Alex Carver

Welcome to another edition of what will be a series of weekly Miami Marlins minor league summaries throughout the 2025 season. The stats and information used below is updated entering April 15 unless otherwise noted. Triple-A Jacksonville Right-hander Adam Mazur made one start and a long relief appearance this past week for the Jumbo Shrimp. On Tuesday, Mazur tossed five shutout innings, allowing one hit and walk while striking out five. In that Tuesday start, Mazur leaned on his slider and four-seamer. The fastball averaged 93.7 mph and topped out at 95.9 mph. His slider generated eight whiffs and was used in three of his five strikeout pitches (curveball for two strikeouts). On Sunday, Mazur entered in relief of Declan Cronin, who was making a rehab appearance. In 4 ⅓ innings of work, the Fish On First 11th-ranked prospect struck out five and, for a second time in the week, did not allow a run. Mazur is already on the 40-man roster, so if he continues performing like this, the big league team will give him an opportunity to start for them at some point this season. In a Wednesday afternoon game, starter Janson Junk turned in the best start of his career at any level, going six shutout innings, striking out ten and not walking anyone. The Jumbo Shrimp were facing a Charlotte Knights lineup featuring top prospects Kyle Teel, Edgar Quero and Colson Montgomery. Junk generated 11 total whiffs, with six of them coming on the fastball, which averaged 94.4 mph and topped out at 96.3 mph. After a strong spring for the Marlins, Junk was reassigned to Minor League camp and then AAA-Jacksonville. He’s currently proving to be a strong depth option for the Marlins. In his first start for the Jumbo Shrimp, Valente Bellozo went four shutout innings, striking out six and only walking two. Bellozo’s fastball topped out at 92.5 mph and averaged 90.7 mph. His cutter generated eight whiffs (13 total whiffs on the night). Reliever Austin Roberts, who the Marlins picked up in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft a couple years back, is posting a 0.90 ERA, 3.90 FIP, 9.00 K/9 and 7.20 BB/9 through five games this season. On Sunday, Roberts started for the Jumbo Shrimp and went two shutout innings, walking and striking out three. The fastball velo jumps out, averaging 94.9 mph and topping out at 96.5 mph. His arsenal consists of the fastball, cutter, curveball and changeup. 463jj8.mp4 Although Jakob Marsee won’t blow you away with his batting average, he is someone who you can rely to get on base plenty. Through 14 games, Marsee is slashing .214/.421/.357/.778 with one home run, four RBI and 13 stolen bases, which leads all of Minor League Baseball. Entering April 16, the Jumbo Shrimp lead MiLB with 45 stolen bases. The team right behind them? The Beloit Sky Carp, the Marlins' High-A affiliate. It has been made very clear that the organization will be aggressive on the base paths. Despite not being called up to replace the injured Nick Fortes, Agustin Ramirez continues to put up big numbers in Jacksonville. As he’s played almost every day, he’s slashing .280/.345/.520/.865 with two home runs and 11 RBI. His biggest flaw continues to be on the defensive side of the ball as he has six passed balls, more than any other catcher in the minors. Receiving is also a part of his game where he continues to struggle in, but the bat is more than ready. On April 11, the club's control of Ramirez was extended through the 2031 season. Double-A Pensacola Kemp Alderman continued his hot start to the season and is now slashing .375/.432/.750/1.182 with three home runs, 11 RBI and five stolen bases. He has already matched his 2024 total in the stolen base category. Alderman was selected to the MLB Pipeline Prospect Team of the Week. There's been a significant change to his batting stance that could be contributing to the success he's having at the plate. It was a weird outing for lefty Robby Snelling (FOF #6). He gave the Wahoos 5 ⅓ innings of work, allowing four runs (three earned) off of eight hits, one walk, and nine strikeouts. He also surrendered two home runs. Through two starts, Snelling has posted a great 2.61 ERA, but his expected FIP is even better at 2.04. On Tuesday, catcher Joe Mack (FOF #8) hit his first home run of the season and is now slashing .348/.483/.696/1.179 with two home runs and four RBI. His second home run came on Friday. In his second start of the season, Dax Fulton went 5 ⅓ innings of work, allowing two runs off of five hits, walking two and striking out four. This is off the heels of a start where he was only able to go three innings of work. Quietly, Adam Laskey went four shutout innings, allowed one hit, didn’t walk anyone and struck out nine. In three appearances, reliever Josh Ekness has yet to surrender a run. He’s struck out six and yet to walk a batter. Like Ekness, Zach McCambley has made three appearances this season and has struck out nine and only walked two. If healthy, McCambley can find himself on a fast track to Miami. High-A Beloit The Sky Carp came out swinging against the Cedar Rapids Kernels, winning 10-0 and 8-7 in their second and third games of a six game series, but dropped the final three. Even more so than their Low-A counterparts, stolen bases continued to happen in abundance for Beloit. They stole an audacious 26 bases in six games. They have 44 steals on the season entering play on April 16; the next closest Midwest League team has 21. One huge catalyst for the stolen base success of Beloit in this series was Emaarion Boyd who came over in the Jesús Luzardo trade this offseason. In the second game of the series, a Sky Carp 10-0 win, Boyd stole an insane six bases. It all happened without the benefit of a hit. Boyd went 0-for-1 and walked twice. He was also hit by a pitch. During all three times on base, Boyd stole both second and third base. Boyd has appeared in nine games for Beloit this season as the primary center fielder. He’s gotten off to a slow start swinging the bat, but has proven he will make the most of his trips around the bases. With advertised 70-grade speed, if Boyd can find more consistent contact rates while continuing to work counts, he will become an annual 25+ stolen base threat with the ability to cover all necessary ground in center field. He also owns an above average throwing arm. We will continue to watch his contact rates closely as the season progresses. After being limited by injury in most of his MiLB career and struggles with offensive consistency last season, Yiddi Cappe is back in Beloit for a third year. Splitting time between second base and DH, his first six games have been extremely encouraging. In this series, Cappe went 7-for-15 with three walks. He had just one extra-base hit, a double, but he made the most of his trips around the bases, stealing three and scoring six runs. On top of his ability to stay on the field, there have been consistent questions about his physical projection. Yiddi is still and will always be a wiry athlete, but he’s begun to quiet down his approach and not over-swing. With smoother mechanics, Cappe’s on-base numbers have thrived early this season. Defensively, it seems Yiddi’s chances at sticking at shortstop are now gone especially with the improvements to the Marlins’ system. If his power remains limited, third base may not be the best choice either. However, Cappe still has the ability to play a solid second base. His time at DH also appears to be allowing him to focus fully on offensive consistency. Expect this early season trend of 2B/DH to continue. And remember: Cappe is still just 22. Don’t write him off; the Marlins sure haven’t. Noble Meyer (FOF #5) made a somewhat delayed first start in this series. During spring training, he missed some time with fluid build-up in his throwing arm, which is highly likely the reason he did not debut in the first series. Meyer got off to a very solid start to his sophomore season, pitching into the fifth inning without allowing a run. He allowed three hits while walking two and striking out two. As he told us during spring training, the focus for Meyer this year will be staying as close to 100% as possible. Last season, he was hampered by a nagging back injury which inhibited him most of the season, especially in relation to his repeat his delivery. On top of that, Meyer is also hoping to showcase improvements to his slider which is now a sweeper and a more consistent changeup. During the second half of 2024 and also in this start, his fastball velocity was down a bit from where he was early last year, but as strength and repeatability fully return and as Noble gets fully acclimated to his new arsenal, it has the capacity to return back up to approx. 