Marlins Latest Mock Draft Helps Solve Future Third Base Dilemma

This Miami Marlins could select a player in next month’s MLB Draft that could help them at a key position.

Florida Marlins president of operations Peter Bendix. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

The Miami Marlins entered this season struggling to figure out who their starting third baseman might be. They had plenty of candidates. But no one's really stepped to the plate, so to speak.

So far, four different players have been at the position, led by Javier Sanoja, who's played 40 games, and Graham Pauley, who's played 30 games. Sanoja is Miami’s best utility player. Pauley is one of two players the Marlins really want to take hold of the job, the other being Connor Norby.

Norby is a defensive liability and has played far more at first base than third base. Pauley’s bat has not responded to regular playing time after an encouraging audition last season. He’s batting under .200.

It leaves open the question of who might be the Marlins’ future third basement? It could be Norby or Pauley. Or it could be someone the Marlins select next month with their No. 14 overall pick.

The Marlins’ Next Third Baseman?

Mississippi State third baseman Ace Reese. | Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With one month before MLB's draft Baseball America (subscription required) dropped its latest mock draft for the first 40 selections. The Marlins are in a weird spot. The mock draft acknowledges Miami has plenty of needs and could go plenty of directions. Given the number of pitching injuries the organization has absorbed Triple-A, it could use another arm.

But, in this mock, the publication has the Marlins addressing their third base future with Mississippi State third baseman Ace Reese.

Reese just wrapped up his third season of college, which makes him junior eligible, and his second season at Mississippi State. He finished this season with a .336 batting average, along with 24 home runs and 74 RBI. He was named All-SEC and is likely to be named to several All-America teams for the second straight year.

After spending the first year of his college career at the University of Houston, he transferred to the Bulldogs and was named the SEC newcomer of the year in 2025 along with earning first team all-SEC selection. He was also named a first team all American and was a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy, given to the best college baseball player in the country. He batted .347 with 21 home runs and 64 RBI.

He has exactly the kind of power the Marlins would be looking for out of a third baseman. There are several quality bats where the Marlins are selecting but Reese is one of the few that can help them address a problem that has bedeviled them for a couple of years. It wouldn't be a surprise if the Marlins make Reese their future at third base next month.