Marlins Star Pitching Prospect Suffers Injury, Out for Spring Training Games
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The Miami Marlins have plenty of candidates for the starting rotation. But this top prospect will be out for the foreseeable future.
Star pitching prospect Thomas White, who has been in spring training on a non-roster invitation, will miss the remainder of spring training games with a Grade 1 right oblique strain, as reported by MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola.
The oblique is one of the muscles that gives the core stability and helps the body twist at the abdomen. Baseball players, both pitchers and position players, are susceptible to the injury because of the nature of pitching and hitting.
A strain is much better than a tear, but White will need to be shut down to heal, meaning his ramp-up for the regular season will be delayed. By missing the rest of spring training games, it realistically takes him out of the race for the opening day roster. White made his MLB spring training debut earlier this week and gave up two runs in one inning.
Thomas White as Marlins Prospect
White is the highest-ranked Marlins prospect per MLB Pipeline. He’s at No. 17 in the Top 100. The Top 30 by organization is expected to be released next week. He’s one of five Marlins in the Top 100, along with pitcher Robby Snelling (No. 39), outfielder Owen Caissie (No. 42), shortstop Aiva Arquette (No. 47) and catcher Joe Mack (No. 62).
The left-handed White was hoping to push for a rotation spot for opening day after a rock-solid 2025 in the minor leagues. The list of starters contending for the five rotation spots includes three that have already been assured of jobs — Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez and Chris Paddack. Alcantara will start opening day.
The other two spots are being chased by Snelling, Max Meyer, Braxton Garrett, Janson Junk, Bradley Blalock, Adam Mazur and Ryan Gusto.
This injury almost assures that White will start the season at Triple-A Jacksonville. It could include an injury rehab sting at a lower affiliate, depending on how quickly he returns.
Last season with High-A Beloit, Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Jacksonville, White went 4-3 with a 2.31 ERA in 21 games, all starts. He allowed just 25 runs (23 earned) in 89.2 innings. He struck out 145 and walked 51 and allowed batters to hit a career-best .174 against him. He also had a career-low 1.18 WHIP.
White struck out 14.6 hitters per nine innings. MLB.com wrote that he was the only left-hander in the minor leagues that pitched at least 80 innings and have that high a strikeout rate. The Marlins drafted White with a compensatory pick at No. 35 overall in the 2023 MLB draft out of Phillips Academy in Andover, Md.
