\u25aa Shortstop Aiva Arquette (Marlins\u2019 No. 2 overall prospect, per MLB.com): The No. 7 pick of the 2025 Draft missed the start of the season after undergoing core muscle surgery, then drove in 14 runs at High A Beloit before being promoted to Double A Pensacola, where he\u2019s hitting .256 (.305 on-base) with nine homers and 30 RBI in 42 games.<\/p>\n
Some inside the Marlins believe he will be ready for the big leagues by early next season, if an expected lockout doesn\u2019t wipe out the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe hit three balls over 100 mph [over a few days recently],\u201d said Hector Crespo, the Marlins\u2019 director of minor-league field operations.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe can really impact the baseball. There\u2019s hard contact there. The next step is becoming more consistent with more pitches that he\u2019s attacking and making good swing decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Defensively, the Marlins have played him 40 games at shortstop and five at second base.<\/p>\n
\u201cI still think he\u2019s a really good shortstop,\u201d Crespo said. \u201cThe way he moves to receive the ball is better than most.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u25aa Shortstop Jacob Lombard (fourth overall): Drafted 14th overall in July and given a $5 million signing bonus, Lombard made his professional debut with Low A Jupiter and hit a home run in the same game. The 18-year-old former Gulliver Pinecrest star is hitting just .194 in 19 games but has a .322 on-base average, with three homers and 13 RBI.<\/p>\n
Of course, many high picks out of high school struggle initially with pitching in the minors. A better gauge will be his performance next season. Minor-league games will continue even during a major league lockout.<\/p>\n
The Marlins believe he has star potential, at shortstop or second base.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has some of the most elite athleticism for an 18-year-old that I\u2019ve ever seen,\u201d Crespo said. \u201cThe way he moves, his defensive upside, it\u2019s as high upside as anyone in our system. He controls the strike zone, doesn\u2019t chase [balls out of the strike zone].\u201d<\/p>\n
He swung and missed too much for the liking of some teams during play at the Cape Cod summer league last year, but Crespo said: \u201cWe feel we can help with our offensive approach with swing and miss.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u25aa Outfielder Cam Cannarella (sixth): The former Clemson outfielder, selected in the compensatory stage of the first round of the 2025 Draft (43rd overall), has had a breakout season, hitting .394 with three homers and 22 RBI in 19 games at High A Beloit and then hitting .344 (.453 on-base) with nine homers and 23 RBI in 34 games at Double A Pensacola.<\/p>\n
He has hit well (.282, .403 on-base) since his promotion to Triple A Jacksonville, but with less power (two homers, seven RBI in 33 games).<\/p>\n
The Marlins have been leaning toward keeping him in the minors this season so that he can get minor-league at bats during a potential lockout.<\/p>\n
\u25aa Shortstop\/second baseman Starlyn Caba (seventh): The key prospect acquired in the Dec. 2024 Jesus Luzardo deal with the Cubs, Caba remains a defensive wizard with base-stealing acumen (he\u2019s 21 for 22 on steals), but his bat still needs developing.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s hitting .236 (.389 on-base) with seven homers and 47 RBI in 82 games at High A Beloit. He\u2019s only 20, so it\u2019s too soon to make any grand conclusions.<\/p>\n
\u25aa Outfielder Kemp Alderman (eighth): He has had a good year at Triple A Jacksonville \u2014 .256, .340 on-base, 18 homers, 57 RBI in 94 games. But he\u2019s still striking out too much (128 in 394 plate appearances), and the Marlins so far have declined to promote him.<\/p>\n
He\u2019ll need to be moved to the 40-man roster before a potential lockout begins Dec. 1; otherwise, he would be subjected to the Rule 5 draft.<\/p>\n
\u25aa Third baseman Brayden Taylor (10th): Acquired in the Hicks trade with Tampa, the 19th overall pick of the 2023 Draft has struggled in his first 22 games at Triple A Jacksonville (.169, .365 on-base, two homers, seven RBI). He hasn\u2019t yet been able to build on his good work earlier this year at Double A Montgomery (.284, 17 homers, 56 RBI in 88 games).<\/p>\n
\u25aa Outfielder Dillon Lewis (11th): The Marlins coveted Lewis in the Ryan Weathers trade with the Yankees \u2014 a deal that also delivered prospects Brendan Jones, Dylan Jasso and Juan Matheus, who was promoted to Jacksonville this week. But while Lewis\u2019 ceiling is high, the strikeout totals have been, too (103 in 327 plate appearances).<\/p>\n
He\u2019s hitting .237 (.303 on-base) with 17 homers and 45 RBI in 80 games. Like several of the prospects acquired, the production hasn\u2019t yet matched the hype.<\/p>\n
As MLB.com<\/a> noted: \u201cMiami\u2019s front office was eager to add Lewis in no small part because of his power potential. The right-handed slugger produces top-of-the-line exit velocities, up to 113.9 mph last year, and has plenty of raw strength \u2014 some stiff swing mechanics make it likely that he\u2019ll maintain a below-average hit tool \u2014 he\u2019s had particular struggles with in-zone contact.\u201d<\/p>\n \u25aa Outfielder Compton (13th): The Marlins\u2019 2025 second-round pick (out of Arizona State) has been on an impressive power trip, hitting 33 homers with 94 RBI in 109 games at High A Beloit and Double A Pensacola before his promotion to Jacksonville. Naturally, he homered in his first game there on Wednesday; that gave him 34 for the season, sixth in minors.<\/p>\n His Double A numbers were staggering: .321 (.421 on-base) with 21 homers and 54 RBI in 50 games. The Marlins have played him in the corner outfield spots and DH.<\/p>\n Per Baseball America, he is the only minor-league player this season with 30-plus homers, 20-plus stolen bases and a .275 average.<\/p>\n \u25aa Shortstop Santiago Solarte (14th): The 17-year-old international signing \u2014 who\u2019s already a physical presence at 6-5 and 200 pounds \u2014 can play shortstop and third and is hitting .339, with 10 homers and 47 RBI in 52 games in the Dominican League.<\/p>\n Per MLB.com\u2019s scouting report, \u201cthe Venezuela native immediately stands out for his physical strength with near-top-of-the-line exit velocities from the left side of the plate. He will have as much upside as anyone in the Marlins\u2019 system if he can tap into his tremendous tools.\u201d<\/p>\n Up next: How the Marlins\u2019 top pitching prospects have done this season.<\/p>\n This story was originally published September 3, 2026 at 12:14 PM.<\/p>\n
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