Miami’s system seems to be fully completely different now than it did at this level final yr. Following a disappointing begin to the season, the Marlins as soon as once more tore issues right down to the studs and have continued to take action this low season. 5 of the highest seven prospects on this listing have been acquired from completely different groups. The inflow of expertise into the system provides depth behind their two prime pitching prospects, Noble Meyer and Thomas White. The Marlins now have a number of hitting prospects knocking on the door of the key leagues.
This text is a part of a sequence specializing in every MLB crew’s prime 20 prospects for fantasy baseball heading into the 2025 season. Keep tuned for prospect breakdowns for all 30 groups all through January right here at Pitcher Record, and you’ll want to try all our revealed items within the sequence.
High Marlins Prospects
The High Tier
1) Thomas White – SP, 20 YO
2024 Stats (A/A+): 96.0 IP | 2.81 ERA | 29.2 Okay% | 9.2 BB%
The Marlins have seen a number of pitching prospects come up and make an influence on the main league stage. They began to replenish their backlog of pitchers within the 2023 draft, spending their first-round choose on Noble Meyer, however the actual prize from the draft appears to be Thomas White who they grabbed thirty fifth total. Popping out of a Massachusetts highschool, the cruel winters of the Northeast restricted the quantity of scouting that groups may carry out on him. White made his debut in 2023, throwing 4.1 innings and finally pitching in final yr’s Spring Breakout recreation. His consolation on knowledgeable mound grew because the season moved alongside. White confirmed off large strikeout potential whereas enhancing his management because the season moved alongside.
White’s arsenal is comprised of three pitches. His fastball is a plus providing and is the one he’s most comfy throwing at this level in his profession. The pitch sits within the mid-90s and generates over 16 inches of vertical break. His go-to strikeout pitch is a slurve that generates whiffs at a excessive price. Towards lefties, White actually solely throws his fastball and slurve. When dealing with righties, White mixes in a changeup as nicely, which is a distant third pitch. The event of this pitch and his capacity to combine up his arsenal towards lefties may very well be the important thing to White reaching his potential. White’s efficiency on the mound in his first skilled season ought to make dynasty managers enthusiastic about what’s to return.
2) Noble Meyer – SP, 19 YO
2024 Stats (A/A+): 74.0 IP | 4.01 ERA | 26.6 Okay% | 17.2 BB%
Whereas White has generated essentially the most buzz from a dynasty perspective, their first-round choose from final yr is not any slouch both. Noble Meyer was thought-about one of many prime prep arms in final yr’s draft and was grabbed by the Marlins tenth total. The 6’5″ righty has an athletic construct and the hope is he can proceed including velocity as he develops. Proper now, he depends closely on a sinker, sitting 92-95 mph on the gun. The pitch will get over 14″ of arm aspect run serving to to generate extra whiffs than a standard sinker. Going along with his sinker is a plus-plus slider. The slider is Meyer’s go-to strikeout pitch. Meyer additionally has a superb changeup that generates whiffs towards lefties.
With two plus secondary choices and a robust fastball, there’s a lot to love in Meyer’s profile. The plus strikeout potential is vital for dynasty managers long-term. The problem early on in his profession has been management. In Meyer’s first season, he walked over 17% of the batters he confronted. Meyer didn’t present any enhancements on this space because the season moved alongside. There may be plenty of growth left, however Meyer shall be 20 for the whole 2025 season. He has the potential to turn into a major fantasy asset in a corporation with a robust pitching growth observe document.
3) Robby Snelling – SP, 21 YO
2024 Stats (AA/AAA): 115.1 IP | 5.15 ERA | 22.6 Okay% | 8.9 BB%
After being drafted thirty ninth total in 2022 by the Padres, Robby Snelling’s success was instantaneous. Snelling made the transfer to skilled baseball look simple. Snelling dominated three completely different ranges in his first season, capturing his title up dynasty boards. Snelling’s fastball/slider mixture makes his profile so attractive. What he lacks in velocity on the four-seam, he greater than makes up for in motion. Snelling’s fastball will get over 17″ of vertical break on it to go along with the seven inches of arm aspect run. The pitch performs nicely on the prime of the zone and Snelling instructions it nicely. His slider pairs properly with it as nicely, diving away from left-handed batters. That is Snelling’s go-to pitch when he wants a strikeout and it profiles to be a plus providing.
