Alex Carver

The Marlins announced their 2025 Spring Breakout roster on Thursday morning. 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. View full article

Max Meyer and Dax Fulton took another step forward in their progression on Monday. 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. View full article

Selected by the Miami Marlins in the fifth round of the 2024 MLB Draft, right-hander Grant Shepardson speaks to Fish On First about how he's feeling and what he's learned leading up to the start of the minor league season. View full video

After experiencing growing pains in 2024, Noble Meyer is pitching with a purpose early in Marlins minor league camp. 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." View full article

One of the top pitching prospects in the Miami Marlins organization, Noble Meyer, speaks to Fish On First about how his first full minor league season went, changes he's been working on in Jupiter and his goals for 2025. View full video

Max Meyer and Dax Fulton both threw scoreless innings for the Marlins on Wednesday in their first official in-game action of 2025. 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." View full article

The youngest player participating in Miami Marlins minor league camp this spring, 16-year-old Andrew Salas speaks to Fish On First about following in his brothers' footsteps and getting adjusted to Jupiter, Florida. View full video

Marlins catching prospect Joe Mack speaks to Fish On First entering the first pitchers & catchers workout of 2025 spring training. View full video

Marlins catching prospect Ryan Ignoffo speaks to Fish On First entering the first pitchers & catchers workout of 2025 spring training. View full video

In an exclusive interview with Fish On First, Marlins director of international scouting David Hernandez Beayne shares his evaluation of Cuban right-hander Adriano Marrero. Signed for $350,000, the 17-year-old Marrero officially joined the organization on Monday. View full video

Swimming Upstream—Episode #65 David Hernandez Beayne is beginning his seventh year with the Miami Marlins organization, but his first at the helm of their international scouting department. After opening the 2025 international free agent period with 18 signings, he chatted with Alex Carver and Kevin Barral about prospects INF/OF Andrew Salas (Venezuela), RHP Kevin Defrank (Dominican Republic) and RHP Adriano Marrero (Cuba) as well as the Marlins' overall direction. Find Swimming Upstream on the Fish On First YouTube channel, our new-look Apple Podcasts channel and wherever else you get your pods. FOF's audio programming also includes The Offishial Show, Fish Unfiltered, Big Fish Small Pod and more. We've compiled player details and signing bonus amounts for each of last week's amateur signings here. In addition to the 2025 class, Hernandez Beayne spoke about the priciest piece of the 2024 class, Cuban INF Luis Manuel León ($1.5 million bonus). León will beginning his minor league career in the Florida Complex League. This new guide has more on the club's international free agent history. Follow Alex (@marlinsminors), Kevin (@kevin_barral) and Fish On First (@FishOnFirst) on Twitter. Join the Marlins Discord server! Complete Miami Marlins coverage here at FishOnFirst.com. View full article

