Spring Training Spotlight: Alcantara Unveils New Sweeper, White Soaks Up Wisdom in Jupiter
JUPITER, FL - The Miami Marlins' spring training is heating up early, and Day Two at the Jupiter Academy gave us a glimpse into both the present and future of the franchise. On the mound: Sandy Alcantara, the club’s ace and likely Opening Day starter, and Thomas White, the top pitching prospect in the system who’s turning heads as a non-roster invitee.
Let’s start with Alcantara, who’s entering his ninth season with the Marlins and still finding ways to evolve. On Tuesday, he debuted a brand-new sweeper during a pitch design session - tossing it nine times and drawing early praise from hitters who saw it firsthand.
So why add a sweeper to an already loaded arsenal?
“Because I throw hard, and everything I throw is hard,” Alcantara explained. “Me and [pitching coach Daniel] Moskos had a conversation last year.
We needed something with a bigger break, something slower. We finally got it.”
That’s a telling insight into Alcantara’s mindset. He’s not just refining his mechanics - he’s redefining his approach.
The goal? Add more shape and deception to a pitch mix that already features high-octane heat and a sharp changeup.
The early reviews? Positive.
Hitters said the pitch looked “great,” and it’s easy to see why. A well-shaped sweeper could be the missing wrinkle that keeps hitters from sitting on his fastball-slider combo.
Alcantara will soon head back to loanDepot park to represent the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. The early ramp-up is part of a broader effort by WBC participants to get game-ready faster. That includes Venezuela’s Javier Sanoja, who stepped in to face Alcantara during Tuesday’s session.
“Before I took the mound, I asked Moskos, ‘Hey, is Sanoja here?’” Alcantara said.
“He said, ‘No, but I can get him for you.’ So I said, ‘Okay, just put him out there.’
I know he’s very aggressive. Maybe he can get an at-bat in the WBC - let’s see what happens.”
Midway through the at-bat, Moskos yelled “DR 1-0,” and Alcantara responded with a sweeper that dropped in for a strike. A little friendly competition, sure - but also a sign of how Alcantara is already thinking in game situations.
While Alcantara fine-tunes for the international stage, Thomas White is making the most of his first big league camp. The 21-year-old lefty, widely viewed as the organization’s top prospect, faced four hitters on Tuesday and came away with more than just reps - he came away with insight.
White’s approach to spring training is refreshingly curious. He’s not just looking to throw; he’s looking to learn.
“Any pitcher,” White said when asked who he’s hoping to learn from. “I also want to talk to some hitters about approach stuff.
I threw some live BPs this offseason, and Sal Frelick was one of the hitters. I loved talking to him - he knows the zone so well.
It’s good as a pitcher to know what hitters are taking, see if you can outsmart them or use them.”
That’s the kind of mindset that separates prospects from pros. White isn’t just throwing to throw - he’s building a mental database.
He’s also rooming with Robby Snelling, the Marlins’ No. 3 prospect, who’s a year ahead of him in development. White calls Snelling a “cheat sheet” for his own growth.
White’s 2025 season was impressive on paper: a 2.31 ERA and 2.27 FIP across three minor league levels. But late in the year, a back issue threw his command off track. Over his final six starts, his walk rate jumped to 17.6% - a noticeable spike from the 11.6% he posted in the outings before that.
“I just think I wasn’t pitching like myself,” White said. “My mechanics weren’t really where I wanted them to be.
I wasn’t staying through the ball. It made the sweeper really good, but everything else - especially the command - was affected a little bit.”
This offseason, White went to work on his mechanics, specifically increasing his stride length. Last September, he averaged just six feet of extension in limited Triple-A action.
Now? He’s up to 6.8 feet, with a max of 7.1.
That’s a significant jump, and it’s helping him get closer to the plate - a key factor in making his stuff play up. The next step?
Locking in that consistency.
Around Camp:
- Braxton Garrett touched 95 mph in his live BP session on Wednesday. Manager Clayton McCullough noted the session was designed to simulate a game-like rhythm - get loose, sit down, then get back out there to mimic the feel of an actual start.
- Andrew Nardi threw two sets of 15 pitches in a pitch design session on Monday. Sitting at 91 mph in the bullpen, Nardi said he felt a little stiff after a five-minute break - not surprising, considering he hasn’t gone through that kind of routine in over a year. Next up for Nardi: live BP sometime next week.
Bottom Line:
Tuesday’s action in Jupiter gave us a little bit of everything - a Cy Young winner adding a new weapon, a top prospect soaking up knowledge, and a few other arms getting back into rhythm. It’s early, but the tone is already being set. The Marlins are building something - and with Alcantara leading the charge and White on the rise, the foundation looks strong.