Even by their usual standards, this has been a slow-moving offseason for the Miami Marlins.

Although the Marlins have had widespread “interest” in players capable of improving their lineup and late-inning relief, they’ve been unable to close any significant deals as of Friday morning. The handful of free agents to join the organization on minor league contracts profile as Triple-A depth. More than two months since Isaac Azout’s pre-offseason roster projection, not much has changed.

That being said, Fish On First’s recent reporting has added some clarity to how Miami’s internal options would be utilized if the 2026 season started today.

 

Position players

Default starting lineup: C Agustín Ramírez, 1B Eric Wagaman, 2B Xavier Edwards, 3B Graham Pauley, SS Otto Lopez, LF Kyle Stowers, CF Jakob Marsee, RF Griffin Conine, DH Heriberto Hernández

Bench: C/1B Liam Hicks, UTIL Javier Sanoja, INF/OF Connor Norby, OF Dane Myers 

Eleven of these 13 names finished the 2025 season on the Marlins active roster, the only exceptions being Stowers (oblique strain) and Myers (knee laceration), who have since fully recovered from their injuries.

It is still likely that the Marlins will acquire somebody to overtake or at least compete directly with Wagaman. If those efforts fail, it’d be a first-base-by-committee approach which may involve the likes of Hicks, Pauley, Conine and Hernández moving off their natural positions to patch things together.

Just missed: C Joe Mack

Historically, most prospects with Mack’s pedigree have been excluded from the Marlins Opening Day roster for service-time manipulation purposes—assigning them to the minor leagues for two weeks delays their free agent eligibility by a full year. Particularly during Bruce Sherman’s ownership tenure, cost-efficiency has taken priority over winning ballgames. I have to assume that approach will continue until proven otherwise.

Similar to Ramírez last year, Mack will likely debut in mid-to-late April.

 

Pitchers

eury perez sandy alcantara walking spring training_kevin barral.jpeg

Starting rotation: RHP Sandy Alcantara, RHP Edward Cabrera, RHP Eury Pérez, LHP Ryan Weathers, RHP Max Meyer

Bullpen: RHP Ronny Henriquez, RHP Anthony Bender, RHP Calvin Faucher, RHP Tyler Phillips, LHP Cade Gibson, RHP Lake Bachar, LHP Andrew Nardi, RHP Janson Junk

It feels like an eternity ago, but there was legitimate excitement around Meyer as a starter in spring training. He looked to be justifying the hype with a 2.10 ERA and 33.9% strikeout rate through his first five regular season starts. Regression hit him hard after that and his struggles were exacerbated by a hip injury. Although he ought to be on a short leash given the Marlins’ abundance of rotation candidates, the former top draft pick will probably break camp with a starting job.

The Marlins tendered Nardi a contract coming off a completely lost season. That doesn’t mean his nagging back issue has been resolved. Even if available to take the mound, perhaps the quality of stuff will have diminished too much for him to reprise his 2023-24 role.

Just missed: LHP Braxton Garrett, RHP Josh White

Garrett would be the biggest beneficiary of a potential Cabrera trade. Barring that, he may have to bide his time in Jacksonville until a rotation spot opens up.

White should be a welcome reinforcement for a bullpen that lacked swing-and-miss in 2025. It’s just hard to squeeze him onto the roster if everybody’s healthy and the Marlins decide to carry multiple lefty relievers.Â