Here’s what David Hernandez Beayne had to say about the newest Miami Marlins and the future of his department. Under a new international scouting director, the Marlins made a huge splash on the first day of the 2024-25 international signing period, signing 17 total prospects including 10 who received bonuses of at least $100,000. David Hernandez Beayne spoke to the media on Wednesday afternoon about orchestrating these signings and his team’s overall strategy. “We're obviously very excited with the acquisitions that we have currently in place and the players that we've signed today, not just what their potential is, but for what the future holds,” Hernandez Beayne said. “All in all, it was an absolutely beautiful ceremony down here in the Dominican; we also had one in Venezuela and one in Mexico, kind of comprising all the different talents that we have represented within this class. We are very excited with the different profiles that we've been able to add the different players that we're going to that we're going to be adding to our system, and just excited for what the future holds, not just for the players, but the staff as well.” The crown jewel of Wednesday’s inkings is infielder Andrew Salas who was ranked as a top-five player in this class and is expected to enter organizational rankings as a top-three talent. Salas, the youngest of three brothers who were signed as top international prospects, is thought to be the furthest ahead overall at the time of his signing. Salas is the second of the three brothers to sign with Miami; Jose Salas signed with the club in 2019, also earning the team’s top signing bonus in that class. He was traded to the Minnesota Twins in January 2023 as part of the Luis Arraez package. andrew salas 2024-25.mp4 According to Hernandez Beayne, the team’s history with and knowledge of the Salas family was paramount in getting a deal done. “It’s one of the things that really attracted us to Andrew at the very beginning. He obviously comes from a very extensive baseball background; his grandfather, his father, his brothers, and the history that we have with his older brother, Jose, being an original Marlin, signed back in 2019,” Hernandez Beayne said. “There’s always been a lot of camaraderie. There's always been a strong connection. We've always felt very comfortable with how professional Jose handles himself." “At his house in Kissimmee, Florida, he literally has a field, baseball field in his backyard. He's somebody that eats, sleeps, breathes baseball and was just kind of built in that way, seeing his older brothers and again, his family in general. From a makeup standpoint, from a competitive standpoint, from a work ethic standpoint, and everything else, we're extremely excited about adding him to the system.“ Hernandez Beayne reiterated the strong ties the Marlins have continued to have with the Salas family since 2019 even amidst Jose being traded. Much of the Salas family, including Jose, were present for Andrew’s signing ceremony. “It was great to see Jose once again. I got to know him back when I was an intern in 2019 and so seeing him again, happy for his brother was obviously a great sight,” Hernandez Beayne said. “We've built a relationship for a long time now, back from when Jose was signed. Understanding the context in which Jose was traded, in order to acquire player for the big league team, it what was best for Jose at that time.” “Ultimately, there is no bad blood at all. On the contrary, it was one of those where the relationship was fostered from that time, Jose was signed and has continued on.” Andrew Salas boasts a present 65-grade hit tool with solid present power from an easy swing and stroke with plenty of room to add more muscle. Defensively, the Marlins love Salas’ versatility. The goal will be for him to gain as much experience as possible with an initial focus on middle infield where Hernandez Beayne believes Salas has the chance to stick long term. That will be his recommendation to player development. “Our intention is to start him at shortstop,” Hernandez Beayne said. “I think the more positions the player plays, ultimately the more flexibility he'll have long term. I wouldn't be surprised if they put him in center field, they put him in second base, third base, just to get his bat in the lineup as much as possible. But the full intention for us, for player development, is to start him at shortstop. We think he has all of the characteristics and traits to stick there and be impactful.” In addition to Salas, the Marlins also