited size, being built more for line drives than homers, and the fact that he will need to be on time and stay on time against pro stuff have him on the outside looking in. View full article

This podcast is brought to you by Jet Ski Rentals of South Florida—offering Miami’s best jet ski and boat adventures. With six jet ski locations and over 120 boats, there’s something for every style and every budget. They’re reservation-based only. To inquire, call 305-990-2192, or check them out online at SFJetskiRentals.com. Make sure to use promo code FISHONFIRST to receive 10% off your next booking. Fish On First staffers react to the latest Miami Marlins series and prepare you for what lies ahead. Wednesday's show was hosted by Alex Carver and featured panelists Kevin Barral, Jeremiah Geiger and Isaac Azout. The following topics were covered: Sandy Alcantara's impressive outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers Liam Hicks' spectacular season The chaotic ending to Wednesday's game What to do with slumping Owen Caissie Who can be trusted in Miami's bullpen during Pete Fairbanks' IL stint Previewing and predicting the next series against the Philadelphia Phillies You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Our next FOF LIVE episode will be Saturday at approximately 10:00 p.m. ET midway through the Marlins-Phillies series. View full article

The Fish On First LIVE panel debates what to do about Owen Caissie's ongoing struggles at the plate. The rookie outfielder is homerless over his last 22 games with a .156/.200/.219 slash line. View full video

Fish On First LIVE discusses what has contributed to Chris Paddack's ineffective first month as a Marlin, including a few reasons for optimism. View full video

This podcast is brought to you by Jet Ski Rentals of South Florida—offering Miami’s best jet ski and boat adventures. With six jet ski locations and over 120 boats, there’s something for every style and every budget. They’re reservation-based only. To inquire, call 305-990-2192, or check them out online at SFJetskiRentals.com. Make sure to use promo code FISHONFIRST to receive 10% off your next booking. Fish On First staffers react to the latest Miami Marlins series and prepare you for what lies ahead. Wednesday's show was hosted by Alex Carver and featured panelists Kevin Barral, Jeremiah Geiger, Nate Karzmer and Alex Krutchik. The following topics were covered: Janson Junk pulled after only 56 pitches Jakob Marsee's best series of the season How much longer is Chris Paddack's rotation spot safe? Esteury Ruiz joining the Marlins active roster Austin Slater designated for assignment Previewing and predicting the next series against the San Francisco Giants You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Our next FOF LIVE episode will be Sunday at approximately 8:00 p.m. ET following the Marlins-Giants series finale. View full article

There is now a full year of evidence that Agustín Ramírez does not provide major league-caliber defense behind the plate. Fish On First LIVE discusses what comes next for him. View full video

This podcast is brought to you by Jet Ski Rentals of South Florida—offering Miami’s best jet ski and boat adventures. With six jet ski locations and over 120 boats, there’s something for every style and every budget. They’re reservation-based only. To inquire, call 305-990-2192, or check them out online at SFJetskiRentals.com. Make sure to use promo code FISHONFIRST to receive 10% off your next booking. Fish On First staffers react to the latest Miami Marlins series and prepare you for what lies ahead. Sunday's show was hosted by Alex Carver and featured panelists Ely Sussman, Kevin Barral, Jeremiah Geiger and Alex Krutchik. The following topics were covered: Eury Pérez's impressive outing Kyle Stowers' return and potential usage at first base Sandy Alcantara matching a career-high in walks When will the Marlins move Agustín Ramírez off the catcher position? Clayton McCullough's first ejection of 2026 Owen Caissie' s league-leading strikeout rate Previewing and predicting the next series against the St. Louis Cardinals You can find Fish Unfiltered and Fish On First LIVE on the Fish On First YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever else you get your pods. Our next FOF LIVE episode will be Wednesday at approximately 4:00 p.m. ET following the Marlins-Cardinals series finale. View full article

