JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Former Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp left-handed pitcher Robby Snelling became the fifth Jacksonville alumnus in six days to make his major league debut when he did so on Friday for the Miami Marlins against the Washington Nationals at loanDepot park.
Snelling started for Miami, working 5.0 innings. He yielded three runs on five hits with two strikeouts against four walks in the Marlins’ 3-2 loss to the Nationals.
A Reno, Nev., native, Snelling was a member of the Jumbo Shrimp’s Triple-A National Championship team. The 2025 campaign also saw Snelling earn Miami Marlins Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors, as well as a Rawlings Gold Glove award. Snelling began the season with Pensacola, totaling a 3-5 record and 3.61 ERA in 14 starts. He was electric upon his promotion to Jacksonville. Snelling made 11 starts with the Jumbo Shrimp, going 6-2 with a 1.27 ERA. Over 63.2 innings, he ceded only 46 hits and 17 walks against 81 strikeouts.
Snelling yielded three runs or fewer in all 18 of his career Triple-A starts, including 17 of two runs or fewer. He owns a career Triple-A ERA of 1.46 with 132 strikeouts in 98.2 innings.
This season, prior to his call up on May 8, Snelling made six starts with Jacksonville, going 3-1 with a 1.86 ERA. In 29.0 innings, he allowed six runs (six earned) on 11 hits with 15 walks against 44 strikeouts.
Snelling was originally selected by the San Diego Padres in the competitive-balance round A of the 2022 draft out of McQueen High School (Reno, Nev.). After making his Padres organizational debut in 2023, the lefty split time between Low-A Lake Elsinore, High-A Fort Wayne and Double-A San Antonio. He started 2024 with San Antonio before being traded to the Marlins along with right-hander Adam Mazur, infielders Graham Pauley and Jay Beshears in exchange for left-hander Tanner Scott and right-hander Bryan Hoeing.
Snelling is the seventh Jacksonville alumnus to debut in the major leagues during the 2026 season, following infielder Deyvison De Los Santos (March 29, Marlins) and right-handers Matt Pushard (March 29, St. Louis Cardinals) and Josh Ekness (May 3, Marlins), catcher Joe Mack (May 4, Marlins), right-hander William Kempner (May 5, Marlins) and left-hander Dax Fulton (May 6, Marlins). A total of 1,063 players have played both for Jacksonville and in the major leagues. The history of Minor League Baseball in Jacksonville dates back to 1904.
ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins and compete in the International League. The 2025 International League and Triple-A National Champions, the Jumbo Shrimp call VyStar Ballpark home for baseball but also a wide variety of additional community focused events with a goal of providing Affordable, Family, FUN to Northeast Florida. Winners of many marketing and sales awards and recognition since the team was rebranded prior to the 2017 season, the Jumbo Shrimp continually lead the state of Florida in attendance across all minor league professional sports organizations.