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MIAMI -- Well, hello there! Not much happened while I was traversing India, huh?
Just like that, Marlins pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 11, with the first full-squad workout scheduled for five days later at the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium complex.
While Miami can certainly make more transactions leading up to and even during Spring Training, let’s take a look at how each position group is shaping up.
Of note: The Marlins have yet to announce their non-roster invitees.
Catcher
40-man roster options: Agustín Ramírez, Liam Hicks, Joe Mack
Ramírez will be given some leeway to show improvement behind the dish, but if there isn’t enough, that might usher in Mack’s promotion. In turn, Ramírez would primarily serve as the designated hitter and could still catch a couple times a week as the backup. Like Ramírez, Hicks will be in his second big league season and can bounce around from catcher, first base and DH.
First base
40-man roster options: Christopher Morel, Graham Pauley, Griffin Conine, Liam Hicks, Heriberto Hernández, Deyvison De Los Santos
The Marlins signed Morel to be their first baseman, a position he has never played in his professional career. If the experiment doesn’t work, he has experience at all three outfield spots, second, third and short. No one behind him on the depth chart is a natural at the position, though Pauley and Hicks got looks in 2025. Conine, who has never appeared at first as a pro or in college, will give it a go this spring. De Los Santos, a corner infielder who exclusively saw time at first during the Dominican Winter League, has yet to make his Major League debut.
Second base
40-man roster options: Xavier Edwards, Javier Sanoja, Maximo Acosta, Graham Pauley, Connor Norby, Otto Lopez, Jared Serna
Edwards, a 2025 NL Gold Glove finalist, is the club’s starting second baseman. Barring any injuries, he will be expected to start nearly every game. The others listed have played second in the past. Serna has yet to debut.
Shortstop
40-man roster options: Otto Lopez, Javier Sanoja, Maximo Acosta, Xavier Edwards
Lopez, who tied for the fourth-most defensive runs saved among MLB shortstops (min. 950 innings), is the club’s starter. Like Edwards, he will be expected to play close to all 162 games. The others listed have appeared at short.
Third base
40-man roster options: Connor Norby, Graham Pauley, Javier Sanoja, Maximo Acosta, Deyvison De Los Santos
One of the biggest position battles of the spring will come down to Norby or Pauley at the hot corner. The right-handed-hitting Norby went on the injured list three times and settled for a 90 OPS+ in 88 games, while the left-handed-hitting Pauley bumped his .529 first-half OPS to .840 in 33 games after the All-Star break. He also tied for the third-most outs above average (six) among MLB third basemen (min. 350 innings).
Outfield
40-man roster options: Kyle Stowers, Jakob Marsee, Owen Caissie, Griffin Conine, Heriberto Hernández, Esteury Ruiz, Javier Sanoja, Victor Mesa Jr., Connor Norby
NL All-Star and Gold Glove finalist Stowers will man left, and Marsee, who produced 1.9 bWAR in the first 55 games of his MLB career, will hold down center. Caissie, acquired as the centerpiece of the Edward Cabrera trade, got his feet wet (27 plate appearances) toward the end of last season with the Cubs and is the frontrunner for right. If he were to win the job, that would give Miami an all-lefty outfield.
Both Hernández and newcomer Ruiz are right-handed bats. To maximize matchups and increase lineup flexibility, Conine could get time at first and in the outfield. Norby will also see action in the outfield this spring. Backup options in center include Sanoja, Ruiz and Mesa.
Rotation
40-man roster options: Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez, Max Meyer, Braxton Garrett, Janson Junk, Bradley Blalock, Adam Mazur, Ryan Gusto, Dax Fulton
How will the rotation round out after the Cabrera and Ryan Weathers trades? Meyer and Garrett are coming back from surgery. Junk is probably best served as a swingman. Mazur and Gusto have limited big league experience and Miami will try to unlock something with newcomer Blalock (8.16 ERA in 21 games, 18 starts). Fulton has yet to debut and is further behind in his development compared to Top 100 prospects Thomas White and Robby Snelling.
Though not on the 40-man roster, White (the No. 17 prospect in baseball) and Snelling (No. 39) are likely to be NRIs at camp. Should they continue to force the issue, the Marlins will promote them sooner rather than later.
Bullpen
40-man roster options: Pete Fairbanks, Anthony Bender, Calvin Faucher, Tyler Phillips, Lake Bachar, Cade Gibson, Michael Petersen, Josh Simpson, Andrew Nardi, Josh White, William Kempner
Miami dished out a franchise-record contract to Fairbanks, who arrives as the bullpen’s most proven arm. Bender, Faucher and Phillips are the returning setup men. Will Nardi’s back stop acting up, giving the relief corps another lefty option? Can White or Kempner, protected from the Rule 5 Draft, sneak onto the Opening Day roster?