Whereas the hype round Snelling was vital, the priority in his profile getting into 2024 was the dearth of a real third pitch. With the Padres, Snelling’s 2024 season acquired off to a rocky begin, however he settled in properly following the midseason commerce to Miami. Extra importantly, Snelling’s changeup seemed a lot improved. If this pitch may even simply flip into a mean providing, Snelling’s profile improves drastically. He simply turned 21 in December and is already knocking on the door of the key leagues. Snelling ranks behind Meyer and White however remains to be a really fantasy-relevant prospect to control.
4) Agustín Ramírez – C/1B, 23 YO
2024 Stats (AA/AAA): .267 AVG | .358 OBP | .487 SLG | 25 HR | 22 SB | 18.6 Okay% | 11.1 BB%
The transformation of Miami’s farm system continued with a midseason commerce with the Yankees. Ramirez headlined the return for Jazz Chisholm Jr. and is prone to make an influence as early as 2025. Ramirez initially signed with the Yankees out of the Dominican Republic again in 2018. His ascent by way of the minor leagues began sluggish, however he has put issues collectively over the previous yr. The massive-bodied backstop has a robust swing. His arms explode by way of the zone with a giant one-handed end that makes his house runs really feel much more emphatic. Ramirez completed 2024 with 25 house runs regardless of a comparatively low launch angle. When Ramirez will get the ball within the air, there’s a good probability it will go for a house run. He has wonderful pull-side pop and is a menace for 30+ homers on the main league stage.
Regardless of stealing 22 bases final season, Ramirez doesn’t undertaking as a lot of a velocity menace on the main league stage. Scouts have given Ramirez 30-grade velocity however anticipating greater than 5-10 can be a mistake. The largest query many have is how his protection will play. He’s below-average behind the plate and a transfer to first base will not be out of the query. For fantasy, this places extra strain on Ramirez’s bat to play up.
5) Jakob Marsee – OF, 23 YO
2024 Stats (AA/AAA): .200 AVG | .345 OBP | .315 SLG | 10 HR | 51 SB | 22.4 Okay% | 15.3 BB%
There was plenty of pleasure across the dynasty business (together with myself) for Jakob Marsee in 2024. Coming off a 2023 season by which he hit 16 house runs and stole 46 bases, Marsee seemed equally as dominant within the Arizona Fall League. Pace, plate self-discipline, and call abilities appeared to all be a part of the bundle for Marsee. Marsee struggled out of the gates at Double-A earlier than being traded to Miami within the Luis Arraez commerce. Marsee’s season didn’t get a lot better with Miami as he slashed simply .205/.347/.315 between Double-A and Triple-A. His dynasty worth has definitely taken successful, however what went flawed?
Digging into his profile, there’s cause for optimism. Marsee nonetheless has wonderful plate self-discipline, giving his dynasty worth a lift in OBP leagues. His velocity additionally seemed pretty much as good as ever. Regardless of his deflated numbers, Marsee stole 51 bases final yr. He tasks as a 40+ base stealer on the main league stage. Marsee’s contact abilities and batted-ball distribution additionally continued to look wonderful. He continued to hit plenty of line drives and spray the ball all around the discipline. He ought to see higher luck within the BABIP division transferring ahead. The problem in Marsee’s profile is an absence of energy. His 16-home run outburst in 2023 looks as if an outlier and he fails to supply a lot by way of bodily projection. Miami will not be a terrific house ballpark for him and dynasty managers mustn’t count on greater than eight to 10 house runs a season.
6) Starlyn Caba – SS, 19 YO
2024 Stats (CPX/A): .228 AVG | .385 OBP | .284 SLG | 2 HR | 50 SB | 14.4 Okay% | 19.7 BB%
Starlyn Caba was the Phillies’ prized IFA signing from the 2023 interval and was lately acquired by the Marlins within the Jesús Luzardo commerce. Popping out of the Dominican Republic, Caba’s transition to skilled baseball has seemed, at instances, too simple. Though dynasty managers don’t pay a lot consideration to protection, that’s what scouts are enamored by with Caba. His fluency at shortstop is spectacular and will permit him to maneuver shortly by way of the minor leagues. For fantasy functions, Caba’s hit device is actually spectacular. Regardless of being simply 18 years previous in full-season ball, Caba posted a swinging strike price beneath 5 %. His contact abilities are unbelievable and his endurance on the plate is years past his age. Caba’s batting common dipped he was promoted to Low-A, however a .207 BABIP can clarify most of these struggles.
