What we’re hearing on the Marlins’ offseason plans and where help will be sought
What we’re hearing on the Marlins’ position players and their offseason plans with their lineup:
▪ The Marlins plan to be active in free agency and will try to add a high-leverage reliever and an established hitter. No, there won’t be a wild spending spree and $100 million contracts. But they do plan to spend.
They prefer the position player added is a first baseman. If they cannot find a first baseman, the bat added could be a third baseman or corner outfielder. But ideally, they would like to sign a proven first baseman, a source said.
The web site MLBtraderumors.com offered three first base suggestions for the Marlins, players who stand to make decent money and might be willing to take short-term deals: Paul Goldschmidt (the 37-year old hit .274, .328 on base with 31 doubles, 10 homers and 45 RBI in 145 games for the Yankees), Rhys Hoskins (.237, .332, 12 homers, 43 RBI in 90 games for Milwaukee) and the Padres’ Ryan O’Hearn (.281, .366, 17 homers, 63 RBI in 144 games for Baltimore and San Diego).
The Mets’ Pete Alonso said he plans to become a free agent, but he would seem too pricey for Miami. Seattle first baseman Josh Naylor, the Marlins’ 2015 first-round pick and a 2024 All-Star, is expected to seek a lucrative multi-year deal in free agency, and it’s questionable if Miami would be willing to commit to a long-term deal.
The Marlins have three players who were serviceable at first base: left-handed hitters Liam Hicks and Troy Johnston and right-handed hitter Eric Wagaman. But the Marlins know the overall production at first base needs to improve and they will be aggressive in seeking an established player, potentially on a short-term contract.
At the very least, the Marlins learned that the left-handed hitter Johnston can hit big-league pitching; after toiling for seven seasons in the minors, Johnston hit .277 with four homers and 13 RBI in 121 plate appearances.
Wagaman hit .250, with nine homers and 53 RBI in 514 plate appearances and was better against lefties (.283, 26 RBI).
Hicks was decent at first base and hit .256 (.349 on base) with six homers and 46 RBI in 281 at-bats against right-handers, compared with .196 in 51 at-bats against lefties.
All three have value off the bench because they can play multiple other positions -- catcher for Hicks; both corner outfield spots for Johnston; and third base and the corner outfield spots for Wagaman.
Deyvison De Los Santos, acquired in the July 2024 AJ Puk trade with Arizona, at some point might get a chance to compete for the first base job. But the Marlins aren’t projecting him for their 2026 opening day roster, because he’s not ready.
He finished the year hitting .241 (.311 on base) at Triple A Jacksonville, with 12 homers, 54 RBI and 99 strikeouts and 36 walks in 104 plate appearances.
The power numbers were way down from 2024, when he smacked 40 homers and drove in 120 for three teams in Double A and Triple A.
▪ The Marlins will look to supplement their outfield with a low-profile addition, similar to their savvy signing of Heriberto Hernandez to a minor-league deal last November.
Though he tailed off late in the season, impressive rookie Jakob Marsee (.292, .363 on base, five homers, 33 RBI, 18 doubles, 14 steals in 55 games) is set in center field.
Kyle Stowers obviously will start in a corner outfield spot; he started 76 games in left, 41 in right and 11 in center. Despite missing the final six weeks with an oblique injury, Stowers was the Marlins’ MVP this season, with 25 homers and 73 RBI, with a .288 average and .368 on base average in 117 games.
The Marlins must decide whether to keep around Dane Myers, who hit .235 with 31 RBI in 106 games. Derek Hill was designated for assignment.
The third outfield job likely will be filled by a combination of Griffin Conine, Hernandez and a modest free-agent addition.
Conine was limited him to 86 plate appearances (before and after April 30 shoulder surgery) and hit .253 (.314 on base) with two homers and eight RBI in 24 games.
Hernandez (.266, .347 on base, 10 homers, 45 RBI in 87 games) cooled after a fast start but looks like a functional backup or platoon player. A Conine/Hernandez platoon in left would be an option next season, unless the Marlins find someone better.
▪ The Marlins are comfortable they’ve found their starters at shortstop with Otto Lopez and at second base with Xavier Edwards. The May decision to have them switch positions was a wise move, in retrospect.
Edwards, who had been contending for the National League batting title, cooled late, finishing 11th at .283 (.343 on base) with 43 RBI and 27 steals in 139 games.
Lopez finished with 15 homers, 77 RBI and 15 steals in 143 games. He played 110 games at shortstop, committing 10 errors but was 19th in baseball in defensive runs saved (with 14) and was Defensive Player of the Month in July.
Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix made brilliant moves acquiring Lopez off waivers from San Francisco in April (two months after trading him to the Giants) and acquiring Edwards and J. T. Chargois from Tampa in exchange for Marcus Johnson and Santiago Suarez, two pitchers who remain in Class A.
▪ As we noted here, the Marlins plan to have Connor Norby (.251, .300 on base, 8 homers, 34 RBI in 88 games) and Graham Pauley (.224, .311, 11 RBI in 62 games) compete at third base.
Defensively, Pauley set a Marlins record for a third baseman in the advanced metric of outs above average. The fact his bat improved after his second big-league promotion gives him a chance to make this a competitive battle with Norby, who seemingly has more offensive upside.
A platoon is also a possibility; Pauley hits from the left side and Norby from the right side.
Max Acosta cannot be ruled out, but he didn’t hit well enough after two call-ups this season (.204 in 54 at-bats) to suggest he’s ready.
▪ As we reported here, the Marlins want to see it through with Agustin Ramirez at catcher and not have him exclusively become a DH. The likelihood (not definite, but the likelihood) is that Ramirez and Hicks will be the Marlins’ catchers to begin next season.
Elite catching prospect Joe Mack will have a chance to win a job in spring training, but we hear the Marlins would prefer if Mack starts the season in Jacksonville and comes up to the big-league team at some point next year. Mack, only 22, hit .257 (.338 on base) with 21 homers and 58 RBI in 112 games, mostly at Triple A.
At some point next season, the Marlins could have Mack, Ramirez and Hicks share catcher duties, with Hicks also playing some first base and DH, and Ramirez or Mack serving as a designated hitter on many days they’re not catching.
Ramirez finished his rookie season at .231 (.287 on base) with 21 homers, 67 RBI, 33 steals and 16 steals in 136 games. But he committed 10 errors and allowed 83 stolen bases in 91 attempts. Bendix said Ramirez “showed the ability to be a major league catcher. He needs to improve a lot to achieve that level.”
Up next: The Marlins’ plans with their pitching staff.
This story was originally published October 7, 2025 at 2:47 PM.
