For the most part, the players who find themselves on a 26-man Opening Day roster entered spring training as members of the 40-man roster. However, we usually see at least one non-roster invitee rise above the rest to break camp with the big league team, or earn a spot shortly after the season begins.
One of the most famous Miami Marlins examples was José Fernández in 2013. A first-time NRI at just 20 years old, he joined the MLB starting rotation in early April and quickly established himself as an elite pitcher. We saw a more traditional example last year with Janson Junk, who signed with the Marlins as a minor league free agent and made a strong impression during spring training. He was initially promoted when long relief help was needed and never went back down, finishing third on the club with 110 innings pitched in 2025.
On Thursday, the Marlins announced a list of 31 non-roster invitees who will get the opportunity to prove themselves in Jupiter this spring. The following names are worth watching very closely because of their talent and potential roster fit.
Fish On First’s number three prospect Robby Snelling will be right at the top of this list with the Marlins recently trading Edward Cabrera (Chicago Cubs) and Ryan Weathers (New York Yankees). Between Double-A and Triple-A last season, Snelling posted a 2.51 ERA, 2.77 FIP, 10.99 K/9 and 2.58 BB/9 in 136 innings pitched. Snelling’s AAA stint really set him apart, with a 1.27 ERA, 2.62 FIP, 11.45 K/9 and 2.40 BB/9 in 63 â…” innings pitched.
The Marlins can gain an extra year of service time with the left-handed starter by delaying his debut until mid-April. On the other hand, there is nothing left for him to prove in the minor leagues. Also, as a consensus Top 100 MLB prospect, he is eligible to earn a Prospect Promotion Incentive draft pick for the organization. A strong spring training could force the hand of president of baseball operations Peter Bendix.
Thomas White is the consensus top-ranked prospect in the organization. Across three MiLB levels, he posted a 2.31 ERA, 2.27 FIP, 14.55 K/9 and 5.12 BB/9 in 89 ⅔ innings pitched.
White’s biggest issue has been command/control. If he can show the Marlins he has addressed that throughout the course of spring training, the 21-year-old could contribute right away. Beyond that, though, his limited workload in the past hasn’t prepared him to be a full-season starter in 2026. Expect White to be called up later in the season.
Relievers Josh Ekness (FOF #27) and Nigel Belgrave (unranked) have been successful in the minors ever since the Marlins selected both of them with late-round draft picks in 2023. This will mark Ekness’ second invite to major league camp while for Belgrave, this will be his first.
In 2025, Ekness posted a 4.17 ERA, 3.27 FIP, 11.33 K/9 and 4.33 BB/9 in 54 innings pitched. A main reason for the inflated ERA and FIP are due to his struggles when he got up to AAA, only making three appearances, surrendering nine runs in that span. With Pensacola, he had a 2.73 ERA, 2.50 FIP, 11.28 K/9 and 3.59 BB/9. Ekness’ fastball velocity is a major standout along with a slider’s ability to miss bats. If injuries come up impacting other bullpen options, there is a chance he can make the trip to Miami on Opening Day before even establishing himself at AAA.
Belgrave between AA and AAA posted a 2.51 ERA, 2.62 FIP, 12.18 K/9 and 3.84 BB/9 in 68 innings pitched. His ceiling may be lower than Ekness’, but his history of dominating right-handed batters makes it easy to envision him contributing in the big leagues immediately.
Switching over to the hitting prospects, Kemp Alderman is knocking on the door. During a breakout campaign in 2025, he slashed .285/.338/.482/.819 with 22 home runs, 70 RBI, 22 stolen bases and a 135 wRC+. Alderman has incredible power to all fields. Being right-handed helps his case given how left-handed-heavy the Marlins outfield is, but consistency will be key with a prospect like this.
Jacob Berry slashed .261/.348/.394/.742 with eight home runs, 54 RBI, 27 stolen bases and a 104 wRC+ during a full season in Jacksonville. His offensive production ticked up as the year progressed. Berry was used in the outfield by his Puerto Rican Winter League team, but he is currently listed as an infielder by the Marlins. Ongoing defensive struggles make him unlikely to find a role on the roster.
Brendan Jones was acquired from the New York Yankees in the Ryan Weathers trade. Last season between High-A and AA, he slashed .245/.359/.395/.754 with 11 home runs, 69 RBI, 51 stolen bases and a 126 wRC+. His ability to play all three outfield spots, speed, strikeout rate of 19.9% and walk rate of 14.9% make him a strong option for the Marlins if he finds early success in his first taste of AAA.
Infielder Jesús Bastidas stands out amongst Miami’s minor league free agent signings. Last season at AAA between the Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros orgs, he slashed .262/.352/.440/.792 with 16 home runs, 80 RBI and a 109 wRC+. That momentum carried over to winter ball.
Defensively, Bastidas has played primarily second base and shortstop, but has experience at third base as well, so he does provide some versatility, which the Marlins are always searching for.
Interested in learning more about the Miami Marlins’ top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!