What Numbers Say About This Marlins Prospect vs. Konnor Griffin
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Major League Baseball is in good hands when it comes to future stars finding their way into the league. No one prospect is more popular at the moment than MLB's No.1 prospect, Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin.
The Miami Marlins have a handful of top prospects themselves, most of whom are on the pitching side of baseball. Thomas White and Robby Snelling are the two that come to mind when thinking of the Marlins' top prospects, but one hitting prospect has been undeniably great this spring thus far.
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The Marlins Prospect Turning Heads
The 62nd overall prospect in Major League Baseball resides with the Marlins in the form of catcher Joe Mack. He has been on fire this spring, so much so that Sleeper Marlins on X (formerly Twitter) has made the claim that MLB has a new top prospect, given his numbers compared to Griffin's.
So far this spring, Mack has hit .429/.556/.857 compared to Griffin, who has hit .182/.250/.750. Mack has hit one home run, driven in four RBIs, and has struck out three times in seven at-bats. Griffin has hit two home runs with four RBIs and has struck out twice in 11 at-bats.
Joe Mack this spring:
— SleeperMarlins (@SleeperMarlins) February 28, 2026
.429/.556/.857
Konnor Griffin this spring:
.182/.250/.727
I’m afraid we have a new #1 prospect pic.twitter.com/2UQlOEG9pi
Mack is right on the horizon to make his MLB debut this season, similar to Griffin, as they're both on teams that have underdog status going into 2026. Miami finished the year with 79 wins and seems to be on the cusp of returning to a playoff run, while Pittsburgh is falling right behind them.
At the end of the day, spring training numbers for prospects should be viewed as audition numbers rather than pinpointing the success of a player. Mack has been a great hitter in Triple-A, similar to Griffin, and both should carry that success from the minors to their respective teams.
Defensively, the Marlins could use Mack behind the plate, given Agustín Ramírez struggled behind the dish last year. Ramírez's calling is to be a plus hitter at the plate, but Mack, at the moment, is the better catcher defensively, which should help his case to earn an opening day roster spot.
If Miami chooses to use Ramírez as a DH, that would allow Mack and Liam Hicks to hold down the fort at catcher. FanGraphs projects Hicks to play first base and Ramírez to catch, but why not shift Griffin Conine from DH for Ramírez and allow Mack to play catcher?
The options are endless if Mack continues to force the front office's hand to make the opening day roster.
Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.