officially came to terms with one of the top-heralded pitching prospects in this year’s class, Kevin Defrank. A Dominican righty, Defrank has already made a ton of noise in his amateur career. With a fastball up to 98, a changeup with late arm-side fade, repeatable motions, and the ability to control the strike zone all at age 16, Defrank is already well on his way to a solid floor at the next level. The organization has been incredibly impressed with Defrank’s level of development before turning pro. “He’s one of the most advanced pitchers I've ever seen in my short career of doing international baseball,” Hernandez Beayne said. “We are equally excited with how good our development system is with pitchers, especially Dominican pitchers, and how he's going to further develop an already advanced skill set to begin with. Obviously, he's been involved in our process, coaches are already fully aware of what he brings to the table. I'm equally as excited to begin working with him and getting that process going. I think because he is so advanced in certain areas, he should put himself in a really good position to, for his talent to show up, on the field.” In addition to fellow right-handed pitcher Defrank, Hernandez Beayne pointed out Adrian Peña as a name to keep an eye on. “A guy who just has elite size, still very projectable, very athletic and coordinated, and has already been up to 94 miles an hour for us, with an absolute plus breaking ball that he spends up to 2,700-2,800 [RPM] and just in terms of understanding his development timeline, his age and where he needs to get to, we think that he has one of the highest skill sets of any player in this class.” Hernandez Beayne also called out infielder Steven Herrera. “He's a guy whose arrow has been trending up as well. He's a very dynamic, wiry type athlete that is able to play multiple positions. We don't know if he's going to be able to stick with shorts up. We do know that he's able to be able to play it all over the field. He's a dynamic, explosive player all the tests that we did. Amongst all our players, he's number one in raw explosiveness, bat speed, power. There is a little bit of length to the swing. There's some recognition, things that we've been working on as well. But if it all clicks for him, he's one of the guys that we picked internally as our dark horse to be somebody that can become impactful just because of how explosive and how athletic he actually is.” In comparison to seasons past, particularly 2022, this 17-player class is significantly smaller than what the Marlins have grown accustomed to. Back then, they had an additional Dominican Summer League team to populate from scratch. With both of their DSL teams now established, the club is in a position to go quality over quantity. “As the years have progressed, with more players sticking the system and others progressing to the States, there hasn't been as aggressive a need to add more talent to fill those positions,” Hernandez Beayne said. "This year, I think was more strategic in diversifying part of our portfolio in terms of getting Andrew and kind of adding as much pieces with what we had remaining to kind of fill out the rest of the class.” All but one of the players in the Marlins’ signing day class came from the two most dominant international markets, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. That said, Hernandez Beayne stated the organization has done research and is continuing to expand their department to build a presence in smaller markets. He highlighted the hiring of new scouting coordinators in Columbia and Panama as well as the new pact between MLB and Brazil in his future plans for the department. “Our plans are going to be to cast a really wide net, trying to identify as much talent as possible to see, what makes most sense for the Marlins as a whole. I can tell you that recently, we have been exploring other markets to see if there is any talent that we would want to add going forward. And I think that we positioned ourselves strongly understanding what our process is to feel secure about reaching an agreement with a player to continue with that. But overall, yes, we have been looking.” “It is our plan to add more players, for sure. We always keep our options open. If there are players that pop up and like they normally do, later on in the period, we'll be be aggressive if need be.” The Marlins still have an estimated $570,500 left to spend during this year’s international signing period, which is open through December 15. View full article