The old baseball axiom still rings true: you can never have too much pitching. Offseason trades left the Miami Marlins particularly vulnerable in that area entering 2026. Fortunately, the early returns from their Triple-A depth arms have been highly encouraging. Five hours away from loanDepot park in Jacksonville, two lefties are performing well and each is screaming for a promotion to the big leagues (for very different reasons). First, there’s Braxton Garrett. The Marlins’ first-round pick in 2016, the lefty received his first call-up in 2020 as a COVID necessity, having barely pitched at the Double-A level. He then spent most of 2021 in Triple-A before fully transitioning to the majors in 2022. Retooled with a slider supplanting his curveball as his primary putaway pitch and with improved fastball command, Garrett enjoyed solid campaigns in both '22 and '23, posting a combined 3.63 ERA and 246/53 K/BB. Braxton came into 2024 with a firm grip on a starting rotation spot, but just 37 innings into the year, he was shelved with a UCL injury that required Tommy John surgery, costing him the remainder of that season as well as all of 2025. Garrett is back healthy this year, but was relegated to Triple-A to start the season in favor of Janson Junk, who is out of minor league options, and fellow former first-rounder Max Meyer. The latest exports from Garrett with the Jumbo Shrimp are a 0.59 ERA and 17/5 K/BB through 15 ⅓ innings. In his last start, he held a no hitter through six. Then there’s Robby Snelling, who was part of the return package that sent reliever Tanner Scott to the Padres in 2024. After posting inflated numbers in the upper minors with San Diego—an org known for pushing their prospects quickly—all this lefty has done since joining the Marlins’ organization is impress. Last season between Pensacola and Jacksonville, Snelling posted a 2.51 ERA via a 1.11 WHIP and 166/39 K/BB over 136 innings, earning him the Marlins’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors. On the young campaign this year, Snelling has already been special—in his first four starts with Jacksonville, he has a 1.89 ERA via a 31/9 K/BB. Across parts of three seasons with the Jumbo Shrimp, Snelling boasts a 1.42 ERA, more than half a run better than any other starting pitcher with at least 50 innings logged at AAA during that span. For the stark improvements, Snelling has credited a delivery change that he perfected in the offseason between 2024 and 2025. The change has him standing more upright throughout his motion and throwing from a higher arm slot. This has led to his velocity ticking back up as well as better all-around repeatability. On top of that, the Marlins’ pitching development team had Snelling drop his sinker and taught him a gyro slider, which has quickly become a fantastic pitch for the 6’3”, 210-pounder who excels at changing eye levels and clipping corners. The current version the Marlins have brought out of Snelling is a perfect mix of confident and dominant. Against Triple-A hitters, he’s living all around the black of the plate, elevating at will with the best velocity he’s ever had, and limiting hard contact by way of two plus breakers and a usable changeup. Snelling looks every bit of a viable mid-rotation MLB starter. There’s little doubt: both Garrett and Snelling will be with the Marlins in 2026. The question is, with arms aplenty and rotation spots few, who comes up first? In my opinion, the answer doesn’t lie within which pitcher has performed the best or the sexiest name—it hinges on the business side of the game and within long-term organizational planning. The deadline has passed that ensures MLB teams can save an extra year of control on promoted prospects (barring a top-two finish in Rookie of the Year balloting). However, Snelling, who has arguably been one of the best pitchers in Minor League Baseball last year and so far this year, would be on track for Super Two eligibility if brought up right now, qualifying for arbitration in 2029. Holding off on his promotion until the middle of June would delay that until 2030. Garrett needs MLB innings. At age 28 and in his second year of arbitration eligibility, with the likes of Snelling, Thomas White and other prospects nipping at his feels, Garrett appears to be a name primed to be moved this July. If that is going to be the case, interested parties will want to see at least a decent sample of how he looks at the big league level after nearly a two-year layoff. An added factor is ease of access to the roster. Whereas Snelling would require a 40-man roster spot, getting Braxton back to the big leagues is as easy as a 26-man move. Getting him back into the rotation could be as easy as moving Janson Junk to the bullpen. While Junk has done yeoman’s work holding down the fifth spot, he is a better fit for the bullpen in a multi-inning/swing man capacity. One may argue that moving Meyer to the bullpen would also be beneficial, but the Marlins have not iterated any intentions of shortening the leash on him as a starter; in fact, the message from the organization has been exactly the opposite. For fans who follow the team closely, not seeing Snelling get the call now in the midst of a dominant stretch may be painful, but these decisions are befitting of a team whose competitive window is about to fully open. Have no fear; Robby Snelling will be here soon enough and has the makings of an arm that could be very good for the Marlins for a long time. If Garrett is indeed dealt at the deadline, it would seamlessly open the door for Snelling to take up a rotation spot. He should also be considered one of the first names in line if an injury occurs. View full article