The Non-Obvious Marlins Player Who Has Real Roster Leverage
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The Miami Marlins have a handful of players named to MLB's 2026 Top Prospect rankings. Thomas White comes in at No. 17, Robby Snelling at No. 39, Owen Caissie at No. 42, Aiva Arquette at No. 47 and Joe Mack at No. 62.
But with White, Snelling and Caissie taking center stage among the prospects, the other young guns tend to fall in the shadows. However, they have plenty to offer the franchise, and one in particular carries some serious roster leverage that the Marlins should capitalize on.
The Prospect With Real Upside
During Mack's 2025 campaign in the minor leagues, he slashed .257/.338/.475 with a .813 OPS and 21 homers through 112 games. He has yet to make his professional debut, but that is expected to come during the 2026 season.
On Tuesday, during his spring training matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies, the 23-year-old catcher smacked a stunning grand slam of Andrew Walling's pitch, sending the ball 336 feet to left field at 97.3 miles per hour. This hit ultimately propelled Miami to a 6-1 victory over the Phillies.
“It's probably still the most demanding position on the field," said skipper Clayton McCullough, per Christina De Nicole of MLB.com. "Any type of offense you get from that position, in a lot of ways, you look at as a real bonus. Joe has, we believe, the chance to impact on both sides of the ball. He's a terrific thrower, there's a lot of athleticism and creativity with how he can throw, and the confidence he has back there to do that, as well as layering on the type of receiver that he is [is unique]."
Compared to White, Snelling and Caissie, Mack tends to fly under the radar, but this might not be the case for much longer.
The Marlins picked him 31st overall in the 2021 draft, and it was clear early on that he came with phenomenal left-handed hitting power. Considered to be a fairly one-dimensional hitter, there are a few concerns here, but overall, his raw power should continue to be enough to carry him in the Major Leagues.
Mack has received plenty of recognition and praise from his teammates and front office, but he hasn't reached his fullest potential yet—once he does, he is going to make a major impact on the franchise.
How the rest of his spring training unfolds will be telling, but right now, he is expected to play a large role for Miami.
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.