How do Marlins fans want to see the organization turn over a new leaf in 2025? We asked. The recent route of the Miami Marlins organization has left a sour taste in many fans’ mouths. From the new front office tearing down what was a playoff team in 2023 to how the team is presented to how their past is showcased and more, even the most die-hard Fish fans want the team to do at least a few things differently as soon as possible. We interviewed a handful of them to compile some of their top requests as we embark on the 33rd year of the franchise’s existence. Keep young stars in South Florida “Aggressively pursue contract extensions with any young stars we may have to show the fans we’re not just going to shop every young star away.” - @TakesWereMade_ In 2021, the Marlins saved a lot of face with fans by inking Sandy Alcantara to an extension that runs through at least 2026 (plus a 2027 club option). Marlins fans had hoped this was a changing of the guard and that the team would continue to spend on players it believes in. Since, the Marlins have balked on handing out any long-term contracts. In years gone by, during the Loria regime, it happened with Christian Yelich, J.T. Realmuto, Giancarlo Stanton and others. All of those players have one thing in common: they are no longer Marlins and most of the money was mortgaged to other teams. It is evident that those contracts were handed out as a guise rather than a true commitment to creating the next (and first) lifelong Marlins. If Miami wants to keep fans coming back, they will eventually need to show they are willing to commit to keeping players at loanDepot park for their prime years, whether that be homegrown talent like Eury Pérez and Thomas White, or those acquired from other organizations (Xavier Edwards, Deyvison De Los Santos, etc.). Because Miami will likely need to do this very early in a player’s MLB career or maybe even before it starts, they need to develop a lot more fortitude in their approach when it comes to managing talent. The team has started to do this by challenging prospects to higher levels at younger ages. Hope is this approach persists, players get to the big leagues sooner, and spend their best years in a Miami uniform. Since their inception, only 14 players have played more than 600 games as Marlins, tied for the fourth-lowest total amongst MLB teams since 1993. Want to build and keep fan loyalty? Change that narrative. Be honest, front office “I hate how this front office lacks transparency with fans.” - @MC_Baseball10 The Marlins have a lot of conversations. In fact, they’re always having conversations. What those conversations entail, the world may never know. Since the hiring of Peter Bendix, the vague nature of responses to questions from media members has left the media continuing to search for answers and has kept fans in the dark. “Every time (Bendix) is given a question we all want the answer to, he deflects or moves it to a different conversation altogether. We need to and deserve to know more.” When Bendix was asked if the team was done spending following the Tim Anderson signing last season, they were having conversations. When he was asked to elaborate on technology being implemented, they were having conversations. And most recently, when asked about spending post-Jesús Luzardo, conversations were happening. Very little detail in direct response to those inquiries was given. In response to how they were going to replace Jake Burger’s power in the lineup, Bendix swerved away from naming players and/or the potential to explore the free agent market and instead answered with, “There’s lots of ways to score runs.” The refusal to go into more detail on the record has left Marlins fans to believe the team is refusing to be held accountable. Then there’s the half-truths. Everyone remembers Bruce Sherman circa 2023 spring training stating, “We have money, and we will spend it.” They also remember the refusal of the organization to label their current strategy a rebuild. But when the previous quote turns into, “We have money and we will spend it at the right time,” a season later, the Marlins lose trust. “Trust is earned and no front office has earned the trust of fans hence the attendance. How can a fan base on the edge of disaster commit to a team who doesn’t commit to them?” In any business that caters to the public and requires consumer loyalty to be successful, setting proper expectations is key for both your employees and your customers, no matter the scenario. Once the Marlins start doing that from the top down, they will be able to unlock more success on and off the field. Hope is that this practice is implemented as soon as possible. Market differently “They should change how they currently go about marketing (lots of weird decisions there) and give love to the 2006-2011 Marlins.” - @PastyA_ The weird decisions are enumerate and seem to keep coming in terms how the Marlins are portrayed to the South Florida public. As success on the field has been fledging, the Marlins have tried to get “creative” in how they continue to sell tickets. But with creativity has come very little success. The Marlins have been and continue to be one of the least successful teams in baseball in terms of attendance. From a canceled Steve Bartman Appreciation Night (which the organization deemed a mistake after immediate backlash) to actual promotions that seemingly have no rhyme or reason (see ongoing Barbie jersey days, an insignificance since 2023), to the fact that the team will now have to repeat in-stadium bobblehead giveaways for a third straight time due to lack of star power, the struggles have and may continue. The Marlins also haven’t done themselves many favors, forcing the beloved (although embarrassingly remodeled) Billy the Marlin almost completely into the void in favor of a trio of racing roosters. Then there’s the tone-deaf nature of the Marlins’ main social media accounts, which in part have led to the head role being in limbo and the creative team struggling for substance. With the social media manager role in limbo last year, commentary was at best, generic, befitting of a team seemingly using AI to create imagery. In an insurmountable episode of futility, the Marlins in recent seasons have even marketed to opposing fans in an effort to fill seats. This has proven they are willing to commit to other fanbases to sell tickets before they fully commit to their own. To their