The Miami Marlins will recognize Josh Beckett‘s contributions to the franchise by inducting him into the team’s Hall of Fame this September. A former No. 2 overall MLB Draft pick of the Fish, the Texas right-hander had some inconsistencies during his career, both health-wise and performance-wise, but he peaked as one of MLB’s best starters and repeatedly elevated his game in the postseason. 

Beckett’s inclusion in the 2026 HOF class got us wondering: Is he the best homegrown pitcher in franchise history is?

Before we get started, we must define what it means to be “homegrown.” These are players who were acquired by the Marlins as amateurs either through the draft or international free agency. Since 1992, the Marlins have selected 806 pitchers in the draft and hundreds more internationally. That rules out prominent names like Kevin Brown, Dontrelle Willis, Ricky Nolasco, Aníbal Sánchez, and Sandy Alcantara, as their professional careers commenced with other organizations. 

This is a discussion reserved for the farm-raised hurlers who had big league success with the organization.

To be paid to play baseball professionally is an accomplishment of its own, even more fulfilling if that dream is one day realized at the highest level. But to get to the major leagues and succeed is beyond what most people’s imagination would allow for.

 

The “Just Missed”

Edward Cabrera (Dominican Republic) would hold the title for best international pitcher signed by the Marlins, as his 7.1 bWAR ranks first among such players. However, being traded to the Chicago Cubs ahead of the 2026 season means we won’t be privileged to bask in the fruit of his 2025 breakout. In a career-high 137 â…“ innings, Cabrera posted a 3.53 ERA, striking out nearly 10 batters per nine innings. 

In a similarly valuable vein, Brad Penny, worth 8.1 WAR during his Marlins tenure, could potentially have found his way into the conversation had he not been dealt to the Dodgers at the 2004 trade deadline. Penny posted a trio of near-three-win seasons between 2001 and 2004, including a 2003 season where he pitched to a 2.19 ERA in the club’s World Series triumph over the New York Yankees. In the years that immediately followed his departure from 2005 to 2007, Penny experienced his longest sustained run of success, pitching to a 117 ERA+ and making a pair of All-Star teams. Among MLB pitchers to throw at least 500 innings in that span, Penny’s 11.3 bWAR ranked 21st, sandwiching him between two future former Marlins, Dan Haren and Javier Vázquez.

If we’re accounting for relievers, as well, then AJ Ramos is worth mentioning. His 6.6 bWAR is the most among all relief pitchers originally drafted or signed by Miami, and his 2.78 ERA trails only Kevin Brown (2.30) and the late-José Fernández (2.58) for third-lowest among pitchers to throw at least 300 innings for the team. 

 

The Big Three

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The aforementioned Beckett drew comparisons to Nolan Ryan and raced through the minor leagues before debuting with the Marlins at the end of the 2001 season.

Beckett was one of just eight pitchers to throw 135 or more innings and finish with an ERA below 4.00 in each season between 2003 and 2005. He is best remembered for his series-clinching shutout thrown on three days’ rest in Game 6 of the ’03 World Series

While his body of work leaves some to be desired for this discussion—a 3.46 ERA and 10.7 bWAR in 609 innings—Beckett’s place in Marlins lore is firmly entrenched.

Beckett was very briefly teammates with another exceptional “Josh,” Josh Johnson. Not only is Johnson’s 25.8 bWAR the most of any homegrown Marlins arm, but it’s also the highest of any pitcher in the franchise’s history.

At his best, Johnson was on the short list of best pitchers in baseball.

Some notes to illustrate this:

– Who are the only two National League pitchers to win the ERA title between 2010 and 2014? Clayton Kershaw, who did it every year from 2011 to 2014, and Johnson, who finished with a 2.30 ERA in a seven-win 2010 season. Were it not for a back injury that limited him to 183 â…” innings, Johnson had a case for the first Cy Young in franchise history, ultimately finishing fifth.

– Of the 91 pitchers to throw at least 500 innings between 2008 and 2011, only the late Roy Halladay (2.59) and Adam Wainwright (2.68) had a lower ERA than Johnson’s 2.80, and his 22.4 bWAR between 2008 and 2012 was the ninth-highest mark in baseball. 

While injuries took their hold of Johnson far too soon, he was a rare breed.

And then, there was Niño.

José Fernández exuded so much flare and sheer joy when playing the game. He was also among the most automatic pitchers the game had seen to that point. 

In merely 471 ⅓ innings he threw in his short life, Fernández dominated, posting a 2.58 ERA and even more impressive 2.44 FIP. In each of his four big league seasons, Fernández finished with an ERA and FIP below 3.00. Of the 109 hurlers to throw at least 450 innings between 2013 and 2016, only three—Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, and Fernández—finished with a sub-3.00 ERA and better than 10 K/9.

With his death in 2016 at only 24 years old, a dark cloud was cast over the city of Miami and Major League Baseball. It still lingers as we approach 10 years since that fateful September day.

 

And the Winner is…

Are we rewarding longevity? Peak success? Unrealized talent? I defer to the former, as many a player can find their way to a successful season or two, but to do it consistently is the true separator. 

And for that, the distinction of “best homegrown pitcher in Marlins franchise history” goes to Josh Johnson.

Not only are Johnson’s 916 â…” innings the fourth-most in franchise history, but his 3.15 ERA is still third when setting the minimum number of innings to 450. Even on a per-inning basis, Johnson’s 0.028 bWAR/IP lightly edges out Fernández’s 0.0278. 

 

Active Contenders

The Marlins have a slew of young, promising arms poised to make an impact on the club.

Thomas White and Robby Snelling as big leaguers is all but a formality at this point. Kevin Defrank, though only 17, already boasts a fastball that touches triple digits. Noble Meyer, the club’s first-round pick in 2023, has been a mixed bag since turning pro, but there’s enough there via his mitigation of hits and ability to induce whiffs to suggest he can be better moving forward. 

Not yet 23 years old but far removed from prospect status, Eury Pérez already owns a 3.71 ERA and 3.9 bWAR in a hair more than season’s worth of innings.

Then there’s Braxton Garrett, one of the better Marlins pitchers between 2023 and 2024, where he posted a 124 ERA+ and 5.6 bWAR. A rebound 2026 after missing all of 2025 due to injury could see him sneak his way into the conversation.

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