Joe Mack News: Making case for Opening Day roster
Mack went 1-for-3 with a grand slam in the Marlins' Grapefruit League game against the Phillies on Tuesday.
The fifth-inning blast came off minor-league pitcher Andrew Walling, but it was still a statement of intent from Mack that he's not interested in heading back to Triple-A Jacksonville to begin the season. The top catching prospect slashed .252/.323/.463 in 98 games last year with the Jumbo Shrimp, slugging 18 homers, and his defense looks ready for the majors already, although he was charged with a throwing error on a pickoff attempt Tuesday. Mack's biggest hurdle to a spot on the 26-man roster is the fact that Agustin Ramirez and Liam Hicks are ahead of him on the depth chart, but Ramirez still has a lot of work to do on defense to prove he's capable of sticking behind the plate long term. A rough start to 2026 with the glove for the 24-year-old could open the door for Mack to make his MLB debut early in the season.
