Recent Projection Shows Two Marlins Pitching Prospects Set to Make MLB Debuts
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The Miami Marlins heading into 2026 have a lot of things going right for them, following a season in which they outperformed expectations and looked to be quite competitive for much of the year. While they still have plenty of room to grow as a team, much of that comes from their roster being relatively young at its core. With plenty of players just entering the prime years of their careers, the time to capitalize is now for the Marlins.
That will come in various forms, both via free agency acquisitions, trades, waiver claims and additional promotions for their prospects. With multiple top prospects nearing their time for a Major League debut, the 2026 season could bring some fun developmental projects to the roster to continue the trend of building through their own system.
Two of the top names in that group are pitchers Thomas White and Robby Snelling, the No. 1 and No. 3 prospects for the team according to MLB Pipeline. With both currently in Triple-A, they are continuing to improve and look towards their respective futures, which, in 2026, could include playing their first games in the MLB. FanGraphs believes this will be the case, with both players receiving statistics in their 2026 steamer projections.
How Does FanGraphs Project White and Snelling to Do in 2026?
The 2026 FanGraphs steamer projections believe both White and Snelling will make their debuts in 2026, which is a fair assumption. Additionally, both were given the chance to start games in this predictive model, which is intriguing given the fact that Miami already has a ton of starting pitching in its rotation.
According to their model, White is projected to start three games, accruing a 4.16 ERA, 4.40 FIP, 0.2 fWAR, 8.62 K/9, 4.35 BB/9, 1.10 HR/9, a 1-1 record and .292 BABIP. Snelling, on the other hand, is seen to be a more utilized option, starting 11 games, putting together a 4.02 ERA, 4.18 FIP, 0.8 fWAR, 7.46 K/9, 3.20 BB/9, 1.06 HR/9, a 4-4 record and .297 BABIP.
Of course Robby Snelling is a high floor arm, but his increase in fastball quality has really elevated his ceiling.
— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) November 26, 2025
Over his final 15 starts, his fastball averaged 95 MPH with improved carry. Resulted in a 31% zone-whiff, 30% chase, OBA of .138, OPS of .474. pic.twitter.com/Ne7E6LHL64
This is somewhat fascinating to dive into, as both pitchers are left-handed, so the priority in games started solely comes down to their analytics. Snelling was given the nod more often in the FanGraphs model, but both pitchers looked to be rather solid given their metrics here. While the strikeout numbers could certainly use a bump, for their first few games started at this level, it makes sense for them to continue to adjust over time.
