Catcher Joe Mack and relief pitcher Josh Ekness debuted in back-to-back games for Miami after starting the year in Jacksonville.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Two former Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp players made their Major League Baseball debuts on back-to-back days for the Miami Marlins after being called up to the team over the weekend.
Right-handed relief pitcher Josh Ekness made his major league debut Sunday, May 3, for the Marlins against the Philadelphia Phillies, throwing a perfect eighth inning in an eventual 7-2 loss for the Marlins, needing just seven pitches to get through the inning and surrendering one hard-hit ball for a groundout.
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On Monday, May 4, catcher Joe Mack followed Ekness and made his major league debut for the Marlins. He went 0-3 with one strikeout against Phillies veteran pitcher Aaron Nola.
Mack, the No. 54 overall prospect in Major League Baseball, was drafted by the Marlins in 2021 and was a key member of the Jumbo Shrimp’s 2025 team that won the Triple-A National Championship.
In 100 games for the Jumbo Shrimp, Mack slashed .250/.320/.429 with 18 doubles, 18 home runs, 53 RBIs and 58 runs scored.
He returned to the Jumbo Shrimp to start the 2026 season, slashing .244/.388/.378 with three home runs and nine RBIs in 24 games.
Ekness, 24, was drafted by the Marlins in 2023 and broke out in 2024 between Low-A Jupiter, High-A Beloit and Double-A Pensacola, posting a 1.91 ERA with 83 strikeouts over 66 innings pitched. He earned a promotion to Jacksonville at the end of 2025, where he made three appearances.
Ekness also started 2026 in Jacksonville, striking out 21 batters in 12.2 innings pitched.
Ekness and Mack are the third and fourth Jumbo Shrimp players to make their MLB debuts in 2026, joining infielder Deyvison De Los Santos for the Marlins on March 29 and pitcher Matt Pushard for the St. Louis Cardinals on March 29.