Miami Marlins: Origins for the Current Active Roster

Have you ever wondered where each of the current Miami Marlins‘ players came from? What about where they played before, and how they got to Miami? Were they traded for, signed, or drafted? Those are only a few questions that could hopefully be answered in this article.

Where do the players on the Miami Marlins active roster come from?

The Marlins current active roster may be a bit unfamiliar to fans as much of the regulars are on the IL. Out of playoff contention, Miami will most-likely play many of their younger players for a remainder of the 2021 season meaning the current active roster may be unknown to some fans.

So why not discuss where the current active roster comes from? To do this, I have decided to use the Marlins active roster as of August 10, 2021, beginning with the starting rotation.

Starting Rotation

Sandy Alcantara – Trade

The current ace of the Marlins staff, Alcantara however did not begin begin his professional career in the Miami organization. Signing as a free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals back in July of 2013, Alcantara emerged as a top pitching prospect in the Cardinals system before he was traded along with others to Miami in December of 2017 as the focal point of a deal that sent Marcell Ozuna to St. Louis. Now in year four in the Marlins organization, the 25-year-old right-hander has posted a combined 3.69 ERA in 68 starts with Miami, which also includes a 2019 NL All-Star selection.

Zach Thompson – Free Agency

One of the greatest surprises of the 2021 Marlins season has been Thompson, a 27-year-old right-hander who has posted a 3.09 ERA through 10 starts in his first big league action. Originally a 48th Round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2011 MLB Draft, Thompson opted-to attend UT-Arlington for three seasons before being selected in the 5th Round of the 2014 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox. Thompson would spend seven seasons in the White Sox organization before being granted free agency in November of 2020 where he would shortly after sign with Miami as a free agent.

Braxton Garrett – Draft

The first player on this list to spend his entire professional career in the Marlins system, Garrett was selected in the First Round (No. 7 overall) out of high school in the 2016 MLB Draft. The Marlins current No. 7 prospect, Garrett has made six starts in the big leagues this season posting a 4.65 ERA.

Jesus Luzardo – Trade

One of the newest members of the Marlins organization, Luzardo was originally drafted by the Washington Nationals in the Third Round of the 2016 MLB Draft. Traded to the Oakland Athletics in 2017 as part of a multi-player deal, Luzardo would reached the big leagues as one of the Athletics top prospects in 2019. The 23-year-old southpaw was traded to Miami back in July in a deal that sent Starling Marte to Oakland.