The Marlins are still in the playoff mix, but their deadline sell-off has given the farm system another noticeable jolt.
Dealing Liam Hicks and Braxton Garrett didn’t bring back headline-grabbing names on the level of Robby Snelling or Owen Caissie, but it did add more depth to a system that keeps getting reinforced through trades. At the midseason update to every team’s Top 30 Prospects list, Miami now has 11 ranked prospects acquired via trade, trailing only the Nationals, who have 12.
That pattern has become hard to miss. The Marlins picked up Snelling and outfielder Dillon Head from the Padres in the May 2024 Luis Arraez deal, then landed shortstop Starlyn Caba from the Phillies six months later in the Jesús Luzardo trade. Last offseason brought more additions: Caissie and shortstop Cristian Hernandez from the Cubs for Edward Cabrera, plus outfielder Dillon Lewis, infielder Juan Matheus and outfielder Brendan Jones from the Yankees for Ryan Weathers.
The Hicks and Garrett deals followed the same script, even if the returns skewed more toward volume than star power. From Tampa Bay came Brayden Taylor, a versatile infielder who made mechanical tweaks at the plate and is now producing more like the player who once sat on the Top 100 two years ago.
The Rays also sent right-hander Jacob Kisting, whose 24.2 percent K-BB rate ranks third in the Minors and whose 1.58 ERA is fourth. His velocity is only middling, but his pair of changeups have been especially tough on lefties.
Miami also added switch-hitting shortstop Adrian Santana, the 31st overall pick in the 2023 Draft. He’s a high-end athlete and defender, though power isn’t really part of his game, and he can create damage on the bases.
The Garrett trade brought back Jonathon Long, a right-handed slugger who could be knocking on the Majors’ door soon as a lefty-mashing first baseman/outfielder. His contact and power numbers are down a bit this season, but he has very little left to prove in the Minors.
One of the biggest risers in the system is left-hander Nate Payne, who jumped from preseason No. 25 to No. 16.
Payne has built his game around spin and a deep mix of breaking stuff, and the 20-year-old has carried that forward after moving up to High-A Beloit. He’s getting a whiff rate of at least 29 percent on all five of his pitches, which has helped him tie for eighth in the Minors with 127 strikeouts entering Saturday.
He’s also throwing strikes far more often, nearly cutting his walk rate in half, while adding a tick of velocity to his fastball. At 6-foot-3, there may still be more to come.
Not every story in the system is moving forward. The 2023 10th overall pick was supposed to be a bounceback candidate after showing renewed velocity in the offseason, but he has barely been on the field.
Meyer dealt with a right shoulder strain in Spring Training, threw four innings over three rehab outings in June at Single-A, then went right back on the injured list. With questions already surrounding the 21-year-old’s fastball and command, another lost season leaves him even further behind.
A wave of new names also joined the list. Jacob Lombard came in at No. 4 after being selected No. 14 in the 2026 Draft.
Brayden Taylor landed at No. 10, Ethan Kleinschmit at No.
12, Ryan Peterson at No. 15, Jonathon Long at No.
19, Jacob Kisting at No. 21, Adrian Santana at No. 22 and Cam Kozeal at No.
The broader picture shows a system with a spread-out timeline. The breakdown by ETA lists five players for 2026, six for 2027, 10 for 2028, four for 2029, four for 2030 and one for 2031.
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