Why the Miami Marlins Are a Sneaky Team to Watch in 2026
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The Miami Marlins are one of those teams in Major League Baseball today that have all the talent in the world to make a push in the playoffs. However, as time progresses, their players won't stay cheap forever, making it feel like an endless cycle for the franchise in rotating players in and out.
However, before thinking of the future, the Marlins must focus on the right now. After a season where they finished just shy of 81 wins, Miami carries one of the youngest teams in the MLB into the 2026 campaign. That alone makes them a really fun team to watch this season.
But do the Marlins actually have a chance to compete for a playoff spot? One MLB analyst believes they're one of the more sneaky-good teams that could come out of this season.
Marlins Named Sneaky-Fun Team to Watch
Will Leitch of MLB.com listed the Marlins just behind the Athletics as the second most sneaky-fun teams to watch in 2026. Led by ace Sandy Alcantara on the mound and having had a breakout season from Kyle Stowers and a productive rookie season for Agustín Ramírez at the plate, things are looking up for the Fish.
"It’s not just that they’ve got some exciting young hitters in outfielders Owen Caissie, Kyle Stowers and Jakob Marsee, or a cadre of young pitchers who, if they all click at the same time, could be a downright terrifying rotation to face one after another," Leitch wrote.
It's going to take a crew to get the job done for the Marlins' pitching staff this season. Other than Alcantara, they must rely on free agent addition Chris Paddack, as well as young pitchers such as Eury Perez and Max Meyer, both of whom have tremendous upside.
Don't be surprised if Perez emerges as the ace of the future this season for Miami, having finished 2025 on the right foot. From the hitting side of things, expectations are high for this crew to be one of the better contact-hitting teams in Major League Baseball.
Otto Lopez, Xavier Edwards, and Connor Norby are all players who need to have a great season at the same time as one another for this lineup to have some serious threats. Lopez can hit for power, Edwards hits for contact and steals bases, and Norby comes up in the clutch, having 17 doubles last year.
There is only up from here for Miami, as they look to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2023.
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.