These Top Prospects Could Help the Marlins Playoff Hunt This Season
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Entering play on Friday, the Miami Marlins find themselves in a strong spot. They're three games above .500, and 1.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot. We're halfway through the season, and there's excitement all over Miami. With the All-Star break approaching and moves getting made left and right, here are a couple of prospects who could help the Marlins make a playoff run this fall.
RHP Karson Milbrandt
Miami's No. 4 prospect Karson Milbrandt was dominant through his first nine starts with Double-A Pensacola this season. He owned a 1.34 ERA and struck out 70 batters through 47 innings. It was clear that after three full seasons in the minor leagues, Milbrandt was finally breaking out. After he was promoted to Triple-A, the dominance continued.
Through his first three starts, he's allowed just two runs and struck out 15 over 15 innings. He's walked a concerning number of batters, but allowed just a .170 average and stranded them on base well.
The Marlins' pitching staff has been good this season, but far from great. Max Meyer has been phenomenal, Sandy Alcantara has looked like his former self this month, but Eury Perez, Ryan Gusto, and Janson Junk haven't been as effective.
Milbrandt is just 22-years-old, but he's pitched like an ace this season. Give him a few more starts at the Triple-A level to figure out his command, and he'll be ready to take over a rotation spot after the All-Star break.
OF Kemp Alderman
Kemp Alderman is ready for a trip to Miami, and almost has enough games under his belt for it to become a reality. The Marlins' No. 8 prospect is hitting .290/.372/.530 with a dozen homers through 48 games at Triple-A this season. He spent three weeks with Jacksonville last season and crushed the ball, and nothing has changed this season.
Miami's outfield has struggled tremendously this season, and Alderman could fill a prominent, everyday role. The Marlins' second-round pick in the 2023 draft didn't break out until last season, but he's done it in a big way already in 2026. His main concern is strikeouts, as he's fallen victim 67 times already this season.
Despite this flaw, his power and hitting prowess are unquestionably elite, and he deserves a shot at the big league level this season.
As of the end of June, the Marlins have four prospects in the MLB Top 100.
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Jeffrey is a sports writer located in Louisville, Kentucky, with a passion for sports, writing, and storytelling. He has hundreds of published articles across various platforms, including Kentucky Today, The Baptist Courier, FanSided, and more. Jeffrey is a senior at Indiana University Southeast pursuing a B.S. in Journalism/Media with a Minor in Writing. He has a beautiful wife, dog, and firstborn child on the way.