'Electric' Marlins prospect White looks to build on strong '25 campaign

Marlins prospect Josh White drove more than 2,400 miles spanning eight states and 36 hours before throwing a pitch during his breakout 2025 season.

But who’s counting?

After White and his wife, Bella, made the 20-hour drive from Jupiter, Fla., to Beloit, Wisc., so he could begin his campaign with High-A, the Marlins decided to send him to Double-A Pensacola instead.

Much has been written about catcher Joe Mack (Marlins No. 4 prospect, No. 70 overall) and less about one of the pitchers who threw to him and became one of the better relievers in the Minor Leagues.

White, who turned 25 on Nov. 24, compiled a 1.27 ERA and a 0.847 WHIP in 18 appearances for the Blue Wahoos to warrant a promotion to Triple-A Jacksonville, where he posted a 2.29 ERA and a 0.966 WHIP with four saves in 27 outings (two starts).

When it came time for Miami to decide on protecting players ahead of the Rule 5 Draft, White hoped to be added to the 40-man roster. The Marlins did just that with Mack, White and fellow unranked right-handed reliever William Kempner.

“It was exciting,” White said. “I heard a few hours before the deadline. You see a couple guys go get signed a few days before the deadline, so it puts you a little on edge. But it's out of my control. I'm just excited that it happened.”

Miami originally selected White in the fifth round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of the University of California, Berkeley. He saw mixed results from 2022-23 to begin his professional career, then looked strong at High-A Beloit (2.95 ERA) to earn a two-game stint at Double-A Pensacola prior to the end of the ‘24 season.

Although the Marlins originally planned on White returning to Beloit to begin his 2025, their ultimate decision paid off as he took his game to another level.

“Electric,” director of Minor League operations Hector Crespo said. “Super proud of Josh, a guy who started in Double-A and obviously forced our hands to go to Triple-A. … Really happy with just the person and the work ethic and what he's been able to do. [It’s a] testament to him for getting a roster spot.”

Nothing is particularly flashy about White. His fastball velocity is in the mid-90s and his spin rates aren’t Statcast standouts, but his arm slot deceives batters.

“We refined the slider for sure,” White said. “Having that third pitch available to both sides of the plate was very effective. Learning where to throw that slider, especially to lefties, that was the more uncomfortable one, and then just refining where the fastball placement is, where the curveball needs to be off of the fastball. I think that's what helped me have success. And then we're trying to work on that splitter, another pitch to a lefty, and then eventually, when it gets good enough to a righty.”

Come February, White will join big league camp looking to show the Marlins that he can pick up where he left off last year -- results-, stuff- and health-wise.

White will be relatively green. The Marlins brought him over from Minor League camp just once for a Grapefruit League game in 2025. He faced two batters, giving up a hit but striking out the other.

“I think the year that Josh White had last year in Triple-A from a performance standpoint was spectacular, so excited to get to see Josh more this year,” manager Clayton McCullough said.

White wants to put himself in the best position to break camp with the team. The way the 40-man roster is constructed, in particular the bullpen, he could have a legitimate shot at doing so. There also would be an added bonus: Jupiter to Miami is a much shorter drive than the one he had to make last spring.

“That's the goal: Go have a good Spring Training, show up ready,” White said. “I'm putting in way more mound work this offseason than the last. Last year I didn't show up, I would say, ready enough, which is probably why I was sent back to High-A initially.

“The idea is be ‘mound ready’ when I get there. It's not really ‘building into Spring Training.’ It's show up ‘season ready’ at Spring Training. Try to earn a spot if there's an opening. If there's not, I'll earn it in Triple-A.”