credit, this season, the team is getting novel. They are offering season tickets at a pretty much name-your-own-price basis with their flex plans which offer 45% off tickets, an ability to pick the games you want to and can attend, how many tickets per game you need, and the ability to switch seat location. While all of that sounds great, the Marlins own a lackluster marketing operation and a park in one of the least desirable and accessible areas of any city, in a market which requires winning over anything. Cheap season tickets isn’t enough. The Marlins must do more. They need to get involved with and stay up to date with social media trends. They need to generate excitement around the long-term success of their minor league assets and make call-ups an event, not just another game. And please, PLEASE, don’t attempt to cater to other fanbases. There are fans here. Marlins fans. Furthermore, many of them are long-time fans. Cater to them and no one else. Inasmuch as there is modern music, an organ grinder needs to be present. Billy the Marlin needs his pedestal back. And we wonder, what is the Marlins’ history-making infield of 2008 doing these days? Create reunions. Create moments fans will remember. And recreate your fanbase. Make the Marlins teal again “Bring back the teal!” - @MiamiMarlins_UK In 2023, the Marlins won back the hearts of many long-time fans when they reinstated the teal pinstripes for their 30th anniversary season. Every Friday home game, the team hosted Flashback Fridays, during which they wore uniforms and caps inspired by the all-teal 1993 squad. The team also welcomed back various alumni throughout the season. The promotion was an immediate hit. On the first Flashback Friday of 2023, with hometown kid Jesús Luzardo adorning the jersey, Miami defeated the Mets 2-1 in front of a crowd of nearly 15,000, a good omen. Eury Pérez made his highly anticipated Marlins debut in the teal jersey and struck out seven in 4 ⅔ innings. When the Marlins wore the teal, the team drew 14,868 per game, attributing greatly to their total average attendance of 14,335. But in 2024, the jerseys and old Florida logo quickly became a thing of the past again. With Nike taking over jersey rights from Majestic came new rules. This coincided with the Marlins wanting to tie an all-blue home jersey into the rotation. Fans had also been clamoring for this to happen. Under Nike’s new guidelines, it would have been impossible for the Marlins to keep each of their City Connect jersey, the new blue jersey and the teal. In short, Nike only permitted a five-jersey rotation and disallowed special occasion jerseys. With the retirement of the red City Connect jerseys, it couldn’t be more straightforward. The Marlins have a great opportunity to reincorporate the uniforms on a part-time basis staring right at them. They must capitalize. Remodel loanDepot park and retire a number “loanDepot should be a shrine to the Marlins, not an empty husk trying to ignore the good because they think they can’t separate it from the past.” - @MarlinsHistory The Marlins could do a lot more when it comes to honoring their past long term. In conjunction with the above mention of the throwback jerseys, the team began to do it in 2022 when they hung larger World Series banners and in 2023 when they built a small museum in homage to their history beyond the left field wall. However, in both cases, nods to their past have seemingly become out of sight out of mind. Firstly, the banners are made of a material that is almost completely see-through. The museum, now, is hardly advertised and isn’t a great representation of the entire franchise’s history; in its current state, it seems lackluster and thrown together. “For some reason they walled off where the old Taste of Miami kitchens were likely because they would have to do a lot of work to remove things for cooking for liability purposes. It was surface level history. The museum at Tropicana Field is better than that.” In comparison, the Rays, who have had less franchise history than Miami, house a museum with alcoves that pay respect to each era in their franchise’s history. It also holds a Tampa Bay Rays Hall of Fame. It is roughly two and a half times the size of the Marlins’ rendition. In addition to its paltry size and subpar execution, the museum has also been at least somewhat deconstructed since its birth. Items have been removed and not replaced, giving fans less of a reason to go out of their way to visit. The museum could be greatly improved not only by expansion but with more advertisement, more marketing around new items/exhibits, and more intuitive design. In its current state, many fans visiting the park may not even know it’s there. The museum exists now as a car that was driven off its lot almost two years ago: depreciating in value with every game gone by; much like the franchise it is representing. The Marlins need to do a better job of keeping their history fresh in the minds of fans, not allowing it to decay. Show me a statue of H. Wayne Huizenga. Show me a model of Josh Beckett being lifted by his teammates in victory. Where is José Fernández’s locker that was previously preserved? Where is his mural that was signed by fans? And why was Luis Arraez’s cycle memorabilia, a moment many Marlins fans thought would never happen, removed last season? Coming into 2024, the Marlins could’ve also continued to build the museum up by retiring a number or two. Recently, our Louis Addeo-Weiss wrote about Miguel Cabrera’s case. A few other deserving candidates also need to be mentioned. Still, the Marlins remain the only team in MLB without a retired number. With Cabrera's playing days finished, it is as good a time as any to put 24 in the rafters and perhaps make him the star of a new attraction in curation. All in all, the Marlins made great strides in 2023 only to walk nearly all of them back. With trust amongst fans at an all-time low both on and off the field, the Marlins desperately need to salvage the ability to celebrate good days gone by and give their most diehard fans a reason to continue to support them. This history belongs to Marlins fans. They deserve to have it, to keep it, and to remember it fondly. This initiative must be saved and kept encased in gold, not shrouded in dust. “If you’re not going to be able to give fans players because you cannot afford it, then build up goodwill with everything else about your brand.” View full article