94 mph. 2024 wasn’t what Noble wanted, but he has the stuff, ability, and drive to come back better than ever this season. His initial output looked good. Low-A Jupiter Jupiter started the series against Dunedin sloppily, walking a franchise record 22 batters and allowing 19 runs, but bounced back well to split the series. They stole 15 more bases and now have 33 stolen bases in nine games. After striking out eight in 3 ⅔ innings in his season debut, what could Liomar Martinez do for an encore? How about strike out another nine in four innings. Martinez was once again almost unhittable, particularly with a staple 12-6 curveball. He was even more dominant than his first outing as he didn’t allow a walk. The only blemish on his record was a single hit. A converted infielder who has an interesting backstory, Martinez is throwing strikes at an eye-popping rate. In this outing, he had a 50% CSW%. Still just 19 with budding stuff and improving control, Martinez has a starter’s ceiling. With continued success, it would behoove the Marlins to put him in a rotation and allow him to build a five-day routine. Dillon Head (FOF #9) built off a solid opening series by getting on base in four of five games played against Dunedin. His standout game occurred on Tuesday when he went 2-for-5 with his first home run of 2025. He also recorded his first walk of the season. To start his 2025 campaign, Head is swinging at a lot of pitches, but is doing enough to at least spoil pitches and lengthen at-bats. His swing decisions will need to improve as he makes his way up the MiLB ladder, but against Single-A pitching, he’s been able to hold his K rate in check. Coming back from a missed second half, this is a great start for Head. With reps being the most important thing right now, we will continue to see him play daily with Jupiter. The young phenom Andrew Salas (FOF #4) isn’t playing every game with the Hammerheads, but he’s making the most of his reps. Described by the coaching staff as a “super-utility," Salas got into three of six games in this series against Dunedin. At the plate, his advertised approach well beyond his years showed true. He went 3-for-10 and walked three times while striking out three times. He also scored three runs. Salas is with the Hammerheads as the youngest player in the FSL. If the 17-year-old continues to perform, he may stick with the Hammerheads all year, but it may be advisable for the Marlins to get him regular reps at a position of their choosing when FCL season begins. Salas has been described as a guy the team wants to see more of at shortstop, but that he’s also capable of playing center field. So far with Jupiter, with traffic around, he’s only spent time in center field sans one game at second base. He has not taken the field at shortstop. FCL season starts on May 5. Next Up (April 15-20) Triple-A Jacksonville at Memphis Double-A Pensacola at Columbus High-A Beloit vs. Quad Cities Low-A Jupiter at Daytona

It's one thing to make a good early impression; Liomar Martinez has taken it a step further. Two outings into his 2025 season, the right-hander has not only caught the attention of the Marlins but all of Minor League Baseball. Martinez was signed by the Marlins at age 16 as part of the 2021-22 international class. A native of Sousa, DR, he was discovered by the same scout that first laid eyes on Eury Pérez. According to Angel Izquiredo, his acquisition was partially the result of happenstance. “He is originally from Puerto Playa, but that day he was trying out in Bonao for the Pirates. I went to see some arms apart (from him) at the cages, not on the field because the other team was having a closed tryout,” Izquierdo said. “However, after I finished my duties, when I was heading to my car, I saw from far this little lanky, really skinny, loosy arm on the mound. I couldn’t get close, being respectful to other colleagues from the other team, but damn, there was a lot to project and a really loose arm.” Being a closed workout, Izquierdo had to be creative when it came to getting a closer look at Martinez. “I remember sending a little kid, offering him a ball to record from behind the plate. He actually did it. Not the best video, but was enough for me to be at his academy in Puerto Playa the next day and having my director (Roman) Ocumarez rush to come and see this kid.” Coming out of his first viewing of Martinez, Izquierdo credited the 16-year-old as a converted shortstop with a two-pitch mix with room to add more size and more stuff. Present tools included a quick, loose three-quarters arm action and a fastball up to 89 mph with tail and more velo to come with natural progression. His curveball was up to 75 mph with late break. It graded as 55+. According to the report, Martinez was already throwing a changeup with fringe action. Overall, Izquierdo saw good repeatability mound presence, and aggression. After Ocumarez laid eyes on Martinez, he was inked for a minuscule $80,000 during the 2021-22 signing period. “He is an impressive young man. Hyper-athletic with that clean arm action you look for, which is even more impressive given that he had recently converted to pitching,” former international scouting director Adrian Lorenzo said. “His journey wasn’t a straight shot upward, but he always flashed promise.” After breaking into pro ball with the DSL Marlins in 2022 and making his stateside debut in 2023, Martinez began to build stuff and confidence last season. As a member of the FCL Marlins, he made 11 appearances including 10 starts with a 3.89 ERA. He didn’t have dominant strikeout numbers, but held down a low 1.18 WHIP and limited the opposition to just a .171 BA, earning a late-season call-up to Low-A. This season, Martinez is back in Jupiter starting his first full season in pro ball. Through two appearances, the 19-year-old righty leads the Florida State League in strikeouts with 17. That marker also ranks 22nd in all of MiLB. Both of Martinez’s appearances have come in relief. He’s thrown a total of just 7 ⅔ innings. A standout improvement for Martinez has been the velocity on his sinker, which has risen from a 90.8 mph average last season to 93.7 mph this year. Control and command of that pitch and his curveball that dips down to 77 mph has allowed him to change eye levels and get some ugly swings. qmodj3_1.mp4 Martinez is also mixing in a changeup averaging 88 mph, which is showing improved arm-side fade. His fourth pitch is his four-seamer, topping out at 95 mph. Still growing physically, Martinez has time and natural talent both on his side. He is already showing a great mix of velocities and the ability to be placed all over the strike zone. He could come by even more strength, size and stuff, but he’s already sitting pretty with the ceiling of an eventual MLB starter. He’s not yet on top prospect lists, but if he continues on his current track, that will change very shortly. Martinez turns 20 on June 25.

