The Marlins are heading toward the finish of the 2026 season without a playoff berth, and that leaves one big question hanging over their lineup: who takes the next real leap in 2027?
For Miami, Owen Caissie looks like the obvious answer. The 24-year-old right fielder has already flashed the kind of offensive ceiling that can change the shape of a lineup, and the trade that brought him over from the Chicago Cubs in the Edward Cabrera package still looks like a steal.
Caissie’s start to the year gave the Marlins a glimpse of what he can be. In March and April, he showed plenty of promise at the plate before the season turned more complicated.
Health has been part of the issue. Caissie’s 2026 campaign ended with a lumbar stress reaction, and it was the second injury that slowed him down. Earlier in the year, a right calf strain cost him a month.
Even with the missed time, Caissie logged 108 games in his first full big-league season and posted career highs across the board: a .220/.412/.700 slash line, 14 home runs, 58 RBIs, 14 doubles and 64 hits. Those numbers matter, but the bigger point is that the production still feels like the beginning of something rather than the finished product.
The one glaring area he has to tighten up is the strikeouts. Caissie finished with 123 of them, and that’s the kind of number that can drag down a player who otherwise brings real impact. It’s a familiar issue in today’s game, but it still has to be cleaned up.
When Caissie is healthy and locked in, he gives Miami a legitimate middle-of-the-order type of threat. He already ranks fourth on the club in home runs and fifth in RBIs, and if he puts together a full, healthy season next year, those rankings should climb quickly. By next July, he’ll be 25, and the expectation is clear.
What Kyle Stowers was to the Marlins in 2025, Caissie needs to become in 2027: the player who grabs the baton and runs with it. Deep down, he knows he’s very good. Now he has to show it over a full season.
In Other News...
Eury Prez Just Opened A New Marlins Option At The Right Time
Eury Prez gave the Marlins something a little different to think about in their game against the Cubs, and at a moment when they could use it. Normally one of Miamis starters, Prez came out of the bullpen and struck out the side in a clean inning, a sharp, efficient look that stood out from the recent turbulence in his starting work. It was also part of a broader approach from manager Clayton McCullough, who has been willing to use starters in relief from time to time.
For a club still sorting through its pitching mix, the outing offered a useful reminder that Prez can be more than just a traditional rotation piece. The move did not answer every question about where he fits best long term, but it did open a fresh lane for Miami to explore at exactly the right time. If the Marlins are looking for stability and impact on the mound, nights like this at least give them another option to consider. [Read more 🡒]
Marlins Prospects Are Getting A Test That Could Shape The Next Wave
Eight Miami Marlins prospects are headed to the Arizona Fall League, where they will suit up for the Glendale Desert Dogs in a showcase that brings together top young talent from all 30 major league organizations. Among the Marlins group are outfielders Dillon Lewis and Max Williams, and the assignment gives the club another look at how its next wave handles a higher level of competition.
The league runs from Oct. 3 to Nov. 1, making it a short but useful proving ground for players who are nearing a more serious push through the system. Marlins director of player development Rachel Balkovec pointed to the prospects growth and their readiness for what the fall circuit can reveal, and for Miami the bigger question is which of these prospects can turn that opportunity into a true step forward. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Bullpen Meltdown Just Made Chicagos Clinch Much More Tense
The Cubs had every reason to think they were headed for a routine night in Miami until the game turned in the 12th inning, when the Marlins piled up six runs and sent Chicago to an 8-2 loss. It was the kind of finish that made an already tense stretch feel heavier, especially for a Cubs team that had leaned on seven pitchers and still could not keep the game from slipping away late.
Chicagos offense did little to cushion the bullpen, going 1-for-18 with runners in scoring position, even as Pete Crow-Armstrong kept adding to his breakout season by stealing his 39th base. He remains on the doorstep of a 40/40 chase, but the bigger picture for the Cubs is less about individual milestones than how quickly a night like this can tighten the pressure around a club trying to finish the job. [Read more 🡒]