Here's the Marlins' Spring Breakout roster
Christina De Nicola
@cdenicola13JUPITER, Fla. -- Since he was selected 10th overall in last July's MLB Draft, Marlins top prospect Noble Meyer has made his professional debut, started in the Minor League postseason and celebrated a Single-A championship. The 19-year-old Meyer will add competing in a top prospect showcase to his expanding résumé.
MLB Pipeline's No. 57 overall prospect highlights the Marlins' squad for the inaugural Spring Breakout, which will pit prospects from Miami and St. Louis against each other on March 15 as part of a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. ET, with the seven-inning exhibition leading up to a Grapefruit League game between the big league clubs at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
"It's been everything and more,” Meyer said of his pro career. “I've loved every second of it. [I] wouldn't trade it for the world, and to be here with like-minded people who just want to keep getting better, there really isn't anything better in the world."
Meyer, who arrived in Jupiter before Minor League camp opened this week, has gotten a head start preparing for Spring Breakout by pitching in simulated games on the back fields. Considered the top prep pitcher in the 2023 MLB Draft, the 6-foot-5 185 pounder is eager for his first full pro season.
"I just want to get better,” Meyer said. “I think just getting stronger is a big one, and being able to sustain velocity and command throughout the entire season. It's a long season, so that's probably priority No. 1 right now."
Joining Meyer will be fellow 2023 MLB Draft pick Thomas White (No. 2 prospect) and 24 others from Miami's system, including seven of the club's 10 prospects per MLB Pipeline. Nine of them were invited to big league camp.
No. 20 prospect Patrick Monteverde, who was recently reassigned to Minor League camp, recorded the final two outs of the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game last July. He is looking forward to facing off against Cardinals No. 4 prospect Victor Scott II, whom he met at the airport on the way to Seattle for the Futures Game. Though Monteverde competed against Scott in college, they didn't get to know each other until last year.
"It's pretty cool," Monteverde said. "I grew up not being invited to any [showcases], so now that I'm in pro ball, it's kind of ironic that I'm in them now when I wasn't before at all. But it's great. It's so much fun. It's a great opportunity. At the Futures Game, I got to meet a lot of people that I'm friends with now, and it was just a great experience just to showcase talent and just play the game quote, unquote against the highest level of prospects. But at the end of the day, it's just still a game, and it's a ton of fun."
What is Spring Breakout? MLB Spring Breakout is a four-day event showcasing baseball's future: the current stars of Minor League Baseball. The inaugural edition will be held from March 14-17 at Grapefruit and Cactus league stadiums during Spring Training. A series of 16 exhibition games will be played between teams comprised of each MLB organization's top prospects, creating a new touchpoint on the baseball calendar that celebrates our sport's budding talent.
Here's the Marlins' Spring Breakout roster with MLB Pipeline's rankings:
PITCHERS
Noble Meyer, RHP, No. 1 (MLB No. 57)
Thomas White, LHP, No. 2
Karson Milbrandt, RHP, No. 6
Jacob Miller, RHP, No. 13
Anthony Maldonado, RHP, No. 19
Patrick Monteverde, LHP, No. 20
Juan De La Cruz, RHP, No. 21
Ike Buxton, RHP, No. 26
Nigel Belgrave, RHP, No. 28
Evan Fitterer, RHP, NR
Matt Pushard, RHP, NR
Luarbert Arias, RHP, NR