Through the games of April 6, Miami Marlins MiLB teams have combined for a remarkable .778 winning percentage (14-4 record). As highlighted below, that production came from some of the organization's top-ranked prospects as well as under-the-radar players worth monitoring. Triple-A Jacksonville Edward Cabrera made his second rehab start and went four innings, allowing two runs (one earned) off of six hits, didn’t walk anyone and struck out six. Cabrera’s fastball velocity averaged 97.8 mph and topped out at 100.3 mph. As of Tuesday, he is traveling with the big league club, so it appears his rehab assignment has wrapped up. Through two starts with the Shrimp, Janson Junk has posted a 3.00 ERA, 3.25 FIP, 10.00 K/9 and 1.00 BB/9. Junk was one of the spring training non-roster invitees that stuck around through almost all of big league camp. In one start, FOF #11 prospect Adam Mazur went five innings of work, allowing two runs off of two hits (one home run), walked one and struck out four. Maximo Acosta, who was a standout this past spring, has gotten off to a red hot start, slashing .333/.429/.444/.873 with one home run and six RBI. He’s been primarily at shortstop and if he continues to perform, it’ll be interesting to see how soon he can be called up. FOF’s #3 prospect, Agustín Ramírez, is slashing .250/.306/.375/.681 with five RBI through eight games thus far. Ramirez was one of three players acquired in the Jazz Chisholm Jr. trade from the New York Yankees. Deyvison De Los Santos, acquired in the A.J. Puk trade, has struggled, striking out 16 through eight games. There will be an opportunity for him moving forward to fill the void that the Marlins have at first base, but he'll have to make contact more consistently. Outfielder Jakob Marsee (Luis Arraez trade) currently leads Minor League Baseball with eight stolen bases this season. Double-A Pensacola Fish On First’s number six prospect Robby Snelling opened the Wahoos season with a gem. He tossed five shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out five. In seven starts last season with Pensacola, Snelling posted a 4.00 ERA, 2.76 FIP, 10.25 K/9 and 2.75 BB/9. Limited him to only 18 appearances last season, Zach McCambley told Fish On First that he underwent major surgery to get back on the mound in 2025. On Friday, the 2020 third-round pick went two shutout innings, walking one and striking out four. He was credited with the win. In his first regular season start since undergoing Tommy John surgery, FOF #14 prospect Dax Fulton went three innings of work, allowing four runs (three earned) off of five hits, walking three and striking out two. The main standout on the position player side is Kemp Alderman. After struggling in a limited sample size in AA, Alderman went back and made some pitch recognition adjustments. In this first weekend, he went 5-for-12 with one double and a grand slam on Saturday. High-A Beloit Beloit also got their season started on a positive note, winning all three of their games against South Bend. A scrappy Sky Carp offense made the most of their opportunities, hitting .294 with runners in scoring position. Pitching allowed a total of just eight runs. With expectations of Thomas White starting at Double-A, the decision came down in the last hours prior to the assignment deadline for him to start back with Beloit this season. In 2024, White made 13 starts with the Sky Carp. He had a 2.61 ERA via a 3.41 FIP and even 1.00 WHIP. This spring, White showed back up to Marlins camp and got even more dominant in terms of raw stuff. Early in camp, White was showing easy fastball velocities of over 98 mph. During an early bullpen session, a pitching coach told White to simply let it go. He hit triple digits. This past week, he threw for the Sky Carp. He went 4 IP on 7 K's while allowing 3 walks. With added velo on top of a 12-6 curveball that dips into the high-70s and an improving slider, White moves his pitches in every direction and lands all around the strike zone from a high release point. Even when he is out of the zone, he can garner easy whiffs and doesn’t have to pinpoint his pitches to be effective. He could’ve started in Double-A and will be there before long. Level-headed with dominant stuff that is consistently getting even better, he’s a top 50 prospect in all of baseball. After participating in MLB camp as a non-roster invitee, Ryan Ignoffo is back in High-A where he ended 2024. On top of serving as the backstop for two of three games, Ignoffo flexed improved power at the plate. He recorded three hits for the series, including a home run and a double. Not known for his wheels, the second year backstop also stole two bases. A six homer guy last year, it is very encouraging to see Ignoffo getting into his legs and lower half sooner this season, especially in a pitcher friendly environment. He will need to continue to improve in that regard on the opposite side of the ball, particularly with his pop times if he plans to stick at catcher. If he can, he has the potential to grow into a bat-first backstop, a huge asset. While we will need to see how he matriculates through levels and handles higher quality stuff on both sides of the ball, Ignoffo has done a lot of things right so far in his young career. An unheralded name worth keeping close tabs on. After missing all of his draft season in 2023 due to injury, Colby Shade was extremely effective for Jupiter in 2024 before a late season call to Beloit. He’s back with Beloit to start 2025 and is off to a similar hot start. In this series, Shade recorded four hits in 9 ABs. He also stole three bases. A 6’1”, 205 outfielder, Shade’s best offensive asset is his extremely quick bat and good vision which allot him the ability to foul off tough pitches and lengthen his at bats. He also has sneaky solid pop, having homered eight times last season. Defensively, he can play all three outfield spots but is likely better suited for a corner. The biggest question with Shade is can his success permeate against competition closer to his own age? If he continues performing how he did in this series, we may get our answer to that question later this season when he is called up to Double-A Pensacola. Low-A Jupiter The Jupiter Hammerheads won two of three games against St. Lucie behind solid pitching and a record showing on the base paths. They swiped 17 bags, leading to 15 total runs. After being limited to just three games to start his Marlins tenure last season, Dillon Head showed up to spring training noticeably