Karson Milbrandt Gives Marlins Fans A Prospect Stage To Celebrate

Miami's rising star Karson Milbrandt boasts impressive stats as he gets ready to showcase his talent on a national stage at the 2026 Futures Game.

Major League Baseball has set the rosters for the 2026 Futures Game, and the Miami Marlins will be represented by right-hander Karson Milbrandt.

The game is scheduled for Sunday, July 12 at noon at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

Milbrandt, Fish On First’s No. 6 prospect, has put together a strong season across Double-A and Triple-A. In 13 starts between the two levels, he has logged a 1.63 ERA, 3.31 FIP, 12.08 K/9 and 4.61 BB/9.

A big part of the step forward has been the shape of his arsenal. His fastball has been sitting in the mid-90s more consistently than in past seasons, and he’s now mixing in three different breaking balls - a slider, curveball and sweeper - along with a new kick change. That deeper mix has also helped him against left-handed hitters, who slashed .233/.379/.295/.673 in 2025 and .131/.286/.196/.482 this season.

Milbrandt’s strongest run came early in the year with Pensacola. Over nine starts there, he posted a 1.34 ERA, 2.93 FIP, 13.40 K/9 and 3.26 BB/9.

During that stretch, he worked 27 consecutive scoreless innings, the most by a starting pitcher in Blue Wahoos history. He was also named Southern League Player of the Month in May.

Since his promotion to Triple-A, the results have been a little less tidy. In four starts, Milbrandt has a 2.33 ERA, 4.24 FIP, 8.84 K/9 and 7.91 BB/9. He has walked at least three batters in every outing, including six against Memphis most recently.

The Marlins usually send two players to the Futures Game each year, so if no injuries or other circumstances create a late opening, this will be the first time since 2022 that they are represented by just one prospect.

In Other News...

Red Sox Suddenly Face A Tough Deadline Call On A Key Starter

If the Red Sox cannot land Tarik Skubal, the trade market still offers a few arms that would change the conversation at the deadline. Joe Ryan stands out as one of the more attractive possibilities because of the control he brings through 2027, while Freddy Peralta offers the kind of pure stuff that can still make a contender dream on upside even after an uneven season. Around those names, clubs are weighing not just talent, but cost, timing and whether a seller is actually willing to part with a starter who can anchor a rotation.

That is where the Sandy Alcantara angle gets interesting for Miami watchers, even if the bigger picture is still fluid. Alcantara belongs in the same broad class of high-end starters teams would love to chase, but the Marlins have played well enough recently to complicate the usual deadline math and make their direction harder to read. For a club that has spent a lot of time in the rumor mix, that uncertainty may be the most important part of the story right now. [Read more 🡒]

Max Meyers Historic Run Ended In A Game Marlins Shouldve Taken

Max Meyers standout run finally ran into trouble at Coors Field, where the Marlins dropped a 6-3 decision to the Rockies and saw their young right-hander absorb his first loss of the 2026 season. Miami had a chance to come away with a game it probably should have taken, but Colorado got enough timely production from Mickey Moniak and Hunter Goodman to keep the pressure on throughout the night. Even with the defeat, Meyers season numbers still looked strong, as he continued to give Miami a frontline look every time he took the mound.

The bigger concern for the Marlins was the way the game slipped away after they had a path to control it. Meyer worked six innings and the final line did not fully reflect how the outing unfolded, while a defensive miscue helped open the door for Colorados go-ahead rally. Goodman kept adding to a powerful stretch at the plate, and Miami never quite found the answer after falling behind, leaving Meyers historic start intact in all but the one detail the Marlins had spent all year avoiding. [Read more 🡒]

Marlins May Be Building A Rotation The NL Wont Want Later

With a 46-41 record and a spot 5.5 games back of Atlanta, Miami has spent enough time in the race to make the rest of the National League pay attention. The rotation has been a big reason why, with Max Meyer setting the tone and Eury Perez and Sandy Alcantara already in place, giving the Marlins a core that looks a lot sturdier than the one they carried into the season.

Even with that foundation, the biggest question is still the fifth spot, where Janson Junk, Tyler Phillips, Robbie Snelling and some low-priced free-agent possibilities are all in the mix. And while Thomas White is not going to factor into the 2026 picture, the organization still sees him as part of the long-term answer, which is why this group can look more dangerous down the line than it does right now. [Read more 🡒]