The Miami Marlins are betting big on Augustin Ramirez but one quiet move could change everything

The Miami Marlins look set behind the plate. On paper, Agustín Ramírez is the starter. Joe Mack is the future. Liam Hicks and Brian Navarreto round out the depth chart. It sounds stable. It even sounds exciting. Dig a little deeper, though, and the picture feels less certain.


Mack, one of the top defensive catching prospects in the game, is knocking on the door after being added to the 40-man roster. The organization has shown faith in its young core, reshaping the roster through trades this winter. Still, there is no proven veteran safety net behind the plate. With payroll flexibility and a clear need for stability, one quiet free-agent move could change the entire outlook before camp even begins. The question is whether Miami is willing to make it.

Current Catching Depth in Miami Marlins

The Marlins’ depth chart lists Agustín Ramírez as the primary catcher, followed by Liam Hicks, Brian Navarreto, and Joe Mack. FanGraphs’ 2026 projections show Ramírez as the starter, with Hicks as the backup. ESPN’s depth chart confirms Ramírez at catcher, while CBS Sports notes no third catcher beyond the projected starters and backups. USA TODAY Sports lists Hicks and Mack as the top two catchers, with no additional depth noted.


This setup reflects Miami’s offseason approach, including selecting Mack’s contract on November 18, 2025. The club focused on trades, highlighted by the January 20, 2026 deal that brought Bradley Blalock from Colorado in exchange for Jake Brooks.

How Joe Mack’s 1.75 second pop time sets him apart in the Miami Marlins system

Joe Mack was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the Competitive Balance Round A (31st overall) of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Williamsville East High School in New York and signed for $2.5 million. The left-handed hitting catcher, now 23, was added to the 40-man roster on November 18, 2025, making him Rule 5 eligible.

MLB.com ranks Mack among the top prospects in the system, describing him as one of the better defensive catching prospects in the game in a January 12, 2026 video analysis. Fish On First’s 2026 prospect rankings place Mack at No. 2 in the organization, citing his elite defense and a 1.75-second pop time.

Mack could reach Miami sooner than expected, especially given the club’s offseason trades and lack of first-base additions. No matter how we look at it, the best decision the Marlins could make from a 2026 competitive standpoint is to give Joe Mack a chance to start the year in the bigs.

Mack has steadily progressed through the minors, moving from Beloit to Pensacola on April 21, 2024, and receiving a spring training assignment with Miami on March 11, 2024.

The Miami Marlins have payroll space beyond Sandy Alcantara, Giancarlo Stanton, and Avisaíl García

Elias Díaz became a free agent on November 1, 2025, after the San Diego Padres declined his option. As of early February 2026, Díaz remains unsigned, listed among available free-agent catchers that include Jonah Heim, Gary Sánchez, and Christian Vázquez.

Díaz appeared in 106 games for the Padres in 2025, hitting .204 with nine home runs, 29 RBIs, and a .607 OPS over 255 at-bats. His advanced metrics included an 88.4 mph average exit velocity, a 38.7 percent hard-hit rate, and a 7.5 percent barrel rate.

His résumé also includes a 2023 All-Star season with Colorado, when he hit .267 with 14 home runs and 72 RBIs and earned All-Star Game MVP honors. Díaz spent the entire 2025 season in San Diego after signing a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2026 that was not exercised.

In an October 2, 2025 report by Craig Mish of the Miami Herald to Barry Jackson, the Marlins planned to be "active participants" in free agency ahead of 2026. Payroll flexibility remains, with only Sandy Alcantara ($17.3 million) and retained salaries for Giancarlo Stanton ($10 million) and Avisaíl García ($5 million) on the books.

Also Read: Former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig Valdés was convicted of lying to federal officials about illegal bets

Get the latest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 updates, including the full schedule, teams, live scores, points table, and key series stats such as top run-scorers and wicket-takers.