As soon as on base, Caba has nice velocity. He stole 50 bases final season and his 600 PA tempo was 88. Is Caba going to guide the league in stolen bases? Most likely not, as his velocity will doubtless decelerate a bit as he matures. Nevertheless, there’s 40+ stolen base potential right here. Caba’s hit device and velocity determine to hold his future dynasty worth. At 5’9″, Caba lacks the bodily measurement and projection to hit many house runs. His ceiling house run projection is probably going within the 10-15 vary. Nico Hoerner is a good future comp based mostly on skillset. Nonetheless solely 19, there’s loads of growth left retaining Caba down at sixth on this listing.
7) Deyvison De Los Santos – 1B/3B, 21 YO
2024 Stats (AA/AAA): .294 AVG | .343 OBP | .571 SLG | 40 HR | 1 SB | 24.7 Okay% | 5.8 BB%
The rebuild of Miami’s farm system continued with the addition of Deyvison De Los Santos. De Los Santos had a busy 2024, to say the least. He was taken by Cleveland within the Rule-5 draft, returned to Arizona, hit 28 house runs, was traded to Miami, after which hit one other 12 house runs. De Los Santos has easy energy that may play in any main league park. 40 house runs is unbelievable and it may very well be even greater if he would hit the ball within the air extra. Excessive floor ball charges have “restricted” him from reaching his energy potential. As loopy because it sounds, there’s 50-home run energy in his bat.
Why does a 50+ house run bat solely rank seventh? Nicely, there are plenty of purple flags in De Los Santos’ profile. Along with the bottom ball price concern, De Los Santos has main hit device issues. He has an especially aggressive method on the plate attempting to punish any mistake a pitcher makes. He chases quite a bit and whiffs quite a bit. De Los Santos whiffed over 35% of the time in Triple-A final season and that price doesn’t often enhance towards main league competitors. There may be additionally the excessive chance that he’ll discover his future house at first base or DH and never at third base. This makes it crucial that his bat play as much as its potential. De Los Santos goes to hit house runs, however dynasty managers ought to count on batting averages within the low .200s.
Prospects Dynasty Managers Ought to Know
8) Carter Johnson – SS, 18 YO
2024 Stats (A): .221 AVG | .373 OBP | .292 SLG | 1 HR | 2 SB | 33.1 Okay% | 5.8 BB%
Carter Johnson has one of many prettiest left-handed swings to return out of the 2024 draft. The 6’2″ lefty from Alabama landed in Miami with the 56th choose in final yr’s draft class. Johnson makes use of a small leg kick with an uppercut swing designed to tug the baseball. When he connects, it’s simple to see the uncooked energy in his bat. Johnson’s method on the plate wants refinement and will result in excessive strikeout charges. At simply 18, there’s a lot to love with Johnson’s pure athleticism.
9) Echedry Vargas – 2B/SS, 19 YO
2024 Stats (A): .276 AVG | .321 OBP | .454 SLG | 14 HR | 29 SB | 21.1 Okay% | 5.0 BB%
The Marlins traded away Jake Burger to the Rangers in one of many extra shocking strikes from this yr’s winter conferences. The principle piece coming again to Miami in that deal was Echedry Vargas. The 19-year-old center infielder from the Dominican Republic put up strong numbers in Low-A this season. Vargas has a fast bat that results in excessive pull charges and permits him to faucet into vital uncooked energy. He additionally has plus velocity giving him a excessive fantasy ceiling. The problem is his hit device. Vargas ran a swinging strike price of 17% final yr and is extraordinarily aggressive on the plate. This might get him into bother towards harder competitors.
10) PJ Morlando – OF, 19 YO
2024 Stats (A): .000 AVG | .000 OBP | .000 SLG | 0 HR | 0 SB | 0.0 Okay% | 0.0 BB%
The Marlins first-round choose from this previous yr appeared in only one recreation earlier than struggling a season-ending again harm. The projectable 6’3″ outfielder was a shock choice at sixteenth total with many doubting if he can hit sufficient and whether or not or not he can stick within the outfield. If he does, his left-handed swing is fairly and packs loads of energy. Morlando is a growth undertaking for Miami with big-time upside.
