The Miami Marlins enter 2026 with an open first-base competition featuring Christopher Morel, Liam Hicks, and Griffin Conine.
The Miami Marlins are heading into spring training having positioned themselves for a battle at first base.
After trading Eric Wagaman to the Minnesota Twins on Jan. 2, Miami enters 2026 without an established first baseman, and manager Clayton McCullough has made it clear the job is wide open.
That openness could lead to one of the more experimental spring competitions in recent Marlins memory.
McCullough told reporters at FanFest on Saturday the club expects "a lot of competition for playing time" at first base, naming Christopher Morel, Griffin Conine, and Liam Hicks as candidates.
On paper, only one of those names actually fits the traditional first-base mold.
Hicks is the most logical option. The left-handed hitter logged time at first base last season and quietly produced near-league-average offense, finishing with a 98 wRC+. More importantly, he was slightly above average against right-handed pitching, which gives the Marlins a potential platoon anchor. For a team still trying to stabilize its lineup, Hicks represents the safest defensive floor.
The wild card is Morel. Signed in December after being non-tendered by Tampa Bay, Morel brings positional flexibility and power upside, but also inconsistency. An above-average hitter early in his career, he slipped to 10-percent below league average offensively in 2025 and has struggled defensively everywhere he’s been positioned. First base would be a fresh start, but it also comes with pressure: the bat has to play if the glove doesn’t.
Conine feels more like an experiment than a plan. He has exclusively played the outfield at the professional level, and McCullough’s comments suggested openness rather than commitment. That points to spring training reps designed to expand depth rather than a serious bid to win the job outright. If Conine sees meaningful time at first base in 2026, it likely means something else has gone wrong.
The most realistic outcome is a time-share. Hicks starting against right-handers, Morel drawing starts versus lefties, and Conine serving as emergency coverage fits both the roster construction and the Marlins’ current competitive timeline. It’s not flashy, but it’s flexible -- and flexibility has been the defining trait of this phase of Miami’s rebuild.
For a team focused on development and evaluation, first base isn’t about finding a long-term star just yet. It’s about figuring out who fits -- and who doesn’t -- before the next wave arrives.
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