The Marlins came away from the 2026 MLB Draft with a mix of safer bets and bigger swings, but when it comes to pure upside, three names rise to the top: Jacob Lombard, Rintaro Sasaki and Ryan Peterson.
Lombard is the one who jumps off the page first. Miami took the local prep shortstop with the No. 14 pick, and MLB Pipeline had him ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the class.
He brings a rare blend of traits for a high school infielder: he’s six-foot-three, has plus speed and enough raw power to dream on a future power-speed threat at the big-league level. Add in a glove that gives him a real chance to stick in the middle infield, and the Marlins have a shortstop with star-caliber athleticism if the hit tool comes along.
The swing-and-miss is part of the package, but the ceiling is obvious. If it all clicks, Miami could have a player with franchise-face potential and local ties.
Sasaki is a different kind of bet, but the upside is just as loud. Miami grabbed the Stanford first baseman in the eighth round and is banking on the bat to carry him.
In 2026, he hit .262/.403/.549 with 16 home runs, 47 RBI and 45 walks in 54 games at Stanford. Then he went to the MLB Draft Combine and showed off even more juice, with MLB.com reporting a 458-foot home run and a 115.4 mph max exit velocity.
That kind of raw pop is rare even among first-round talents, which is why his eighth-round slot makes him so intriguing. The defensive home is limited to first base or designated hitter, so there isn’t much margin for error - but if the offense translates, Sasaki could end up looking like one of the biggest steals in the class.
Peterson may not have the same athletic flash as Lombard or the same eye-popping power as Sasaki, but he gives Miami something else: a pitcher with real weaponry. His breaking ball stands out as one of the best in the class, and his fastball sits in the low-to-mid-90s while playing up because of his command, spin and clean mechanics.
He also proved plenty at Sam Houston, where he earned first-team All-CUSA honors in a breakout season. If the Marlins keep refining the fastball-curveball mix and build out the rest of his arsenal, Peterson could become more than just a polished college arm.
He has a chance to turn into one of Miami’s better pitching finds from this draft.
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