larger with something to prove to himself and his new organization. To start the season with the Hammerheads, things could not be going too much better. Head, with at least 10 pounds of added muscle mass, appeared in each of the Hammerheads’ first three games spending time in left field and center field. He stood out at the plate with huge exit velocities topping at 106 mph. In the last game of the series, Head went off going 3-for-5 with two triples and two stolen bases (during the same trip around the bases). His sprint speed maxed out at right around 29 feet per second. A main storyline around spring training camp, ahead has matriculated that showing into a great first series of the season. He’s a potential four-out-of-five tool player, especially if he is growing into more power and loft. He’s a main cog in this Marlins system to watch as he grows this season and beyond. Andrés Valor, who recently turned 19 this offseason, enjoyed an amazing season for the playoff-contentious FCL Marlins in 2024. He showed up at spring training this season upwards of 10 pounds worth of more muscle. With improved exit velos during camp, the most impressive factor that he could add to his game was even more power. During his first series, however, Valor showed an equally impressive tool: improved patience. During the three-game series with the Mets, Valor walked six times in 14 plate appearances. Despite the improved size, Valor’s base-stealing ability did not falter. While his ability to cover ground averaged out at 27 ft/sec, his ability to get out to plus leads continued to impress. A heady runner who is becoming the epitome “take what they give you”, Valor stole three bags. Last season, he was a key cog in the FCL Marlins stealing a rookie-level record 208 bases. He does have the ability to play center field, but spent two of his first three games in right field. With added size and improving patience to go along with a quiet approach, Valor is a bat-first prospect who has some of the loudest bar-to-ball and raw power potential in the organization. If his early added patience permeates, he will continue to add to his skill set. At 6’3”, 180 pounds, he’s one of the most exciting prospects in the pipeline. Liomar Martinez is a fourth-year player after being signed in the 2021-2022 signing period. He embarked on his third year pro with a bang. Entering the April 5 game as a bulk guy in relief of Walin Castillo and Juan Reynoso, Martinez dealt 3 ⅔ scoreless frames. Martinez topped at 95 mph and was down to 75 with three pitches. Later in the series, Liomar showed an absolutely untamable curveball. Throwing 31 of them, he recorded eight whiffs and a 55% CSW%. qqzd2e.mp4 Martinez is still just 19 and is breaking into stateside baseball. His original out has been spectacular. He’s hitting 95 down to low 80s with three pitches. Early results show command limitations from years previous being answered. If Liomar can continue to build off this hot start, he could be a back-end rotation piece. If not, his great breaking stuff should carry him to the floor of a middle reliever at the next level. Next Up (April 8-13) Triple-A Jacksonville vs. Charlotte Double-A Pensacola vs. Montgomery High-A Beloit at Cedar Rapids Low-A Jupiter vs. Dunedin

Just before the start of spring training at their annual FanFest, the Marlins announced they would take a long-awaited step in honoring their past. Heading into their 33rd season of existence, the inaugural Legends Hall of Fame class was revealed, consisting of players and coaches long lauded by fans for their play on the field and their candor off of it. Each individual will receive a day in his honor coinciding with a bobblehead giveaway and a permanent place in the HOF inside loanDepot park. The first Hall of Famer to be featured was fittingly Mr. Marlin, Jeff Conine, an original 1993 Marlin, contributed to both of the franchise's World Series teams and is one just one of two players to play 1,000 games for the Fish. The Marlins held a pregame ceremony for Conine on Sunday. Fellow champion player Luis Castillo and managers Jim Leyland and Jack McKeon will be formerly inducted later this season. According to the Marlins, populating the Marlins Legends Hall of Fame will be an ongoing process. New players, staff and perhaps executives deemed deserving will be added each season. Who should be part of the next class in 2026? Here’s a look at our top five picks along with some honorable mentions. Hanley Ramírez The main return for World Series champs Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell in a 2005 trade, Hanley came to the Marlins unpopularly, but quickly became a fan favorite. After debuting with the Red Sox, Ramírez immediately stepped into the starting shortstop role with Miami and immediately made a huge impact. As a 22-year-old, he put up a 4.9 bWAR while slashing .292/.353/.480 and stealing 51 bases. This immediate output earned Ramírez the NL Rookie of the Year as he edged out Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals. Ramírez is one of four total Rookies of the Year in franchise history. For the next two seasons, Ramírez remained an offensive force and established himself as one of the best hitting shortstops in baseball. In 2007, he barely missed out on a batting title as he hit .332. He continued to show great patience at the plate proven by a .386 OBP and saw a pronounced power increase as he put out 24 home runs to go along with another 51 steals. Following his first All-Star selection in 2008, Ramírez would not be denied the batting title in 2009. His .342 BA led the NL circuit and stood as the best single-season batting average in franchise history until Luis Arraez surpassed him in 2023. He rounded out 2009 with a career high .410 OBP and 24 home runs. His 7.3 bWAR that season is second-best in franchise history. Only topped by Albert Pujols, Ramírez finished runner-up in NL MVP voting. Hanley rounded out his Marlins career by posting a combined 3.6 bWAR between 2010 (another All-Star season) and 2012. Overall, his 26.9 bWAR over seven seasons with Miami ranks second all-time. His 3,671 ABs rank second only to Castillo. One of, if not the main reason to show up to watch Marlins games every single night, Ramírez was a close to a five-tool talent that went on to contribute to winning teams. A premier athlete and top performer from the moment he put on the teal and black, Hanley exemplifies the title Marlins Hall of Famer. Josh Johnson Johnson was a Marlins high school