Marlins crafting bright future through foundational moves

The Miami Marlins may be in full teardown mode, but that doesn’t mean fans should tune out. 

In fact, what Miami is building beneath the surface might be the blueprint for how to create a young, sustainable core in today’s MLB.

It starts with the bold decisions already made.

Last year’s deals included sending Luis Arraez to San Diego in May, then sending Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the New York Yankees and Tanner Scott to the Padres in July. Scott is now with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

These weren’t just salary dumps. Rather, they laid the groundwork for a youth movement. Three prospects, in particular, have emerged from those moves as potential cornerstones:

• Agustin Ramirez, a powerful catcher and current NL Rookie of the Year candidate

• Dillon Head, an outfielder with plus speed and solid bat-to-ball skills

• Robby Snelling, a left-handed pitcher with front-end rotation potential

That’s a real haul — and a foundation.

Then came the 2025 MLB Draft. By selecting Aiva Arquette, an advanced college bat with defensive versatility and leadership upside, Miami may have found the face of its future lineup. The plan seems to be fast-tracking him, with an MLB debut expected by early-to-mid 2026. A core of Arquette, Ramirez and infielder Graham Pauley could provide both on-field production and clubhouse identity as early as June 2026.

On the pitching side, Miami’s always been ahead of the curve — and that won’t change. Eury Perez, despite recent injury concerns, is still the crown jewel and future ace of the franchise. His presence at the top of the rotation gives Miami a legitimate star to build around. Behind him, Snelling, Thomas White and Noble Meyer round out what could be one of the best young rotations in baseball by 2027.

To truly finish this rebuild, though, Miami needs to stay aggressive. That means trading pitcher Sandy Alcantara — not just to clear salary, but to bring in multiple top-tier prospects.

While the deadline could net a decent return for Alcantara despite his struggles since his Cy Young season, his full value might only be realized in the offseason or at the Winter Meetings, once teams are desperate for pitching and confident in his health. Pitcher Edward Cabrera should be moved too and could bring back value for a team looking to contend now.

Miami’s hitting core is just as intriguing as its arms. If it all clicks, fans might be watching this lineup by 2027:

C Agustin Ramirez, 1B Deyvison De Los Santos, 2B Connor Norby, 3B Graham Pauley, SS Aiva Arquette, OF Dillon Head, OF PJ Morlando, OF Kyle Stowers

Among them, Stowers has quietly kept the Marlins somewhat relevant in 2025. A surprise All-Star this year, the 27-year-old outfielder is showing why he deserves to be considered a cornerstone of this next era. 

This new era will be defined by bold trades, smart drafting and developing from within. The names may be unfamiliar to the casual fan, but the potential is real. And with Perez leading the charge, the Marlins might be building something special.

It is a rebuild. And its future may be brighter than any of us thinks.