Predicting the Marlins Final 26-Man Roster as the Team Opens Camp

Miami Marlins 2025 Spring Training officially opened up last Wednesday, February 12th when pitchers and catchers flock to Jupiter as the team gathered to prepare for their 32nd season. In the year between Spring Training 2024 and Spring Training 2025, quite a bit had changed for the Miami Marlins, franchise stalwarts Luis Arraez and Jazz Chisholm, Jr. were sent away in the middle of the 2024 season as the Marlins failed to build off of their 2023 postseason berth, ace starter Sandy Alcantara missed the 2024 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, and rising star left hander Jesus Luzardo was dealt in the offseason to the division rival Philadelphia Phillies. Indeed, the names on the back of the jerseys this year may as well be name tags for fans as they acquaint themselves to the many new faces showing up at Marlins camp, among them new manager Clayton McCollough, who came over from the Dodgers organization in the offseason.

This year offers a new start for the team, with a new leader in the clubhouse and reworked young core, many of whom were acquired in the process of last year’s fire sale by Bendix and company. The Marlins will come into Spring Training this season with more questions than answers, and more possibilities for the vision of what the final 26-man roster may look like by the end of camp, with that said, here are my (mostly wrong) predictions on what the final roster may look like come Opening Day 2025. 

First things first, let’s take a look at the 65 men the Marlins are bringing into camp this year:

So, without further adieu, let’s get into the work of parsing that 65-man roster into a 26-man roster, starting with the starting rotation: 

 Rotation: Alcantara, Weathers, Cabrera, Meyer, Quantrill 

Now, this rotation looks much different than even would have been predicted a month and a half ago, as the Marlins dealt Jesus Luzardo in late December, and shortly after, it was revealed that fellow lefty Braxton Garrett had elbow surgery in December that would end up sidelining him for the 2025 season. The rotation coming into the season will still largely be a story of long awaited returns, as ace Sandy Alcantara should be all systems go following a 2024 season that wasn’t for him due to an elbow surgery of his own in October of 2023. Additionally, left hander Ryan Weathers will be back to start the 2025 season as the team’s likely number two starter, at least until 21-year-old phenom Eury Perez makes his return mid-season this year. The remainder of the rotation would consist of Edward Cabrera, Max Meyer and veteran signing Cal Quantrill, two pitchers who have each been hailed prospects, but have yet to find consistent success at the MLB level, and a third who has had legitimate success, but after a couple of down seasons, is looking to regain form. Cabrera, who projects to enter the 2025 season as the team’s third starter, will look to return to his 2022 form (14 GS, 6-4, 3.01 ERA) after a couple of disappointing seasons in 2023 and 2024. Meyer and Quantrill will round out the rotation, with Meyer looking to find his footing at the Major League level. The Marlins young righty had a rocky season in 2024 as he struggled to the tune of a 5.68 ERA in 11 starts coming off Tommy John surgery. Quantrill, meanwhile, was signed on the first day of camp and will look to bring a veteran presence to the back end of the rotation, it’s been an up and down stretch for Quantrill throughout his MLB career to this point, as from 2020-22, Mazur posted a 25-8 record with a 3.08 ERA over 90 appearances, 57 of which being starts. In 2023-24, however, Quantrill posted a 12-18 record with a 5.08 ERA, he will look to regain form in 2025 as he helps hold down the fort for Eury Perez and other names such as Noble Meyer and Thomas White. 

Other Names to watch: Adam Mazur, Bellozo, Robby Snelling, Patrick Monteverde, Dax Fulton

Bullpen: Valente Bellozo, Anthony Bender, Andrew Nardi, Declan Cronin, Jesus Tinoco, Anthony Veneziano, Calvin Faucher, Luarbert Arias

The Bullpen for the Marlins headed into 2025 is as big a question mark as there is on the roster (of which there are plenty). Righty Declan Cronin survived a trade deadline in which his services were reportedly in high demand, Calvin Faucher looks to take on the closer role headed into 2025 as he locked down 6 saves down the stretch in 2024 following the trade of Tanner Scott, many of the others projected into the bullpen like Jesus Tinoco and Anthony Veneziano were both claimed off of waivers after the deadline and pitched well enough to get a regular spot in the ‘pen headed into 2025. Veterans Andrew Nardi and Anthony Bender hope to bounce back strong following a pair of underwhelming seasons for pitchers who have had success in a middle relief role for the fish, meanwhile the bullpen will be rounded out by Valente Bellozo and Laurbert Arias, the former of which was a starter down the stretch for the Marlins and represented himself well, however his lack of prospect pedigree and elite stuff will likely force him into a long relief role. The latter, Luarbert Arias could be considered somewhat of the surprise of this group, as he will likely make his MLB debut in 2025 following an impressive stretch in the minors that saw him post a 3.12 ERA and 10.9 K/9 over six minor league seasons. 