draft pick in 2002. After starting in rookie ball, he made it to the majors just three seasons later and quickly rose to stardom. By 2006, at age 22, he became a fixture in the rotation, posting a 3.10 ERA, a 3.99 FIP, and a 133/68 K/BB. The Marlins knew they had something special in the 6’7” righty. Excitement quickly turned to disappointment for the Marlins in 2007 as Johnson missed nearly all of that season due to an ulnar nerve injury that eventually required Tommy John surgery. However, Johnson recovered ahead of schedule and was ready for the 2008 season just 11 months afterwards. Managing a 2.0 bWAR in 87.1 IP under those circumstances, Johnson once again stood out. A full-go in 2009, Johnson threw 209 innings while striking out 191 and walking just 58. His ERA sat at 3.23, his FIP at 3.06. He went 15-5 on the season, a winning percentage that stands today as the best single-season mark by a Marlins pitcher. In 2010, after signing a four-year contract, Johnson had a career year. Leading all of baseball in FIP at 2.41 and leading the NL in ERA at 2.30, with a 186/48 K/BB, he made his second straight All-Star Game. He was shut down in September, though, which contributed to him finishing just fifth in NL Cy Young voting. edc62p_1.mp4 Amidst controversy regarding the extent of his shoulder injury, Johnson missed most of 2011, but threw enough to still manage a 2.9 bWAR. He was the first pitcher to start a game at Marlins Park in 2012, another quality outing for Johnson despite a Marlins loss. Overall, Johnson is the franchise leader in many telling categories: pitcher WAR (25.8), ERA (3.15), FIP (3.20), HR/9 (0.58), and win probability added (10.3). He was one of the most dominant pitchers to ever toe the rubber for Miami and he was one of few that can claim he was a franchise player. Josh Johnson is a Marlins Hall of Famer. José Fernández Talents like this don’t come along often. A Tampa area high schooler after surviving defecting from Cuba with his family, Fernández was living the American dream even before he was selected by the Marlins in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft. After his selection, Fernández threw in just 27 minor league games before the Marlins had seen enough to award him his MLB call. It was well warranted: in 25 games at Low-A and High-A in 2012, Fernández set himself apart from all of his competition, going 14-1 with a 1.75 ERA, 0.926 WHIP and 158/35 K/BB. Fernández made his MLB debut out of camp as a 20-year-old in 2013. Pitching against competition nearly eight years his elder on average, he struck out eight Mets over five innings pitched while allowing just one earned run. Fernández parlayed that outing into his first quality start just five days later when he went six shutout frames against the Phillies in his Marlins Park debut. It was the first of 17 Fernández quality starts during his rookie season. Limiting hits to just 5.8 per nine innings with dominant stuff well ahead of his years—a mark which led all of MLB—Fernández easily won the NL Rookie of the Year award and placed third in Cy Young voting. His 6.2 WAR that season was and still is the highest posted by a rookie pitcher since 1986. Fernández started 2014 just as dominant before a blow-up start against the Padres in early May. Following that uncharacteristic 5 IP, 6 ER outing, an ulnar nerve injury was revealed which required Fernández to undergo Tommy John. He didn’t return until July of 2015. In his first start back, he commanded a quality start. In his second outing, he went seven shutout innings and struck out nine. Overall, Fernández's 2015 equated to 11 starts with a 1.4 WAR by way of a 2.92 ERA and 2.24 FIP. José was back. 2016 arrived with a 23-year-old José back healthy and feeling as dominant as ever. He started 29 games, 18 of which equated to quality outings. His 253 strikeouts were already a franchise record as was his 12.48 K/9, his 5.78 H/9 and his 2.30 FIP, records which still stand today. But after his final scheduled start of the season got pushed back by a day, tragedy struck. On the morning of September 25, 2016, Fernández was killed in a boating accident. Suddenly, baseball took a backseat to culture. As the Marlins resumed play, Dee Gordon hit an iconic home run and the Marlins won in his honor, all of Miami continued to feel and love José Fernández. That love matriculates to this day. He is still the Marlins’ all-time leader in win percentage. José Fernández is one of the greatest talents this franchise has ever seen. Posthumously, he is a Marlins Hall of Famer in every sense of the title. Gary Sheffield Sheffield was the dominance of the Marlins for over half a decade. Joining Miami in their expansion year, the bat-waggling Florida native quickly became a staple with the Marlins. Starting in 1993 when he joined the squad from the Padres in a trade that included Trevor Hoffman, Sheff swatted 10 bombs in 72 games. Despite being limited to just 87 games in 1994 due to the strike, Sheff once again led the Marlins in homers with 27. After injury in 1995, a fully healthy Sheff enjoyed a career season in 1996, slamming 42 home runs and slashing .276/.380/.584. His 5.9 bWAR that season ranks as the sixth-best season by a Marlins position player and his 7.7 offensive bWAR is the highest ever. Despite being slowed by minor injury in 1997, Sheffield slashed .250/.424/.446. In the playoffs, he hit .320/.521/.540 with three home runs, including one in Game 3 of the World Series. One of the most feared hitters of his era with a 60.8 career WAR, over 500 home runs and a .900+ OPS including 13.2 WAR, 122 HR, and .970 OPS with the Fish, Sheffield is not only a Marlins Hall of Famer; he should be a National Baseball Hall of Famer. Wayne Huizenga A small business owner early in his career, Huizenga quickly built a South Florida empire. Originating from a several-thousand-dollar investment, Huizenga created a Fortune 500 company in Waste Management and had the vision for Blockbuster Video. Before the Marlins were more than a thought in his mind, Huizenga was a minority owner for the Miami Dolphins and was already a millionaire. As Blockbuster, Waste Management and his minority stake with the Dolphins grew, bringing baseball to South Florida came into his focus. In 1990, Huizenga made the pitch to MLB for an expansion team in South Florida. In 1991, MLB accepted the pitch against competitors, largely because of the ability of the then-modern Joe Robbie to house and accommodate multiple sports including Major League Baseball. Huizenga’s tenure as owner started as similarly as any expansion franchise, but quickly led to the pinnacle of Major League Baseball in just his fifth year as an owner. At the time, the Marlins were the fastest expansion franchise to ascend the ladder and win a title. Though things went south for Huizenga and his fortunes just after the Marlins' title run, the franchise wouldn’t exist if not for his vision. A true trailblazer in every sense of the word and stalwart for the South Florida community whose efforts still persist today posthumously, Wayne Huizenga deserves to be immortalized. He is by his Florida Panthers; the Marlins should follow suit. Honorable mentions: Miguel Cabrera, Mike Lowell, Dontrelle Willis, Kevin Brown, Don Mattingly

