This Miami Marlins farm system is now unquestionably among the best in baseball. On Swimming Upstream, Alex Carver and Kevin Barral analyze all of the talent that the Marlins have recently acquired via trade and international free agency. Then, they sit down for an exclusive interview with one of those new prospects, outfielder Brendan Jones.
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Jones, who’s entering his age-24 season, was part of a five-player trade last week that sent left-hander Ryan Weathers to the New York Yankees. The Marlins also acquired prospect Dillon Lewis, Juan Matheus and Dylan Jasso in the deal.
The Nashville, Tennessee, native was a low-profile prospect coming out of the 2024 MLB Draft. However, Jones has quickly made a name for himself in pro ball with a polished plate approach and plus-plus speed. Used primarily in center field last season, he led all Yankees farmhands in stolen bases (51) and ranked third in runs scored (89).
The trade reunites Jones with some familiar faces from the Yankees organization, including director of hitting Joe Migliaccio and MiLB hitting coach Tom DeAngelis. “That should hopefully make for a smooth transition,” he says.
Jones tells Swimming Upstream that he will be a non-roster invitee at Marlins spring training next month. He’s likely to open up the 2026 season at the Double-A level, batting near the top of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos lineup. Health permitting, his major league debut should come in 2027.
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