Marlins' Massive 17-Year-Old Shortstop Will Likely Switch Positions

Santiago Solarte is still just a teenager, but like many international prospects, he's already highly-ranked in terms of his Major League potential

View of a Miami Marlins hat and glove | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Miami Marlins have a reputation for having a collection of some of the best young players on the Major League level and in their farm system. Within the organization, Miami president of baseball operations Peter Bendix has assembled enough potential stars to fill a universe. One of the brightest (and youngest) of those is Santiago Solarte. The super-sized shortstop is just 17, but displays sizzling skills.

Solarte is 6'5" and weighs over 200 pounds, with scouts saying he has a top hit speed of 110 miles per hour. That's a high-octane swing from a middle infielder, and incredibly rare, raw power from someone who hasn't become a legal adult yet. It's feasible to see Solarte becoming a middle-of-the-order hitter for a big league ballclub someday.

Santiago Solarte tied for the top power tool among 2026 international prospects.

The #Marlins' headlining signee from this year's class put it on display in the Dominican Summer League, where he's off to a hot start: https://t.co/DPFsuc7rwZ pic.twitter.com/zCzFvKhO7q

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 20, 2026

"The Venezuela native immediately stands out for his physical strength with near-top-of-the-line exit velocities from the left side of the plate," his official MLB.com scouting analysis states. "The question, as he matures, of course, is how much he'll be able to tap into it. Solarte is quite coordinated for his size, although his longer limbs will challenge his ability to make consistent contact. Still, he has plenty of bat speed from his closed-off stance and displays strong pitch recognition."

Given is age and lack of experience, Solarte is limited when it comes to his statistics. However, what he has flashed so far has certainly lived up to expectations. The MLB hopeful hit .323, with nine homers, 41 RBI, and 37 steals in 158 at-bats down in the Dominican Summer League this year.

When Will Solarte Arrive in MLB?

Obviously, manager Clayton McCullough hasn't gotten to work with the teen sensation much - if at all. And Solarte is still listed as not arriving to the big leagues until 2031, which means he could either be part of yet another rebuilding project by then. More than likely, however, he will end up being the final piece that solidifies the entire puzzle.

When he does finally make it to South Florida, it's a given that he probably won't be listed as a shortstop anymore. Younger players are being drafted at the position because of the versatility and athleticism it requires.

But as those great athletes mature and become better suited for a 'power position' like third base or a corner outfield spot, they tend to find themselves in new places on the field. Solarte is one of those types of players.

“We think his ceiling is very high. He fits everything that we look for in terms of raw explosiveness, ability to be impactful defensively, and, on top of that, he comes from a really good program being with Carlos Guillén in Venezuela.”

So far, the Fish's front office has made no public announcement saying Solarte will be stateside in 2027. However, he's still listed as the team's 13th-best prospect, even though he's still classified as a rookie/developmental level player, with an ETA of 2031. That may seem like a long way off, but from everything we've seen thus far? He'll be worth the wait for the Marlins.