For the second time, the backfields will come to the main field during spring training. On March 14, the Marlins will once again face off against their stadium mates, the St Louis Cardinals, in the Spring Breakout game, meant to showcase the next wave in each organization. This year’s roster is chock full of talent new to the rebuilt Miami organization, including 23 players who appeared on our latest Fish On First Top 30 list. A few returnees from last year’s edition are also intermixed, but the overall improvement in depth and talent level is well pronounced. Here’s more on some of the standout prospects participating in this year’s game. Top prospect Thomas White will appear in the game for a second straight year. Participating in the event last season, White walked a batter but struck out the side in a single frame. White went on to hold down a 2.81 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with 120 strikeouts between Low-and-High-A during his first full year pro. From July 5 through August 29, White was automatic. In each of eight starts, he went five innings while allowing just one earned run per outing. The accolades won him the organization’s Minor League Pitcher and Player of the Year awards. Already this spring, White has somehow gotten even better. In his work on the backfields during early MiLB camp, White is sitting 97 and has hit triple digits. “He was 19 years old in High-A where average age is 23-24; him and I were way younger. For him to go out there and go five innings of one-run ball with a handful of strikeouts is super impressive,” Noble Meyer said. “For him to come out here and show he’s made huge strides again? I’d be very surprised if he wasn’t a top 10 [MLB] prospect by the end of the year.” Meyer himself has also had an impressive spring so far. Back in camp healthy after playing through a minor injury last season, Meyer is working on altering the grip of his slider in order to relieve effort and live in the zone more often. His velocity has also ticked up by more than three miles per hour on his fastball. FOF's second-ranked prospect Starlyn Caba heads to his first Spring Breakout in the midst of his first stateside spring training camp. After arriving early, Caba has impressed with his well-rounded skill set, particularly on defense. His fantastic athleticism along with good reads and range to both sides allows Caba to dazzle with the glove. On that side of the ball, he’s already nearing MLB readiness. Caba will need to continue develop with the bat a bit more particularly with contact rates and growing into at least some pop, but when he gets on base, he is an absolute terror for oppositions. His 60-grade speed allotted him 50 stolen bases in 78 games last season. With plenty of time for growth as he heads into his first full season likely at Low-A to start, Caba has a high floor. He’s 19. Possibly the biggest acquisition of the offseason for the Marlins via international free agency, Andrew Salas was signed by the Marlins this winter for $3.7 million. Like Caba, the biggest thing that stands out about Salas—who just turned 17 earlier this week—is maturity. Whether it be with swing decisions, controlling the barrel, how he speaks or with how he has soaked up the first days of his professional tenure, Salas looks and sounds like he’s already been around for years. The Marlins have noticed Salas’ advancement from very early on. Whereas the vast majority of this year’s international signings will begin their careers overseas at the Dominican Academy, Salas will start his career in Jupiter. With the quick-twitch style and ability for a 60-grade hit tool and the likelihood to stick at a premium position whether that be middle infield or center field, Salas is one of the most exciting prospects in the Marlins’ system. Dillon Head is set to participate in the showcase. Head was limited to just three games with the Hammerheads after finding over from the Padres last season, but he used his time off to his advantage recovering and improving physically. With improved muscle mass, Head can be seen making easy plus contact. His added size should allow him to close his biggest gap which was trying to force game power. Head runs extremely well with speed graded at 60. This should allow him to stick in center field and threaten for extra bases whenever he reaches. Head, 20, is ahead of schedule. Even with the missed time, he tracks to make it up to High-A in 2025. Lefty Dax Fulton was absent from the inaugural Spring Breakout while rehabbing from his second Tommy John surgery. What stands out most about Fulton is his determination and strength through adversity. He used time off to his advantage, shedding pounds and building muscle. Now near 6’8” and down 20 pounds, Fulton is in big league camp with Miami. There, he’s been working on a new gyro slider and on continuing to build up his changeup. Initial results have been fantastic. A great story and a supreme competitor, Fulton has a chance to make his MLB debut in 2025. Lefty Robby Snelling is taking part in the game after coming to the Marlins from San Diego in the Tanner Scott trade last summer. After holding down a 3.64 ERA in 42 innings between Double-A and Triple-A amidst his change of scenery, Snelling is in big league camp with the Marlins this year, showing a pronounced increase in velocity. He’s shown his four-seamer as high as 97 and his slider as high as 89. He’s also working on developing a sweeper to go along with the rest of his arsenal including a changeup and a staple curveball. With little left to prove in the minors other than maybe a bit more consistent repeatability and with lefties in short supply in the Marlins’ organization, we will see Snelling make his big league debut this season.

