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3 Young Pitchers Who Should Be on the Marlins' 2027 Roster
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- 3 Young Pitchers Who Should Be on the Marlins' 2027 Roster
(Credit: Jim Rassol | Imagn Images)
The Miami Marlins will have a call to arms as they lead into the 2027 campaign next Spring; this team needs to establish depth in its pitching staff.
In South Florida this season, fans have seen the emergence of budding offensive stars like Joe Mack and Otto Lopez . The bad news for the Marlins has been the anemic output of the pitching staff. The starting rotation has been beaten up, with Sandy Alcantara being the only constant for the club. Max Meyer missed almost the entire second half with a neck injury, and Eury Perez has had a hot-and-cold kind of year.
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With just two games remaining on the slate, Miami has a team ERA of 4.10 (14th in MLB) and are ranked 19th in baseball in both strikeouts (1,296 Ks) and walks (554 BBs). The staff hasn't gotten much relief, either: the bullpen has blown 23 saves and closer Pete Fairbanks was a flop in what will likely be his only year as a Marlin.
The good news? There's a crop of young arms just waiting in the wings. And three prominent prospects should see time in the Fish' starting five in 2027.
Thomas White
Thomas White , 21, already has the physical presence and pitching prowess of a future major-league starter. The 6'5" left-hander was the 35th overall selection in the 2023 MLB Draft. And he can bring the heat; he hits the radar gun consistently in the high-90s with his fastball.
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While White appeared on track for a September call-up this season, a left shoulder capsular sprain ended his season in mid-May. The Marlins decided it would be best just to shut him down for the year, instead of rushing him back. That should set the stage for a healthy return to Spring Training 2027. White is expected to compete for a spot in Miami's rotation and could become the club's primary left-handed starter.
Scouts believe his ceiling is considerable, with some projecting him as a potential future ace or even a Cy Young Award contender if he sharpens his command and develops his stamina as a 'workhorse starter'.
Karson Millbrandt
Selected by Miami in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft, Karson Milbrandt has endured an uneven professional journey but continues to flash the arsenal that made him an intriguing prospect.
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The 6'2" right-hander took an important step forward in 2025, returning from right elbow tendinitis to improve his control and earn a late-season promotion to Double-A. He also represented the Marlins in the Arizona Fall League's Fall Stars Game. So, clearly, the potential is there.
Milbrandt's fastball sits around 95 mph, and his arsenal includes a sweeper, an upper-80s 'gyro' slider, and a sharp curve.
Yes, he struggled at the Triple-A level this season. But given an offseason of improvement, fans should expect to see him on the roster (and possibly the rotation) at some point early in 2027.
Robby Snelling
The final choice on the list is an easy one. Lefthander Robby Snelling has already debuted on the Marlins MLB roster and there's no reason for him to return to Triple-A now. As the team's second-ranked youngster in the system behind White, his minor league days should be over now.
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Granted, like many others on the staff, he didn't get much of a chance to show what he could do before falling victim to injury. He was on fire at Triple-A Jacksonville, posting a 1.86 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 44 strikeouts in 29 innings over six starts before getting the call to The Show. He had an outstanding debut, and then, misfortune struck.
Snelling experienced soreness a bullpen session on May 12, and medical tests later revealed a sprained UCL. He underwent left elbow UCL repair with an internal brace on May 22 didn't;t resume throwing again until earlier this month. So, he may not be ready by the start of the season, but he will be back in the Miami rotation when he's ready in 2027.
