Miami Marlins spring training has been underway for more than a week at this point. With every player now reported to Jupiter and Grapefruit League competition approaching on Saturday, we’re beginning to get a clearer idea of what the 2026 team will look like.
Here are the most important updates from the past couple days of Marlins camp activities.
Injuries
Right-handed pitcher Janson Junk rolled his ankle during dynamic warmups on Tuesday, per MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola. The setback has already forced him to miss a pitch design session that was previously scheduled for Wednesday and he will undergo imaging in Miami.
Junk, who made 21 appearances (16 starts) last season, posting a 4.17 ERA and 3.14 FIP in 110 innings pitched, is currently fighting for a starting rotation spot. Based on his 2025 performance and the fact that he’s out of minor league options, he’ll make the Opening Day roster as long as he’s healthy in time. Even if tests do not reveal a significant injury, this break in his throwing program will slow down the process of getting him built up as a starter.
Right-hander Anthony Bender is a bit behind as his shin had a flare-up, but he threw a bullpen on Tuesday and was fine. He isn’t facing hitters yet, but the expectation is that he will get into games soon. Bender posted a 2.16 ERA in 51 appearances (50.0 IP) in 2025.
Left-hander Andrew Nardi, who missed all of 2025 with a back injury, is dealing with a blood blister. Like Bender, he threw on Tuesday, but is a few days behind the other Marlins pitchers. The last time Nardi appeared in a game was in August 2024. He finished that season posting a 5.07 ERA in 49 ⅔ innings pitched.
Snelling starts against Mets
Marlins manager Clayton McCullough announced that left-handed pitcher and Fish On First number three prospect Robby Snelling will make the club’s first start of the spring against the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie. The Mets will counter with fellow lefty Brandon Waddell.
Last spring, Snelling made just two appearances (1.2 IP) before getting reassigned to the minors. From there, he was excellent, posting a 2.51 ERA, 2.77 FIP, 10.99 K/9 and 2.58 BB/9 in 136 innings pitched at the Double-A and Triple-A levels. He should be a significant piece of the Marlins major league staff as the 2026 season progresses.
Expect the 22-year-old to work only one inning in this outing, then get built up from there in one-inning increments, similar to what we saw last spring.
Fairbanks on MLBPA shake-up
New Marlins reliever Pete Fairbanks happens to be part of the Major League Baseball Players Association’s eight-player executive subcommittee. In the aftermath of MLBPA executive director Tony Clark resigning, Fairbanks had this to say on Wednesday (via Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald):
“The players remain focused on their ongoing preparations for collective bargaining this year. The strength of this union is—and will always be—the solidarity of our membership. We have a long history of fighting for the rights of every player, and we’re committed to making sure we can continue that fight successfully.”