The Marlins don’t make the postseason in 2025, but they enter the winter with more optimism than they did a year ago. The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson takes a look at Miami’s position player mix and provides some details on the club’s winter aspirations.
Jackson previously reported that the club could target an experienced bat this winter. In today’s report, he added that first base is where they’re most likely to add that, although third base and the outfield corners have also been mentioned as other possibilities.
First base is a smart spot to target, as the Fish haven’t really locked anyone in there. However, as of 2025, seven different players have spent time in that location Eric Wagman Got most of the action. Wagman had a WRC+ score of 79 and a hitting percentage of just .237/.281/.375. This shows that his home plate average is 21% lower than the league average. Teams typically look for above-average offense at the first base position, so this is a natural position to look for more production.
The free agent class is headlined by people like Pete Alonso, Josh Naylor and Ryan O’Hearn. The Marlins have occasionally given up some high-profile multi-year contracts, but president of baseball operations Peter Bendix has largely kept his wallet in his pocket since taking over. His big-money signing two offseasons ago was one year and $5MM Tim Anderson. Last winter, it was $3.5MM Carl Quantrill.
Maybe he’ll become more aggressive with the Marlins after the 2025 season, though it’s more likely he’ll go with players who can be acquired on short-term deals, such as Rhys Hoskins or Paul Goldschmidt. Non-tender deadlines will allow more people to loosen up, Nathaniel Lowe and Ryan Mountcastle There are some possibilities there. Christian Walker and Alec Burleson is a speculative trade candidate.
Signing a third baseman is also a possibility, but Jackson reports the most likely scenario is Connor Norby and Graham Pauley Fight for the job, maybe even form a platoon. A strong defender, Pauly appears to have a good floor. In 390 innings at the hot corner this year, he’s saved an above-average three earned runs and six shutouts. Offensively, he slashed .224/.311/.366 with a 90 wRC+. Maybe there’s more to the bat. His 11.4% on-base percentage and 19.6% strikeout rate were both above average, but he may have been hampered by an unfortunate .262 batting average in the game. But even with a near-average offense, he could be a valuable player because of the glove.
Nobby, on the other hand, finished third with -5 DRS and -4 OAA this year. He didn’t make up for it with the bat, as he slashed .251/.300/.389 with a 90 wRC+. However, he’s slashing .293/.369/.493 at the Triple-A level going back to early 2023, which translates to a 123 wRC+. It would be great to bring a piece like this to the major leagues, but he’s going to have some question marks until then.
As for the platoon possibilities Jackson mentioned, Norby is right-handed and Pauley is left-handed. Both players have had reverse splits so far in their major league careers, but the sample sizes for both are still small. Neither has a huge split in the minor leagues, but pitching in the majors may look different in the long run.
In the outfield, Jackson said the investment will likely be small and it could be similar to club signings Heriberto Hernandez A minor league deal was agreed to last winter. they should have Kyle Stowers and Jacob Massey At both positions, leave room for a guy like Hernandez, Griffin Corning, Dane Myers, Joey Wimmer and others.
Behind the plate, Bendix has given the public a vote of confidence Augustin Ramirezdespite his poor defensive metrics. That might stay if he’s going to pitch again behind the plate next year Joe Mack In Class 3A. Jackson reported that the club expects Mack to start the new year in Jacksonville, but he will have a chance to find a job in spring training.
Mack is one of the best receiving prospects in the league. He hasn’t made the 40-man roster yet, but he will be eligible for this winter’s Rule 5 draft if not, so the Fish will certainly give him a spot to protect him from being drafted. Considered a strong defender, he slashed .250/.320/.459 in 99 Triple-A games this year for a 108 wRC+.
At this point, it seems reasonable to elevate him to the majors, but if Ramirez can get the majority of playing time while the Marlins continue to give him opportunities to improve defensively, then perhaps Mack would be better off staying in Triple-A to get regular playing time.
Opportunities look slimmer in midfield, with Jackson reporting the club are happy with him Otto Lopez and Xavier Edwards in series. Lopez’s offense hasn’t been great, but the switch at shortstop has worked well. This year he has 7 DRS and 4 OAA at the position. He also steals 15-20 bases per year, which increases his value. Edwards struggled in the short term but has been producing well since moving to the other side of the bag. He had 12 DRS and 9 OAA on the ground this year, along with 27 steals and roughly average offense.
Photos by Eric Hartline, Imagn Images
