Marlins top pitching prospect lands on IL with concerning injury

Miami Dolphins starting pitcher Robby Snelling. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Marlins top pitching prospect Robby Snelling lands on IL with concerning injury

By Vanessa Serrao | Last updated May 13, 2026 7:58 PM ET

The Miami Marlins have received unfortunate news with their top pitching prospect, Robby Snelling. Just one week after making his MLB debut on May 8, he is now on the IL with a left UCL elbow strain.

The 22-year-old, following his debut, threw a between-starts bullpen session on May 12 to get ready for his next start (May 14). After the session, the rookie started to feel pain in his left elbow. He was placed on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday, diagnosed with a UCL sprain.

Snelling recently got called up to the majors following a dominant performance (1.86 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 44 strikeouts) with Triple-A Jacksonville. But now, a promising young pitcher's start to his MLB career has been interrupted by an elbow injury.

Braxton Garrett will replace Snelling.

We’ve made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/g1x7D3gFZO
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) May 13, 2026

Robby Snelling's MLB season gets put on hold due to an elbow injury

While he initially struggled with control on the mound, allowing three runs in his first inning, he then threw four straight scoreless frames.

His fastball also reached 97.2 mph, and he used his arsenal effectively by relying on secondary pitches (changeup and curveball) that generated high whiff rates.

These tools illustrate his high-upside potential. The rookie was hoping to settle down in the rotation, but he is now looking at possibly missing significant time.

It's too soon to know if Snelling will require surgery. But when it comes to a UCL sprain, it usually isn't a quick recovery. This injury could impact and jeopardize the remainder of his 2026 season. It might also restrict his development as a top prospect.

The severity of the injury is still being evaluated. It's a tough break for Snelling and the Marlins, who are already dealing with some pitching injuries.

Vanessa Serrao

Serrao is a freelance baseball writer who has covered all MLB teams, with particular expertise on the Toronto Blue Jays. She is a member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America.

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