What Marlins Spring Training Lineup Adjustments Tell Us to Expect Opening Day
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The Miami Marlins are still flirting with their potential starting lineup to kick off the 2026 season.
The middle of the lineup can be moved around because they are still waiting to see what happens during the rest of spring training. The Marlins do have a feel for who will most likely be their leadoff hitters for Opening Day.
Projected Marlins Starting Lineup for Opening Day
- Xavier Edwards, 2B
- Connor Norby, 3B
- Kyle Stowers, LF
- Agustín Ramírez, C
- Jakob Marsee, CF
- Owen Caissie, RF
- Christopher Morel, 1B
- Otto Lopez, SS
- Griffin Conine, DH
Edwards is definitely the leadoff hitter for the Marlins Opening Day lineup. He should be the one to set the tone for the rest of the lineup. Edwards is projected to become a better contact hitter who can hit the ball in all parts of the ballpark. Edwards has tremendous speed and puts pressure on the pitcher when he's on first.
Stowers is the best hitter in the lineup so far, and he should definitely be placed at the No. 3 hitter.
Marlins top prospect catcher Joe Mack has been sent to Triple-A Jacksonville for assignment. Therefore, Ramirez is set to become the full-time catcher for the Marlins. It's a decision that many Marlins fans will not agree with, but the Marlins probably feel Mack isn't ready to start the season with the team yet.
Liam Hicks will serve as the backup catcher to Ramirez. The lineup from four to seven can change between now and Opening Day week. The reason for Ramirez to hit fourth is that he has a little more experience than Marsee and Caissie and has more power with his bat. Therefore, it makes sense to place him behind Stowers until the manager, Clayton McCullough, says otherwise.
Marsee and Caissie are having a great month of baseball, from spring training to the World Baseball Classic. Either man won't be hitting below the sixth order in the lineup for Opening Day. There's a lot of momentum going for the two studs.
Hitting seventh might be too low for Morel, since he's a really good offensive player. There's still hope for him to hit higher in the lineup, but he's going to have to prove himself all over again and gain the trust of the coaches. His plate discipline must improve over time. The 2026 season is the most crucial season of his big league career so far.
Lopez and Conine hitting the bottom of the order seems reasonable. They can still impact the game by controlling what they can control and keeping the lines moving in the lineup. Lopez has proven that he can give you timely hits. Conine has shown some potential during spring training, and he needs to stay consistent whenever his name is called.
Hicks, Edwards, Conine, and Morel will be on the lineup today against the Houston Astros at 1:05 pm.
After graduating from City College of New York in 2014, Miguel created his own blog. Since 2021, he has written for FanSided, where he covered the Toronto Blue Jays, College Football and Utah Mammoth hockey team. He also wrote for Miami Heat on SI and Cleveland Sports Talk. Miguel is the creator and host of his podcast, Baseball Heat Podcast with Mike.