Predicting How Fast Five Marlins Top 100 Prospects Will Reach Major Leagues
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The Miami Marlins have five Top 100 prospects. That just about everyone can agree on.
Both Baseball America (subscription required) and MLB Pipeline released their updated Top 100 prospects this week and both sites named the same five Marlins players on their list. Miami was one of a handful of teams with five or more prospects in the Top 100. The Seattle Mariners led all of baseball with seven.
At some point, promise must become production. For that to happen, each of these players needs to make it to the Major Leagues. But when will they make it? Here is a prediction for each prospect and when they will make their MLB debut.
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Thomas White
Prediction: Opening Day 2026
The left-handed pitcher’s progress is probably part of the reason Miami was comfortable trading Edward Cabrera, despite three years of team control. White, a 21-year-old who was Miami’s competitive balance pick (No. 35) in 2023, will be given every chance to make the opening day rotation. If he performed the way he did last season, there’s no reason he won’t make the rotation.
He 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. He pitched at Triple-A Jacksonville last season. If all goes well, he won’t go back.
Robby Snelling
Prediction: Midseason 2026
Snelling is another left-hander who split his time between Double-A Pensacola and Jacksonville last season. A competitive balance pick (No. 39 overall) in 2020, he was acquired in the Tanner Scott trade. The Marlins have enough options to start Snelling at Jacksonville and call him up at midseason. But he could use spring training as a springboard to make it to Miami sooner.
Last year he went a combined 9-7 with a 2.51 ERA in 25 games, with 166 strikeouts and 39 walks in 136 innings. His fastball can hit 100 mph now. Few teams have two left-handed pitching prospects like White and Snelling.
Owen Caissie
Prediction: Opening Day 2026
The Marlins traded Cabrera to the Chicago Cubs for three prospects and Caissie, an outfielder, was the centerpiece of the deal for Miami. He was already a Top 100 prospect with Chicago and other teams tried to pry him away in trades for pitching, including Washington and Pittsburgh. The Marlins won the lottery. Miami expects him to be on the opening day roster, likely as the starting right fielder.
He only played a handful of games with the Cubs after his promotion and missed part of September after a concussion. His minor league numbers were terrific. In 505 games he slashed .280/.384/.487 with 81 home runs and 301 RBI. He has a career OPS of .871, He’s also considered an above-average defender.
Joe Mack
Prediction: Post Trade Deadline 2026
Mack is a catcher and was placed on the 40-man roster in November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. Mack was the Marlins’ competitive balance round A pick in 2021, and his career numbers include a slash of .239/.332/.400 with 57 home runs and 189 RBI.
So why after the trade deadline? The Marlins have a glut of solid catchers, with Agustín Ramírez the projected starter and Liam Hicks the backup. It’s unlikely Miami will carry three catchers in the regular season. What the Marlins could do is flip Hicks at the deadline for help at a position, especially if they’re in contention. At that point, calling Mack up to take the spot makes sense. It’s also possible Mack is traded at the deadline, and he makes his debut somewhere else.
Aiva Arquette
Prediction: Midseason 2028
Arquette was the Marlins’ first-round pick last year out of Oregon State. The shortstop is coming off a cup of coffee at High-A Beloit, where he slashed .242/.350/.323 with one home run and 10 RBI. It’s possible he starts this season there or at Double-A Pensacola. But, given the small number of games in 2025, it’s more likely he hits Beloit to start the year and then hits Pensacola halfway through the season.
If he maintains that progression, he could get to Jacksonville sometime in 2027 and be ready for the Majors sometime in 2028. The problem is that the Marlins are set up the middle with shortstop Otto Lopez and second baseman Xavier Edwards. Neither is arbitration eligible yet and will likely be on the roster when Arquette is ready.
