\n\tJUPITER, FL\u2014On a beautiful Monday morning in Jupiter, 72 Miami Marlins\u00a0players (32 non-roster invitees) reported to camp ready to make their mark and build on a very encouraging 2025 season in which the club won 79 games\u2014a 17-win improvement from the year before.\n<\/p>\n
\n\tPrincipal owner and chairman Bruce Sherman, standing in front of the newly renovated Jupiter Academy, addressed the media<\/a> prior to the team\u2019s first full-squad workout. The 2026 season will be the ninth under Sherman\u2019s ownership.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cOur expectations are to be extremely competitive and to continue on this path of being successful every single year,\u201d Sherman said. \u201cWe measure it by getting to the playoffs consistently, and that will be the standard for our organization and our front office. That\u2019s what the Miami Marlins are going to be all about.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\tOwnership\u2019s message to players early Monday morning differed from last spring, when patience and development were emphasized. As exciting as the 2025 season was for a team with limited big league experience and modest expectations, this year\u2019s message was clear: it wasn\u2019t enough, and expectations are higher following investments in both payroll and infrastructure.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThis investment we made in free agency\u2014four players and over $20 million\u2014was done with extraordinary care by Peter Bendix and his entire staff,\u201d Sherman said.\n<\/p>\n \n\tFor the first time since 2016\u201317,\u00a0the Marlins signed at least four major league free agents in a single offseason.\u00a0Despite those additions, Miami\u2019s payroll for 2026, according to Roster Resource, is projected to be approximately $73 million<\/a>, the lowest in Major League Baseball. Sherman feels that he’s spending an appropriate percentage of the franchise’s revenue, particularly when accounting for the aforementioned facility renovations.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI\u2019m not in this for profit at all. We haven\u2019t taken a nickel out of this in eight years; we just keep putting money in, and ownership is pleased to do that. We want to win. W-I-N. Period.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\tHow do the Marlins plan to compete against division rivals such as the Phillies, Mets, and Braves, whose player payrolls are several times the size?\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cWe don\u2019t care what other teams are doing\u2014we\u2019re trying to beat them,\u201d\u00a0president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\tThat message was reiterated to both established major leaguers and top prospects expected to contribute this season.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cWe were told to have faith in ourselves and in each other, and that we\u2019re going to prove a lot of people wrong again,\u201d No. 1 prospect Thomas White told Fish On First. \u201cWe\u2019re not worried about what other teams are doing. We\u2019re focused on what\u2019s happening in our clubhouse and trying to do something none of us have done before\u2014reach the playoffs.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\tWhen asked about the overall goal for the upcoming season, manager Clayton McCullough emphasized development and culture.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cSeeing growth across the board from players and coaches,\u201d McCullough said. \u201cWe want to create a culture here and a group that puts us in position every year to compete for a championship.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\tThe 34th season of Marlins baseball begins March 27 at home against the Colorado Rockies. Before that, the club opens Grapefruit League play this Saturday in Port St. Lucie against the Mets.\n<\/p>\n