11) Nathan Martorella – 1B, 23 YO
2024 Stats (AA): .229 AVG | .306 OBP | .385 SLG | 18 HR | 8 SB | 18.2 Okay% | 9.3 BB%
Nathan Martorella’s numbers took a nose-dive after being acquired by the Marlins this previous yr. The principle cause for the dip in numbers was a .226 batting common regardless of a line drive price that remained over 20%. Martorella has a mean hit device, barely above-average energy, and good plate self-discipline. He profiles as a high-floor low-ceiling possibility at first base.
12) Abrahan Ramirez – 2B, 20 YO
2024 Stats (CPX): .348 AVG | .447 OBP | .513 SLG | 2 HR | 6 SB | 15.9 Okay% | 15.3 BB%
Coming over to Miami at this yr’s commerce deadline from the Yankees was Abrahan Ramirez. Ramirez was signed by New York out of Venezuela and has put up intriguing numbers in his temporary skilled profession. Regardless of his age, Ramirez has a mature understanding of the strike zone which helps him to work walks, get on base, and make the most of his velocity which is his greatest device. There may be nonetheless an extended option to go for Ramirez who has but to play a recreation above the Complicated League, however a 161 wRC+ there makes him a prospect to maintain your eye on.
13) Andres Valor – OF, 19 YO
2024 Stats (CPX): .289 AVG | .374 OBP | .421 SLG | 2 HR | 35 SB | 25.1 Okay% | 8.8 BB%
In case you are on the lookout for athletic upside, add Andres Valor to your listing. Valor was signed out of Venezuela again in 2023 and stands at 6’3″. The tremendous athletic outfielder put collectively a robust exhibiting within the DSL in 2023 and carried that over to the Complicated League in 2024. Proper now, Valor’s greatest device is his velocity. He stole 35 bases in simply 227 plate appearances however has the bat velocity, pull-side consciousness, and physicality to show into a major dynasty prospect.
14) Adam Mazur – SP, 23 YO
2024 MiLB Stats (AA/AAA): 93.1 IP | 4.73 ERA | 24.0 Okay% | 4.7 BB%
2024 MLB Stats: 33.2 IP | 7.49 ERA | 13.9 Okay% | 13.3 BB%
Previous to being traded to Miami, Adam Mazur had fallen flat on his face in his main league debut. Wonderful management and a deep arsenal carried Mazur by way of the minor leagues however that each one disappeared within the main leagues. Each pitch in Mazur’s arsenal graded out as below-average by way of stuff, limiting his future dynasty potential. Nonetheless, Mazur tasks as a back-end starter who may very well be worthy of a stream in the fitting matchup for fantasy managers.
15) Joe Mack – C, 22 YO
2024 Stats (A+/AA): .252 AVG | .338 OBP | .468 SLG | 24 HR | 3 SB | 24.9 Okay% | 10.7 BB%
Since being drafted thirty first total, Joe Mack had largely didn’t dwell as much as the lofty expectations. Nevertheless, catching prospects notoriously take longer to develop offensively as a result of rigors of their defensive obligations. Mack lastly appeared to place all of it collectively in 2024. He hit a career-high 22 house runs and tasks to have above-average energy. He’s unlikely to ever hit a lot greater than .240 within the main leagues however the Marlins lack depth at catcher and Mack may very well be the crew’s most suitable choice in 2025 and past.
The Subsequent 5
Though these prospects don’t crack the highest 15, dynasty managers ought to maintain their eye on these 5 gamers:
Jared Serna – 22 YO – An undersized center infielder with common velocity and a advantageous hit device who ought to debut in 2025.
Dillon Head – 20 YO – A 2023 first-round choose who struggled with accidents this season and is greatest identified for his velocity.
Graham Pauley – 24 YO – An infielder who has put up strong minor-league numbers however has a suspect hit device and main platoon issues.
Dax Fulton – 23 YO – Lefty with great things, spotty management, and who has not pitched since 2023 after present process his second Tommy John surgical procedure.
Victor Mesa Jr. – 23 YO – An athletic outfielder with hit device issues whose velocity has slowed down as his energy has developed.