Jupiter, Fla.—After making their in-game returns to a big-league mound from recent arm injuries last week, Max Meyer and Dax Fulton got their first extended looks on Monday afternoon at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Each of the 2020 draftees, going through their regular progression, were slated for and completed two innings, showing great initial results on their works in progress. Meyer started the game and promptly recorded an out of Jose Altuve on the first pitch he threw. He then parlayed that into an eight-pitch inning. In his second inning of work, Meyer pitched around a couple of singles that came with no outs by recording back-to-back strikeouts and a force out. What stood out most of all for Meyer was the command he had of all of his stuff, including his new sweeper which he threw to both sides of the plate for strikes. Meyer is excited for what the pitch will do for his arsenal. "My sweeper felt good. I feel like I had my first buckle sweeper in my whole life; I've never really had something like that buckle into a righty," Meyer said. "When I think a guy might stick his head out and clip my slider, get a little bigger shape on it." bm6n8m.mp4 With the addition of the sweeper as well as a sinker, Meyer is rounding into form as a more complete pitcher and enhancing the effectiveness of his pitch selection and usage. Prior to his injury, Meyer had been working on developing a third-pitch changeup. For the big offseason he had in developing both physically and mentally, Meyer is grateful for the Marlins' staff and how he was handled. "Before, I was kind of forced to maybe throw a changeup to righties. Not that it's ineffective, but now I have a sweeper and a sinker that I can throw to righties too. So that's going to push my changeup down to like my fifth option," Meyer said. "Any pitcher who's going to add pitches to their arsenal, it's going to usually be a better pitcher. They nailed that down on me and said, 'hey you got some stuff you got to work on this offseason.' I'm glad I was open minded, too." Attributing credit to the same offseason work and how Meyer remained coachable, manager Clayton McCullough noted that he has not been surprised Meyer has been able to gain a feel for his two new pitches this quickly. "He's spent the offseason working really hard on incorporating these. He's been facing hitters now for a while. This guy was a first-round pick. There's always been a lot of talent there," McCullough said. "I think at least since we've seen him get off the mound, this is what it's been." The 23-year-old Fulton followed Meyer. The second verse was much like the first as Dax, like Max, recorded a first-pitch out and followed through with a nine-pitch first inning of work. Fulton got in and out of the frame mostly by way of low-stress pitches, particularly his four-seamer. In his second inning, Fulton started to mix in his curveball which was noticeably showing a bit tighter arc and lower spin rates. Fulton stated this offseason, that he altered the grip on the curveball in order to give it a bit of a different look. "We have a little bit of stuff changed on it. It's more like a sweeper now, a little bit of different action to it, but I still feel really good about it," Fulton said. "It has a little bit more horizontal to it, but it still has the same break. I've got to get it in the zone a bit more, but overall, I was happy with it today." Against his final hitter, Jeremy Peña, Fulton garnered his second strikeout of the day via a nasty changeup. It was one of four mapped changeups Dax threw on the day. All were strikes and both of his Ks came via the offering. The addition of the pitch has been something that Fulton has had as a work in progress since before his injury, and if today is any indication, it's starting to round into form. "I started to figure it out and then I got hurt, but I always felt like it's been a good pitch for me," Fulton said. "It's gonna be good to righties and lefties. Today, I just was in the zone with it and then I was out of the zone with it, but I felt like I used it in good counts." "It was great. Something to move away from some right-handed hitters," McCullough said of how Dax utilized the pitch. "Get the heater up and in as well and kind of play that game: up and down, in and out. With some of the layoff he's had, for him, a couple outings here, he's been crisp and in the strike zone. His confidence will just continue to grow." Max and Dax line up to pitch again this coming weekend.

JUPITER, FL—Last season did not go the way Noble Meyer would have liked, but he's using it as motivational fuel. Back at spring training for the second time in his career, the 20-year-old has something to prove to both himself and the world. "My overarching goal would be to prove that last year was a fluke,” Meyer said on Friday afternoon. The 2024 season started swimmingly for Meyer. After taking part in his first big league spring training, he was assigned back to the Low-A Jupiter Hammerheads. In eight starts, the righty held down a dazzling 2.65 ERA with a 43/23 K/BB, earning him a selection to the inaugural MLB Futures Game. The end of May greeted Meyer with a promotion up the MiLB ladder as he was assigned to the High-A Beloit Sky Carp. Things could not have been going much better for the Marlins' 2023 first-round draft pick. Early on in his tenure with Beloit, though, things started to go in the opposite direction. With velocity, control and ground ball rates all noticeably down, Meyer limped his way to a 5.18 ERA and 6.14 FIP the rest of the year. Though he was never placed on the IL, it was clear something was amiss. Meyer divulged he was dealing with a nagging injury for most of his tenure with the Sky Carp. "I ended up hurting something in my lower back. It caused little issues with my leg, specifically my back leg and it kind of just leaked into the rest of the year," Meyer said. "It caused a little discomfort and a mechanical change, something I tweaked along the way and I kind of lost my feel for the zone. I spent all offseason working on that and it’s been amazing so far. I don’t think I’ve thrown more than two balls in a row in my eight outings here.” Meyer arrived back in Jupiter at full strength. Recently, he experienced some discomfort in his throwing arm which has limited him slightly so far, but the issue is not thought to be serious. Meyer described it as fluid buildup in his bicep, which simply required rest to heal. "Today, not quite full intent, but getting closer," Meyer said. "I would expect to be around 95-97, maybe 99-ish (percent) range. I went out at 100. Obviously, that may tick down as we go through the year. Hopefully it goes up. But I feel great: velocity, command, everything." With new brass around camp working with Meyer, a major focus is altering the grip on his slider from a four-seam grip to a two-seam grip. Meyer showed that pitch frequently during his live BP session on the day and could be seen frequently conversing with staff on the alteration. The staff and Noble both believe the