MIAMI—Josh White is coming off of a dominant season, posting a 1.86 ERA, 1.65 FIP, 14.23 K/9 and 3.06 BB/9 in 67 ⅔ innings between Double-A and Triple-A. The homegrown Miami Marlins reliever was on the mound when the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp clinched the 2025 International League championship. Now, White looks to go into his first big league spring training and potentially break camp with the Fish.

“Very excited to be here and grateful for the opportunity,” White told Fish On First in an exclusive interview at Friday’s Marlins Media Day. “Being in minor league camp for three years is definitely exciting. I backed up a game last year. I was around (the big league side) a little bit, but everything is new here.” 

White, 25, missed the original phone call informing him that he was selected to the 40-man roster because he was working out. It wasn’t until a couple minutes later that he called them back and received the news from Marlins director of player development Rachel Balkovec and director of minor league operations Hector Crespo.

“I called them right back, talked to Rachel and Hector, so it was a good call and it made my day for sure,” White said.

In Pensacola, White had a 1.27 ERA and 1.03 FIP in 28 ⅓ innings pitched, striking out 15.88 batters per nine. In Jacksonville, although the ERA (2.29) and FIP (2.10) ticked up, he was walking fewer guys (2.52 BB/9) than he had in AA. Prior to 2025, his MiLB career averages were a 3.52 ERA, 3.94 FIP and 4.44 BB/9.

White attributes the breakout year to “just knowing what my strengths are and utilizing that, going after guys directly at all times in the count and then just trying to rack up punchouts as I can.”

One of the nastiest pitches in the Marlins organization is White’s curveball, which generated a 59% whiff rate last season and was given a 65 grade by Baseball America. “It comes out of my slot and I am able to throw it hard,” he said. “The harder it is, the less loopy it gets, the less it pops. It plays off the fastball well.” 

White has also developed a 60-grade slider, which helps him neutralize left-handed batters.

“The slider was a new add this year that was definitely refined through (Jerad) Eickhoff in Double-A and then (Robbie) Marcello in Triple-A.” Marcello has since been promoted to Marlins assistant pitching coach. “I texted him right when I found out. Super happy for the guy. We worked well together last year and exciting to keep working with him here.”

History says that White will probably head back to Jacksonville following spring training. The last reliever with zero MLB service time to break camp and make the Marlins Opening Day roster was Zach Pop in 2021, who was under Rule 5 draft pick restrictions. But with nothing left to prove against MiLB competition and the Fish attacking 2026 with a sense of “urgency,” in the words of manager Clayton McCullough, maybe White could force the issue and earn a spot right away.