Marlins’ Bendix with insight on players acquired for Weathers, rotation, 3B
The Marlins see upside in all four prospects they acquired from the Yankees for Ryan Weathers on Tuesday.
But a Wednesday afternoon Zoom session with Marlins executive Peter Bendix crystallized why the Marlins particularly coveted and were thrilled to get outfielder Dillon Lewis, who was rated by Baseball America as the Yankees’ No. 8 prospect.
“His tools are really fantastic,” Bendix said.
“He hits the ball incredibly hard. He’s incredibly fast. He’s an excellent, excellent center fielder and he’s just beginning to tap into what he could do. He has a tremendous athletic gift. His performance in High A was better than his performance in Low A. That doesn’t happen, especially for a player drafted so recently (2024). There’s a tremendous ceiling for Dillon.”
The Marlins asked about Lewis when they were discussing dealing Edward Cabrera to the Yankees. Miami instead traded Cabrera to the Cubs for three players, including top outfield prospect Owen Caissie.
Lewis, selected in the 13th round of the 2024 draft out of Queens University of Charlotte, hit .237 (.321 on base) with 22 homers and 79 RBI in 122 games in two levels of A ball last season. He can play all three outfield positions.
Bendix addressed the other players acquired in the trade:
▪ Outfielder Brendon Jones, whom Baseball America rated as the Yankees’ No. 13 prospect, “is a very well-rounded player, good in center field,” Bendix said. “Puts the bat on the ball. Makes good decisions. There’s a little bit more power to get to. Steals a lot of bases. There’s not much he’s not good at. Those players in a lot of different ways can impact a major league team.”
Jones, drafted in the 12th round out of Kansas State in 2024, hit .245 (.359 on base) with 11 homers and 69 RBI in 124 games at High A and Double A last season. He also can play all three outfield spots.
▪ Infielder Dillon Jasso “is someone we think really can hit,” Bendix said. “That’s the primary skill. Corner infielder, probably not as good a defender as these other players but still a good defender. Someone we think can really hit his way to the big leagues.”
Jasso, a 22-year-old corner infielder and second baseman, hit .257 (.326 on base) with 13 homers and 76 RBI at Double A Somerset last season.
▪ Infielder Juan Matheus “is a switch hitting 21 year infielder. We think he’s very good third baseman, somebody who can play shortstop as well. Another player who does a lot of things well. He doesn’t strike out. Steals a lot of bases. We think there’s emerging power there. It’s hard to find all of those ingredients in someone... who is a good defender there.”
Matheus hit .275 (.365 on base) with 66 RBI and 32 doubles in 123 games at two levels of A ball last season.
Overall, “we got a package of players that we thought was too good to pass up,” Bendix said. “That’s really what it comes down to… We were able to add a tremendous amount of talent to our organization.”
As for the rotation, with Cabrera and Weathers dealt, the Marlins 2026 rotation to open the season -- health permitting -- is expected to be Sandy Alcantara, Eury Perez and three among Braxton Garrett, Max Meyer, Janson Junk, Ryan Gusto and Adam Mazur.
“We have a lot of guys we think really highly of,” Bendix said. “Pitchers are volatile. Pitchers get hurt. We know that. But we’ve seen really good things from a lot of those guys and we think there’s really good things in some of the younger guys.”
Bendix wouldn’t rule out another veteran starter, but reiterated he still “feels really good about the amount of starting depth we have.”
Asked whether top prospects Thomas White and Robby Snelling are best served starting the season in the minors or whether they will be given a chance to win rotation spots in the spring, Bendix said: “It’s Jan. 14. That’s what we have spring training for. Those guys have incredibly bright futures. When exactly their opportunity comes I don’t know.”
This and that
Bendix said Connor Norby and Graham Pauley are “probably the front-runners” at third base; there will be a competition there.
▪ Bendix suggested first base would sort itself out before the start of the season.
At this point, there are five viable options: outfielders Griffin Conine and Heriberto Hernandez, catcher/first baseman Liam Hicks, former Tampa Bay player Chris Morel and Norby, if Pauley wins the third base job.
“We have a lot of good players and it’s not entirely clear the best way to put them together on a nightly basis,” Bendix said. “That’s why we value versatility. That’s why we value flexibility.”
▪ Bendix: “I’m really happy with the state of the organization. We executed our goal this offseason of adding an enormous amount of talent to the organization, talent spread across all levels.”
This story was originally published January 14, 2026 at 4:06 PM.
