The Miami Marlins opened a bright note in Grapefruit League action on Sunday, topping the Washington Nationals 3-0 behind a balanced offensive showing.
Christopher Morel ignited the scoring with a triple to center field off Nationals center fielder Robert Hassell III, allowing Griffin Conine to cross home plate. Daniel Johnson followed with a sharp double to right field off Christian Franklin, scoring Maximo Acosta. Later, Heriberto Hernández capped the scoring with a solo homer to left-center off the Nationals’ pitching staff. Brian Navarreto had earlier advanced to third, setting the stage for Hernández’s blast.
Despite the solid offensive output, the Marlins faced concerning news regarding top prospect Thomas White. The 21-year-old left-hander, ranked MLB Pipeline’s No. 17 overall prospect and the top lefty pitching prospect, sustained a Grade 1 right oblique strain and will miss three to four weeks of action, effectively ending his Spring Training appearances.
Manager Clayton McCullough revealed that White initially felt discomfort during Thursday’s Grapefruit League debut against the Toronto Blue Jays, though he didn’t think much of it. In that 28-pitch outing, White allowed a two-run double to Kazuma Okamoto, issued one walk, and struck out one batter in the fourth inning, reaching a maximum velocity of 96.8 mph. According to MLB Pipeline, White typically operates with a 94-97 mph fastball that can touch 99 mph.
White entered big league camp for the first time as a non-roster invitee after an impressive 2025 season pitching across three levels—High-A Beloit, Double-A Pensacola, and Triple-A Jacksonville—helping the Jumbo Shrimp secure the Triple-A National Championship. While he was projected to start 2026 with Triple-A Jacksonville, which opens on March 27, the oblique injury may necessitate rehab starts before joining the team.
This marks consecutive days the Marlins have announced injuries to top prospects. Shortstop Aiva Arquette, MLB Pipeline’s No. 47 overall prospect, recently underwent core muscle surgery and has not participated in big league camp.
For now, the Marlins will look to maintain momentum on the field while managing the setbacks to their young talent pipeline.
