Marlins Need Connor Norby to Put Up Numbers That Match His Talent
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Back in 2024, the Miami Marlins made a move to acquire two bats for the future of their ball club by trading veteran starting pitcher Trevor Rogers to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for outfielder Kyle Stowers and infielder Connor Norby, and their fifth-ranked prospect.
Stowers wasn't supposed to turn into the kind of player he showed he could be last season in a Marlins uniform, or else the trade likely wouldn't have gone through. But alas, Stowers represented Miami in the All-Star Game in 2025 on the back of a 20+ home run season.
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Norby was viewed as the prize in the trade, as the former top-ranked prospect was stringing together strong at-bats in the minor leagues. However, making his debut in the same season he was traded, Norby has yet to stand out as the game-changer in the trade.
But That Doesn’t Mean He Can’t in 2026
Norby wasn't viewed as a top prospect for nothing; he has the tools to become and consistently be a strong hitter at the Major League level. Through five seasons in the minors, the former Oriole hit 73 home runs and compiled a batting average of .287, which was something that intrigued the Marlins.
In two seasons in the MLB, Norby hasn't had the same kind of power he once had in the minors. Last season, he hit eight home runs, passing his rookie year total of seven. But if a player like Stowers was hitting six home runs across three seasons, then hit 25 last season, Norby should be able to as well.
Regardless, Norby hasn't been invaluable for Miami since his arrival. In 2025, he finished with a 0.7 WAR, mainly plagued by his poor fielding at third base, in which he committed eight errors across 690 innings of work.
In Norby's defense, he spent a majority of his time in the minors playing second base, but with Xavier Edwards holding down the position and being more consistent with the bat in his hands, Norby must put together an improved season defensively to ensure his placement on the roster.
Norby has been seen taking reps at first base this spring, which only improves his versatility, and at the plate, it's a must-watch season for the Marlins organization on their former prized trade acquisition.
Norby's job isn't in jeopardy, but it's time he puts the pieces of the puzzle together, for his and the team's playoff sakes in 2026.
Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.