After leap to Triple-A, Milbrandt ready to shine at All-Star Futures Game

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Marlins' farm system has faced a bevy of injuries this season, especially on the pitching side. But perhaps their biggest developmental success is right-hander Karson Milbrandt, whom MLB Pipeline now ranks as baseball's No. 76 prospect in the midst of a breakout campaign.

The 22-year-old righty has long had tremendous stuff -- it's been a matter of harnessing it. This season, Milbrandt has made big strides with his control, which has enabled him to make the leap to Triple-A.

And in the biggest sign yet of his arrival as a bright young star, the Marlins' No. 4 prospect earned a spot in the 2026 All-Star Futures Game as the club's sole representative. The 27th annual prospect showcase is scheduled for noon ET on July 12, part of All-Star Week, and will be streaming on NBC and Peacock.

"He has really taken the challenge of stepping into a tougher level and really hasn't skipped a beat on his preparation," Triple-A Jacksonville manager David Carpenter said. "He's very, very attentive to stuff that he needs to be in control of, has tried to make adjustments quickly when there's been a little bit of a lapse on something. … He's going to be special."

After Miami selected Milbrandt in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft, the former Vanderbilt commit had an up-and-down start to his career, with three seasons in High-A Beloit. It wasn't until last year that he struck out more than a batter per inning as he posted a 3.00 ERA in 90 innings between Beloit and Double-A Pensacola. But that, paired with a strong performance in the Arizona Fall League, proved to be a great springboard into 2026.

"Last year was something where I hadn't really experienced success, and now that I have like a taste of it, it's like, 'This is what it should be,'" Milbrandt said. "This is what it should feel like, and I can do it. I can play against these guys. Then just carrying it over and having confidence this year."

Milbrandt's ascendance has been notable as left shoulder, left elbow and right bicep injuries, respectively, have put the 2026 season in jeopardy for lefties Thomas White (Marlins' No. 1/MLB No. 21) and Robby Snelling (Marlins' No. 2/MLB No. 38) and righty Kevin Defrank (Marlins' No. 5). Shortstop Aiva Arquette (Marlins' No. 3/MLB No. 41) has also missed significant time with core surgery and a left thumb injury.

In 14 starts this season, Milbrandt ranks among the Minor League leaders in ERA (2.23, 11th), strikeouts (89, tied-20th) and batting average against (.192). Crucially, he lowered his walk rate to 9.3 percent with Pensacola. That's ballooned back up in five Triple-A starts (20 across 21 2/3 innings), but he believes his approach will continue to bear fruit.

"I've been getting off the mound a lot this year," Milbrandt said. "That's been a big thing for me, where maybe I take 10-15 throws less in catch play and then I go throw into the nine-pocket off the mound just to get some mound reps, because that's where you make all your pitches. That's been a big thing for me. Then just nailing that in there, where the pitching coach will call out a spot and I'll try to hit the up-and-left spot as many times as I can."

Switching to the Triple-A baseball has been an adjustment for Milbrandt, as the lower seams on the ball require a more precise release. The prep basketball star has massive hands to spin three different above-average breaking balls -- he could palm a basketball by the sixth grade -- but he's noticed that not clipping the ball exactly right can really hurt how the pitch performs.

Still, no matter how his pitches are moving -- and his riding fastball can be quite dangerous -- Milbrandt knows he's at his best when he's in the zone. Focusing on first-pitch strikes and staying ahead so he can use any of his five pitches in any given count has helped move him closer to reaching his lofty ceiling.

"For me, it's never really felt like it's me versus the player," Milbrandt said. "It just felt like it's always me versus me. When I'm in the zone, I'm really good. When I'm out of the zone, I obviously create problems for myself, and that's when runners score. But I haven't really gotten tagged around the ballpark that much, so just keeping the ball in the zone, I think good things are going to happen."