When the Marlins approached the trade deadline, they were trying to do two things at once: stay in the National League Wild Card chase and keep feeding a rebuild that has been moving in the right direction. Peter Bendix and Miami managed to walk that line without losing sight of either goal.
Now, as September arrives, the payoff looks pretty clear. Miami sits at 69-69 with 24 games left in the ’26 season, still hanging around in the race.
The Marlins are four games back of the San Diego Padres, while the Arizona Diamondbacks sit in between. Arizona is only a half-game out, and the two clubs keep swapping places for that third spot.
But the bigger story may be what Miami added for the long haul. Among the deadline arrivals, Brayden Taylor stands out as a name Marlins fans should keep an eye on. The infielder looks like someone who could be part of the big-league picture in 2027, and he brings a rare mix of power and speed to the organization.
Taylor is currently with the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, and his season line shows exactly why Miami wanted him: .265 with 19 home runs, 63 RBI and 26 stolen bases in 377 at-bats. The Marlins landed him in the deal that sent pitcher Liam Hicks to the Tampa Bay Rays, with Taylor, shortstop Adrian Santana and right-handed pitcher Jacob Kisting heading to South Florida.
A former first-round pick by Tampa Bay in the 2023 LB Draft out of Texas Christian University, Taylor was at Double-A Montgomery when the trade was made. He has since handled Triple-A pitching well and appears to be trending toward a spot on Clayton McCullough’s roster in 2027.
His profile is backed up by the official MLB scouting report, which notes:
"In 2025, Taylor was guilty of putting too many balls high up in the air without the power to push them out of the ballpark... This season, his hands are relaxed in a lower position, and not only is he stinging the ball more as a result, [but] he has also cut down nicely on his swing-and-miss by being more on plane."
In Other News...
Marlins Man Is At The Center Of A Bizarre StubHub Fight
Laurence Leavy, better known around baseball as Marlins Man, has found himself in the middle of a strange ticket dispute that has spilled beyond the ballpark and onto social media. Leavy says StubHub sold him seats with numbers that do not exist, a claim that turned into a tense back-and-forth with the company over what should have been a straightforward guarantee.
Leavy says he spent about an hour arguing with a StubHub supervisor, and the disagreement has only grown louder as he has publicly pressed the issue online. He has even raised the possibility of legal action, though there is still no confirmation that StubHub broke its policies, leaving the fight to sit in an awkward gray area for now. [Read more 🡒]
Marlins September Callups Could Force Tougher Roster Decisions Soon
The Marlins September roster moves brought a familiar kind of late-season juggling, with infielder Graham Pauley and right-hander Bradley Blalock joining the active group as Miami looks to cover innings and keep the infield steady. Pauleys addition gives the club another option after Xavier Edwards was hurt, while Blalock arrives after spending the year as a steady presence in the Triple-A Jacksonville rotation.
What makes both callups more than simple depth moves is the long view attached to each player. Pauley and Blalock are both out of minor league options after the 2026 season, which means every decision Miami makes now carries a little extra weight beyond September, especially if either player shows enough to complicate the roster picture going into next year. [Read more 🡒]
Marlins Fans Are Still Waiting On Most Of This Draft Class
The Marlins have taken an unusually patient approach with most of their 2026 draft class, holding back professional debuts while the organization tries to build these players up physically before they ever face minor league competition. Only four draftees have gotten into minor league games so far, and the biggest delay has come with the pitchers, who are not expected to take the mound in games until 2027. For a fan base eager to see the newest arrivals, it has been a slow rollout, but one that fits a broader developmental plan.
Nic Tolbert said the club is putting the emphasis on training and physical development first, with an intense program designed to prepare players for the grind ahead rather than rush them into action. That approach leaves most of the class out of sight for now, even as a few names have already started logging game action and early statistics in the minors. For Miami, the question is less about when these players were drafted and more about how long the organization is willing to wait before letting the class really begin to take shape. [Read more 🡒]