Young Marlins Pitcher Set To Make Grapefruit League Debut on Thursday
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The Miami Marlins kicked off spring training with a 2-1 victory over the New York Mets, but they followed up with two consecutive losses against the Washington Nationals (16-8) and the St. Louis Cardinals (5-4).
Of course, this is only spring training, so the win-loss record does not matter in the grand scheme of things, but it does show where the Marlins are at this point and where they need to be heading.
Miami's next task will be to face the Philadelphia Phillies on Feb. 24, but soon after, the ballclub will play the Houston Astros on Feb. 25 and the Toronto Blue Jays on Feb. 26.
Once Thursday rolls around and Miami and the Blue Jays meet, one young pitcher will have the opportunity to make his Grapefruit League debut. This is the perfect chance for him to prove himself, but it's up to him to capitalize on the opportunity that has presented itself.
Top Prospect Gears Up for First Appearance
As reported by Christina De Nicola of MLB.com, southpaw Thomas White is scheduled to make his debut in the Grapefruit League on Thursday. This means that he will be taking the mound and throwing to Toronto.
Thomas White will make his Grapefruit League debut on Thursday. @MLBPipeline #Marlins
— Christina De Nicola (@CDeNicola13) February 24, 2026
White is a young gun with great promise, and as one of the Marlins' top prospects, there will be plenty of eyes on him come Thursday. In a perfect world, he will exceed all expectations, but only time will tell just how ready he is.
During his 2025 campaign in the minors, he logged a 2.31 ERA and 145 strikeouts across 89.2 innings pitched through 21 starts. In Triple-A with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp specifically, he registered a 3.86 ERA and 17 strikeouts across 9.1 innings pitched through two starts.
White is developing into a key player who has clear potential, and he's been wanting and willing to learn from his veteran teammates. As one of the most exciting pitching prospects out there right now, it will be interesting to see how he handles himself on the mound against the Blue Jays.
Of course, pitching against a Major League team is no easy feat, so it wouldn't be terribly shocking if he sputters a bit. He continues to work on his control, but that's something that could always use fine-tuning. His debut will ultimately provide a glimpse into what's to come for White and if he's truly ready for the big leagues.
Maria Aldrich lives in the captivating Adirondack Mountains in New York where she can be found scaling cliffs, hiking in the High Peaks and paddling down local rivers. After graduating from SUNY Potsdam with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Wilderness Education, Maria began documenting her backcountry experiences through written stories. Over the years, she has found herself drawn to sports journalism and now focuses on MLB, WNBA, NCAA and NHL writing. She can be reached at mariaaldrich20@outlook.com.