change will allow the already-60-grade pitch to gain more consistent action via more horizontal and vertical break. "With the four-seam slider, it’s solely reliant on how much I can kick the spin efficiency to like closer to 100%, so fully spinning towards the plate. The more it is, the more it will sweep. And then I have to worry about how much I can spin it which can be tough,” Meyer said. "What we were working on today was a two-seam slider. I will be able to throw it a little harder and let the seams create the movement rather than the spin. I saw a little bit of a dip in the spin rate from like 2,800 (rpm) to 2,600, but with the axis, my best one was 83 (miles per hour) and six (inches of vertical break) and negative-20 horizontal. If that's in game, if I can replicate that, I could see myself throwing an 86 mile-per-hour, 20-horizontal slider. If you ask me, that'd be 80-grade." For context, Meyer's slider last season averaged approximately 83 mph with 12 inches of horizontal. Regarding the organizational changes around his second big league spring training, including the changes to staff and implementation of new research tools, Meyer approved and believes spring training will put him in a prime position to bounce back. "I’m a very huge fan. I have a little bit of a background with a couple of the guys, specifically Brandon Mann—my agent, one of his first clients was Brandon," Meyer said. "I love the way that they're very numerically driven and analytically driven. It's kind of my style of how I like to attack things, especially on the pitching side. Lot of very intelligent minds around me. I'm really lucky to get a chance to work with them." Meyer was also in favor of throwing to live hitters early in camp. On a day like today in 2024, he would have been scheduled for a bullpen. ”Big proponent of this change. It’s really nice to get in there, feel competitive and not have to just go up there and kind of lob it in,” Meyer said. “It gives me a chance to work on stuff in a game-like situation. A lot of strikes, as compared to last year where I was a little more wild than I wanted. Stuff looked great today, I felt good. A good day all around.” With health returning, added strength leading to added velo, and with the work being done with his secondaries, Meyer believes 2025 will be different and that he will be back on track to reach his full potential. "Out of high school, I was tagged as a strike-thrower, so having a lot of walks was new to me, a little alarming," Meyer said. "I think this year, feeling how I'm feeling right now and physically in great shape, and able to pretty much throw it wherever I want right now, I think cutting down on the walks, keeping that low batting average against and seeing a lot more whiffs given my velo being a handful of miles per hour higher than it was last year. I know my changeup was probably my best pitch last year and I think it's gotten even better this year. I just feel really confident."

JUPITER, FL—Two Marlins 2020 draftees have been gone for a while, but on Wednesday afternoon at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, they proved they should not be forgotten. Max Meyer, whose innings were limited last year after his comeback from Tommy John surgery, and Dax Fulton, who hadn't thrown in over 600 days due to a second full Tommy John, faced off against the New York Mets and a lineup featuring established veteran stars Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto and Pete Alonso. Although each only threw a single inning, their presence and results were exciting. Meyer got the start for Miami and showed many encouraging signs. Firstly, Max lit up the scoreboard with a noticeable increase in velocity. With his fastball, Meyer averaged 94 mph in 2024. He touched as high as 98. With his slider, Meyer had been averaging 88 mph. He topped at 92. "Definitely," Meyer said about making that a focus this winter. "(I) had a big offseason in the weight room so I was able to gain some miles per hour on the fastball. I'm very excited about that." Regarding the slider, historically Meyer's best pitch, the focus has been to throw it and locate it all over the zone. "Some backdoor shots, some like the one to Alonso with two strikes," Meyer said. "I wanted it back foot, and I got it there pretty much. I think it maybe even clipped the corner." Meyer did not feature his changeup during his short outing, but he reassured that it is not gone. "I really like my changeup. I think its one of my best pitches," Meyer said. "I'm gonna throw that a lot this year." Secondly, Meyer flashed two new pitches he's working on this spring: a sinker and a sweeper. He threw each of those offerings once. With everything Max did and said on the day, including throwing his new blueprint pitches to a star-studded lineup, he exuded confidence. According to manager Clayton McCullough, arriving in a good mental state after a tough 2024 is a big reason why Meyer is succeeding early in camp. "We have all been very excited about Max. The offseason he had, what he's shown this far in camp; velocity has been great, multiple breaking balls, stuff looks a little different that what it was last year. So now a chance to go out there against another opponent and go put it into play," McCullough said. "He's had a really good bounce to him, a little bit of swagger, the work with our pitching crew, the conversations they had in the offseason I think really helped him, put him in a good mental state. Get some of that self-relief back and some of that confidence and now, like anything else it's a matter of just going and trying to do that in game competition. I think he's been in a really good head space throughout the offseason and thus far in camp." "To get the first one under the belt, everything felt pretty good. Ready to go a few more innings," Meyer said. Fulton took over for Meyer in the second inning and faced four hitters, throwing 11 pitches. Along with his staple fastball which topped at 95 on the day, Dax worked on what he is calling a "gyro slider." The pitch sits at 85-87. For Dax, he refers to the pitch as one that he can get over for strikes early in counts then let the rest of his pitches go to work from there. 5tg8bp.mp4 Overall, Fulton admitted he was a little jittery but that he was extremely glad to be back on the mound, healthy. "I felt like I was sitting here watching the game, because it's been so long and not really into the swing of things yet, but I feel great," Fulton said. "There's some different pitches in there, but the big thing for me is just to go out there and compete. I haven't got to in like 600 days, I'm pretty happy with how it went. I feel like I filled up the zone pretty well. I got outs when I needed to get outs." "Just happy for Dax. For someone to go through that process multiple times, its a long road and it's lonely mentally," McCullough said of Fulton's return. "Just to get back to where you're feeling strong and be able to go back out and compete, get on a major league mound in spring training, it's a really big step."