Marlins' No. 2 Prospect Racks Up Strikeouts in Scoreless Spring Training Outing

JUPITER, Fla. — Robby Snelling’s latest spring audition looked a lot like a coming-out party. Miami’s No. 2 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, spun three shutout innings Thursday in the Marlins’ 2-0 victory over the Houston Astros, punching out six hitters while allowing just one single and one walk.

The 22-year-old left-hander needed only 42 pitches to navigate his outing, and he made sure every offering in his four-pitch mix was represented in the strikeout column. Astros batters were sent back to the dugout swinging at his fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup—an equal-opportunity showcase that underscored why the front office believes it could absorb the offseason departures of Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers.

Snelling’s performance continued a spring in which he has looked big-league ready. Earlier in camp he carved through a star-studded Mets lineup—Marcus Semien, Juan Soto, and Bo Bichette—on 10 pitches, retiring the side in order. Thursday’s effort against Houston pushed his Grapefruit League line to five innings, one hit, one walk, and eight strikeouts without allowing a run.

A 2022 first-round pick by San Diego, Snelling arrived in Miami as part of the 2024 trade that sent All-Star reliever Tanner Scott to the Padres. He rewarded the Marlins with a breakout 2025 season, going 9-7 with a 2.51 ERA and 166 strikeouts in 136 innings split between Double-A and Triple-A. The caveat: only 12 of his 25 starts came at the Triple-A level, leaving the organization open to the idea of additional minor-league seasoning.

With Miami projected to take a patient approach to 2026, Snelling could open the year in the minors. Yet if the 6-foot-3 southpaw keeps overwhelming hitters the way he did Thursday, the Marlins may find it difficult to keep him off the big-league mound for long.