1. LHP Robby Snelling | 23 | AAA | 2027
Captain Hindsight was right about Robby Snelling in the sense that Miami left him in the minor leagues a little too long. He posted a 1.27 ERA in 62.2 innings across 11 starts last season only to open the 2026 season right back at that level, where he had a 1.86 ERA through 29 innings across six starts. By the time he’d finally pitched himself to the major leagues, his arm collapsed under the stress of the process. Probably would’ve been the outcome no matter how the front office played his timeline, but I hate to see a guy languish at a level where he’s dominating. I think it’s confusing from a developmental perspective for the player. What more could I possibly be doing, kind of thing. Anyway, Snelling is expected to begin a throwing program this month, and if he comes back with the same solid control of a diverse pitch mix he had on the way up, he should be part of the starting rotation out of spring training in 2027.
2. LHP Thomas White | 22 | AAA | 2027
Diagnosed with a left shoulder capsule sprain in June, White pitched just 24.2 innings across seven starts this season. Maybe rest and rehab will be enough to recover his plus three-punch combination of fastball-curveball-change-up, but I’m worried. A shoulder capsule sprain can take as little as two weeks to recover from, so the fact that they ruled him out for the year right away suggests his ailment exists on the extreme end of that injury’s damage spectrum. The timing here is tough for the Marlins. They’re playing .500 baseball this season despite getting nothing from their premium Triple-A prospects White and Robby Snelling, and they might not get many innings from either guy next season. The position-player core looks competitive. Just need help pretty much everywhere on the pitching staff. White can provide a lot of that help and crack the major league roster out of spring training if he’s back to 100 percent next season.
3. OF Cam Cannarella | 23 | AAA | 2027
The 43rd overall pick out of Clemson in the 2025 draft, Cannarella has cruised through the minors in his first full professional season and finds himself thriving in Triple-A through 36 games, slashing .307/.424/.460 with three home runs and 11 stolen bases. The Marlins are a little ahead of the curve on the type of player who can thrive in today’s game, employing contact hitters who spray the ball all over the field and run like the wind. Cannarella is a tick above the average contact guy in that he can pop his fair share of home runs from the left side when the time comes and he gets a pitch he can really rotate into. Great fit for the guy to learn from Otto Lopez and company.
4. SS Aiva Arquette | 23 | AA | 2027
At 6’5” 220 pounds, Arquette might wind up a bit big for shortstop, but he’s got good enough hands to bounce around the diamond, and he’s still mostly playing the six in Double-A, where he’s gotten heated up over the past month, slashing .295/.338/.485 with seven home runs and 13 steals in 14 attempts over his last 31 games. That’s been typical of his journey through the minor leagues, scuffling early at a new level before finding his stride. He figures to open 2027 in Triple-A just a phone call away from the city where the beat is on til the break of dawn.
5. OF Brandon Compton | 23 | AAA | 2027
Crazy power hitter named Brandon, Compton was the 46th pick of the 2025 draft straight out of Arizona State, just a few spots after Cam Cannarella in what’s already proving to be an intriguing draft for Miami. In his first full pro season, Compton has 35 home runs and 27 stolen bases in 115 games across three levels. He does have a 33.1 percent strikeout rate, but he posted a preposterous 196 wRC+ with 20 home runs in 50 Double-A games even with the strikeout issue. Triple-A has brought more of the same: two home runs and five stolen bases with a 221 wRC+ through five games. A left-handed hitter at 6’1” 225 pounds, he’s played left field, right field and first base this season and figures to join a fairly crowded corner group at the major league level early next season.
6. SS Jacob Lombard | 19 | A | 2030
The 14th overall pick in this summer’s draft, Lombard signed for an under-slot bonus of $5 million despite “falling” a bit in the draft depending on your sources. He’s not exactly thriving during his first month at Low-A, either, slashing .220/.343/.390 while striking out in 39.4 percent of his plate appearances through 22 games, but he has hit four home runs and stolen 11 bases, generating a near-league-average 98 wRC+ in his debut stretch. Not bad, really, considering the context. I know he’s a showcase kid from a baseball-famous family, but this is still the most difficult pitching he’s seen sustained for a month, and he’s holding his own. I also feel like Miami might be turning a corner on hitter development enough that I remain encouraged here.
7. SS Santiago Solarte | 18 | DSL | 2031
Signed for $1 million out of Venezuela in January, the 6’5” 200-pound Solarte announced himself as an impact prospect right away, slashing .339/.450/.598 with 10 home runs and 43 stolen bases in 52 DSL games. A left-handed hitter who was posting big-league exit velocities as a 16-year-old, he’s drawn some visual comps to Oneil Cruz. It’s early days for list season considering this is just the second system I’ve explored, but Miami’s minor leagues are looking stocked.
8. OF Kemp Alderman | 24 | AAA | 2027
A right-handed hitter at 6’3” 235 pounds, Alderman has sneaky twitch for a big guy, featuring plus arm strength and double-plus power along with enough speed to handle a corner and steal some bases. In 97 Triple-A games this year, he’s slashing .258/.340/.443 with 18 home runs and ten stolen bases, good for a 107 wRC+ despite his prohibitive 32.3 percent strikeout rate. I went to the game logs looking for some improvement throughout the year but came back with the opposite: he’s hit just .185 over his last 29 games. Perhaps an off-season of approach-work will yield some rewards moving forward, but I’m in wait-and-see mode.
9. RHP Karson Milbrandt | 22 | AAA | 2027
2026 was a tale of two seasons for Milbrandt, who put himself on the map for a mid-season debut by posting a 1.34 ERA through 47 Double-A innings and earning a promotion to Triple-A, where his control has abandoned him. He’s allowed eight walks per nine innings (18.5 percent) and gotten lit up to the tune of an 8.67 ERA through 54 innings pitched. Ouch. Has me wondering if he’s pitching through an injury or something. When healthy, Milbrandt features a five-pitch mix highlighted by a cutter he can really lean on when he’s in rhythm. Miami’s track record suggests they’ll get him back on track sooner than later.
10. 3B Brayden Taylor | 24 | AAA | 2027
A first-round pick in 2023, Taylor bounced back from two down seasons in his third trip to Double-A, slashing .284/.384/.513 with 17 home runs and 20 stolen bases in 88 games and getting himself shipped off (well, driven, I suppose) to Miami in the process. When he’s right, Taylor brings power from the left side with a good enough glove to play solid defense on the infield dirt. He’s played mostly second and third base this year but does have a start at shortstop with the Triple-A fish and occasionally covered the six for the Double-A Rays.
Thanks for reading!
Hey Itch- if you could only keep one of Wetherholt, Bolte or Benge who you keeping?