Other names to watch: Max Meyer, Edward Cabrera, Xzavion Curry, Connor Gillespie, George Soriano, Adam Mazur 

Catchers: Nick Fortes, Liam Hicks

At Catcher, the Miami Marlins will go into the 2025 season with veteran catcher Nick Fortes taking the bulk of work for the team. Fortes is one of the longest tenured players on this very young team, having been with the team since 2021. While he doesn’t bring a big bat to the table, what Fortes does bring, is a steady hand to a young rotation that will need that veteran calm that Fortes can provide. Enter Liam Hicks, the Marlins rule 5 draft pick from the Brewers organization, Hicks brings the Marlins not only a younger option, but one with a different kind of skill set, one that is much more offensively oriented. The 25-year-old catcher has eye-popping discipline skills at the plate, having posted a .405 on base percentage over four minor league seasons, and a .482 on base clip in two seasons at Arkansas St. While Agustin Ramirez will look to push Hicks for the backup catcher job, the Marlins are likely to be patient with the 22-year-old prospect, making it likely that Hicks wins the battle out of camp. 

Other Players to watch: Joe Mack, Agustin Ramirez

First Base: Jonah Bride, Matt Mervis 

Jonah Bride has been one of the crown jewel signings of the Bendix era, as odd as that may sound, it’s unequivocally true. Bride was signed in the offseason prior to 2024 as a bargain bin FA and ended up posting an .818 OPS over 71 games for the Marlins last season. Matt Mervis will look to be another Bendix bargain boom, as he was traded in the offseason for utility man Vidal Brujan, who worked out a…little less well. Prior to the 2023 season, Mervis was universally ranked as a top 10 prospect in the Cubs system, and it’s easy to see why, as Mervis has a career .268/.361/.508 slash line with 82 homers across 391 minor league games. As a left handed batter, Mervis will likely start the season in a platoon with the right handed Bride, who should start the season as the primary starter at the corner on the right side of the infield. 

Other names to watch: Deyvison De Los Santos, Agustin Ramirez, Troy Johnston, Nathan Martorella 

Second Base: Otto Lopez, Javier Sanoja

The Marlins at second base will trot out another reclamation project in the mold of Jonah Bride, as Otto Lopez looks to fill up the right half of the Marlins’ middle infield. Lopez was another bright spot in an otherwise bleak season for the fish, posting a WAR of 2.8 over 117 games, playing upper tier defense at second, while providing a decent bat at the position. Javier Sanoja, meanwhile, will likely be backing up Lopez, and Xavier Edwards, for that matter. The Marlins middle infield prospect received his first cup of coffee in the bigs at the end of 2024, as he hit .229 in 15 games for the Marlins. Sanoja brings a much better hit tool than that average may belie, as he hit .286 and .292 in 2023 and ‘24 as he shot up the system starting ‘23 at single A Jupiter, and finished last season at triple A Jacksonville. Sanoja also brings a solid eye at the dish, having 88 walks to 78 strikeouts in those seasons as well. He also looks to provide the Marlins solid defense up the middle and another speed threat on the base paths.

Other names to watch: Max Acosta, Jared Serna

Shortstop: Xavier Edwards, Javier Sanoja 

At short, the Marlins will line up a player who looks to be one of the foundational pieces of this rebuild in Xavier Edwards. Edwards burst onto the scene last season for the Marlins following a start to the season that was set back due to a bacterial infection in his foot, Edwards took the opportunity when he did finally get it and did not look back as he slashed .328/.397/.423 and swiped 31 bags in 70 MLB games last season. Though there are questions about his ability to field his position due to below average arm strength, Edwards enters 2025 as the unquestioned starter at shortstop. Backing up Edwards once again looks to be the aforementioned Sanoja.

Other names to watch: Jared Serna, Max Acosta

Third Base: Connor Norby, Dane Myers

If Jonah Bride is the crown jewel diamond in the rough for Bendix in his time as Marlins Prez, then third baseman Connor Norby is certainly the crown jewel trade acquisition of his tenure. Acquired at the trade deadline along with Kyle Stowers from Baltimore for embattled starter Trevor Rogers, Norby started his Marlins stint at triple A Jacksonville. It wasn’t long, however, until Norby was up in the bigs and making an impact. Though he had cooled down at the end of the season, Norby still managed to put together pretty impressive production in 36 games, as he posted a .760 OPS and clubbed seven homers across 36 games for the Marlins post-deadline, all while learning a new position. Norby joins Edwards to form a left side of the infield that Marlins brass hopes to anchor the Marlins core for years to come. Behind Norby, the Marlins could use players such as Dane Myers, more on him to come shortly. 

Other names to watch: Eric Wagaman, Jacob Berry

Outfielders: Jesus Sanchez, Dane Myers, Kyle Stowers, Griffin Conine, Derek Hill

In the outfield, Jesus Sanchez will be the veteran (starter) in the clubhouse, the corner outfielder will enter his age-27 season looking to finally put all of his tantalizing tools together and realize his potential following a couple of up and down campaigns in 2023 and ‘24. Center field looks to be manned by a two man platoon of Dane Myers and Kyle Stowers, a couple of players who have showed flashes of potential, but have ultimately failed to string together significant stretches of consistency, with Stowers possessing impressive power tempered by a 35.5% K rate, and Myers showing intriguing five tool potential across 44 games tempered by…well, his temper, as his season was cut short in 2024 when he kicked a clubhouse door in Cincinnati, breaking his ankle. In left field, Griffin Conine will seemingly have the inside track to the lion’s share of the starts, as the 27-year-old impressed in his brief stint at the major league level. Derek Hill rounds out the group as a journeyman who has the versatility to play all three outfield spots, as he played well enough to garner another look in a reserve role after being claimed off waivers from the Rangers last August. 

Other players to watch: Victor Mesa, Jr. , Troy Johnston, Alberto Almora, Jr., Jacob Berry

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