JUPITER, Fla. – Nine members of the Marlins’ 40-man roster will be participating in next month’s World Baseball Classic, including the top two catchers on the depth chart.
Agustín Ramírez leaves camp on Feb. 28 to join the Dominican Republic in Santo Domingo, where they will host the Tigers for two exhibitions before flying to Miami for pool play. Liam Hicks departs on March 1, when Team Canada heads to Clearwater, Fla., to face the Phillies and Blue Jays. Afterwards, Hicks and Co. will fly to Puerto Rico for Pool A.
It poses a unique situation for the organization when it comes to divvying playing time during Grapefruit League play. The Marlins’ Spring Training schedule begins on Saturday in Port St. Lucie, Fla., after 10 days of workouts. The duo will get a week’s worth of games prior to Classic duties.
“I won't look at the build-up for any of them differently because Gus and Liam are leaving,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “I already told them it's, ‘kind of going every other day until you go.’ And then the same thing with Joe [Mack] and the other catchers. Joe's not going to go catch five days in a row as soon as they leave. It's still about working what we feel like is the best build-up for each of them going into the season. But there'll certainly be more opportunities at that position.”
Mack, who ranks as MLB Pipeline’s No. 62 overall prospect, is the only other catcher on the 40-man roster. Last spring as a non-roster invitee, he received 19 plate appearances across 10 games. Mack, along with fellow Minor Leaguers Brian Navarreto (made MLB debut in 2025), Ryan Ignoffo (Double-A) and Bennett Hostetler (Triple-A), will split reps during Ramírez’s and Hicks’ absence.
This should present opportunities that quartet wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. Ignoffo and Hostetler, in particular, will likely enter games earlier, catching pitchers they don’t have as much exposure to and building a rapport.
“Obviously, the two guys are going to the WBC, so [we've] got to have somebody fill in,” Mack said, "so hopefully I can get as many opportunities as they'll give me. I'm looking forward to this year, and I'm looking forward to facing all the best guys, all the stars, as they say, all these guys. It's going to be really cool, and I'm looking forward to it.”
Until Ramírez and Hicks leave, they will use every pitch design session, live batting practice and game to get to know the returning members of the pitching staff as well as the newcomers.
During the 2025 season as rookies, Ramírez and Hicks caught Miami’s projected starting rotation the following amount of times: Sandy Alcantara (11 and six, respectively), Eury Pérez (10, seven) and Max Meyer (seven, three). Hicks caught Braxton Garrett, who is returning from Tommy John surgery, three times over the offseason. Chris Paddack, Pete Fairbanks and John King are the veteran newcomers in the rotation and bullpen.
“Right now, just [focused on the] Marlins,” said Hicks, who will also appear at first base before leaving camp. “It's tough to look ahead right now with that. Obviously, I think everyone's kind of in the same boat. You don't have much time to get to know those [Classic] guys. But once I'm there, I'll focus on that. But right now, it's all Miami, because we’ve got some guys coming back that [I] need to get comfortable with as well.”
Hicks, who made the 2025 Opening Day roster as a Rule 5 Draft pick, is looking forward to learning from retired backstop Russell Martin and veteran pitchers James Paxton, Jameson Taillon and Mike Soroka once he joins Canada. Ramírez hopes he can catch batterymate Alcantara in the World Baseball Classic.
Both catchers will still be getting their work in away from the team. They also will have the benefit of playing in high-intensity games ahead of the season.
“I have a lot of emotion, a lot of excitement, and I'm not thinking about, ‘Oh, it's weird [I’m leaving camp],’” Ramírez said. “I want to play. I want to enjoy that moment. I'm excited I'm here, too, because it's my first Spring Training [after making the big leagues].”