Rookie catcher Ramirez makes team history in Marlins’ third victory in a row

The confident 23-year-old was batting cleanup. He had already driven in a run, caught five strong innings from Edward Cabrera, and ripped a double into the left-field corner. He played with the poise of someone who belonged, but even Agustín Ramírez admitted there were moments during the game when he’d look through his catcher’s mask, glance around the stadium, and quietly ask himself — “Am I here?”

Ramírez didn’t just show up Tuesday night, he made Marlins history.

With two more hits in Miami’s 4–3 comeback win against the Reds (11–13), Ramírez became the first Marlin to record five hits in his first two career games. In doing so, he helped lift the Marlins (11–12) to their third win in a row and sealed the most productive two-game start in franchise history.

“You don’t expect to see this thing happening… but I’m very thankful,” Ramírez said. “I thank God that he just sent me this great gift… that I can share a lot of joy with my family, with my friends, my country, with everybody that can enjoy this moment.”

The rookie catcher ripped a single in the fourth, then delivered a key double in the sixth that scored Eric Wagaman and trimmed Cincinnati’s lead to one. One inning later, Ramírez’s teammates did the rest.

Connor Norby led off the seventh with a double to right center, and Otto Lopez followed with a line drive into the same gap, scoring Norby to tie the score. With two outs, Xavier Edwards chopped a swinging bunt up the first-base line. Reds reliever Graham Ashcraft fielded it cleanly, but rushed the throw to try and beat the speedy Edwards, sending it wide left of the bag. Lopez never stopped running, sliding home safely to give Miami a 4–3 lead it never gave back.

That run wouldn’t have been possible without Ramírez’s double and wouldn’t have scored without Wagaman, who legged out a two-out infield single in the sixth to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.

“It’s just… confidence,” Wagaman said. “At this point, we kind of take a step back and focus on each day… and not let yesterday, whether it was good or bad, change how we attack today.”

Wagaman, who knows firsthand how tough it can be to settle into the big leagues, said seeing Ramírez make an impact this early has left an impression.

“I thought that was so cool. A lot of guys get called up and they go 0 for 10 or something like that… I was one of those guys,” Wagaman said. “So for them to get a hit in their first game, then follow it up, that’s awesome.”

Manager Clayton McCullough has emphasized that Ramírez’s success at the plate isn’t about luck or timing.

“There’s certainly real talent… a real bat speed, a real threat,” McCullough said. “There’s a calmness to his plate appearances… he’s firing at the right pitches, letting the game come to him.”

Ramírez’s defensive presence mattered, too. In his first time catching Cabrera in a major-league game, he helped guide the 26-year-old right-hander through five innings, limiting Cincinnati to two runs on five hits while striking out seven and walking two.

“Cabrera was really good,” McCullough said. “The curveball, the slider… He was just in and around the zone so effectively. This was a really good version of Cabby.”

Cabrera credited Ramírez for their rhythm throughout the outing.

“We had the opportunity to work together at Triple A in Jacksonville,” Cabrera said. “We’re aligned with many pitches… I know he’s new up here, but he did a good job.”

Ramírez credited his early success to experience at every level of the minors and the time he spent learning during spring training.

“It’s experience from working at different levels… seeing a lot of pitchers and also adding what I learned in spring training,” he said. “All of that has helped a lot.”

The Reds put runners on base in the eighth, but Kyle Stowers, who drove in Miami’s first run in the opening inning, made a leaping grab at the wall to rob Jeimer Candelario of extra bases. He also tracked down a sharp liner in the third, turning in two key defensive stops that preserved the one-run margin.

Lake Bachar earned his first career win with a scoreless seventh, Anthony Bender handled the eighth, and Josh Faucher recorded the final three outs for the save.

As for the 23-year-old behind the plate?

“To be honest, sometimes I look through the mask and look at the stadium and I ask myself… ‘Am I here?’” Ramírez said.

After two games, five hits, and a piece of franchise history, he has his answer.

This story was originally published April 22, 2025 at 10:54 PM.