Who’s leading battles for starting jobs, roster spots heading into close of Marlins spring
A six-pack of news and notes as the Marlins enjoy an off day on Wednesday before playing their final 12 spring training games:
▪ The feel-good story of the spring — beyond how sharp Sandy Alcantara looks — is the way Matt Mervis has hit the ball.
Marlins fans know his story: He rose to fourth among first basemen on MLB’s prospects list after producing 119 RBI and 78 extra-base hits while splitting the 2022 season between Single A, Double A and Triple A.
He has struggled during short stints with the Cubs: 18 for 116 (.155) with 40 strikeouts in 127 plate appearances in his brief big-league career, covering 36 games.
But he has hit the ball well this spring: two doubles, three homers and six RBI, to go with a .286 average and .310 on base average.
The left-handed hitting Mervis and right-handed hitting Jonah Bride will play a lot at first base (it could be a something of a platoon), with those two and Eric Wagaman getting DH opportunities. Bride also can play third.
▪ Derek Hill has emerged as the front-runner over Dane Myers for the starting center-field job.
Myers is hitting .300 (6 for 20, four RBI) and very likely will make the team.
Hill is at .233 but has shown more pop (two homers, three RBI).
Kyle Stowers entered spring as the front-runner in left field over Griffin Conine, but that race is too close to call; Conine has hit well recently, including a four-RBI game on Tuesday.
Conine is at .255 (.359 on base) with a homer and 5 RBI in 27 at-bats.
Stowers is hitting only .160 but has a .417 on-base average (thanks to eight walks). He’s just 4 for 19 this spring.
The Marlins are determined to see what they have in Stowers and Conine this season. Both are left-handed hitters.
▪ The position players whose roster spots seem secure: The winner of the left-field job, Hill, Myers (can play every outfield spot), Bride, Mervis, second baseman Otto Lopez, shortstop Xavier Edwards, third baseman Connor Norby, right fielder Jesus Sanchez and catchers Nick Fortes and Liam Hicks.
The loser of the left-field job (Stowers or Conine) also has a decent chance to stick.
Two among Javier Sonoja, Wagaman and Graham Pauley are in line for backup jobs, with Sonoja and Wagaman having the edge at the moment but hardly a stranglehold on those spots.
Pauley — the one left-handed hitter of those three — has turned heads this spring; he’s hitting .318 with a .400 on-base average.
Sonoja (.273 this spring) can play practically everywhere and Wagaman (.222, .344 on base with two homers this spring) can play first, third and the corner outfield spots.
▪ The starting rotation seemed set with Alcantara, Cal Quantrill, Ryan Weathers, Max Meyer and Edward Cabrera.
If the Marlins sustain an injury and need a starter, next in line are Valente Bellozo (3.67 ERA in 13 starts last season) and solid prospect Adam Mazur, who allowed one run in five innings this spring and will begin the year at Triple A.
Bellozo also is expected to begin the year at Triple A so that he’s stretched out in case the Marlins need a starting pitcher early in the season.
▪ With Andrew Nardi very likely to begin the season sidelined by a back injury, five bullpen spots seem set: Jesus Tinoco and Calvin Faucher (who will each get closing chances), Anthony Bender, George Soriano (has pitched very well this spring) and Declin Cronin.
Ronny Henriquez (out of minor-league options) and Lake Bachar have a decent chance to stick.
Unless they go without a left-hander to replace Nardi, they will need to pick one among Anthony Veneziano (the only lefty reliever on the 40-man roster besides Nardi) and non-roster invitees John Rooney and Josh Simpson.
Veneziano has a 5.68 ERA in 6 ⅓ spring innings. Simpson has a 4.50 ERA and Rooney stands at 7.20.
▪ After leading the minors in home runs (40) and RBI (120) last season, first baseman/third baseman Deyvison De Los Santos will begin the season at Triple A hoping to improve on his plate discipline.
He went 2 for 11 this spring with six strikeouts and no walks.
Last year, he struck out on 25 percent of plate appearances (144 of 583) with 34 walks, closing at .294 with a .343 on-base average.
“We forget this guy’s 21 years old. He’s very young, and he’s gotten to the upper levels in rapid fashion because of his ability. And we’re a real buyer of that talent,” manager Clayton McCullough told MLB.com. “So swing decisions being a big part there, firing at the correct pitches and game planning will be a big part of that as well.”
This story was originally published March 12, 2025 at 12:43 PM.
