Although the Miami Marlins are absent from the 2026 Fall Classic, fans can still spot familiar talent competing in the World Series; multiple former Fish are pursuing a championship, headlined by two players who took very different routes to the Fall Classic.

As the Fall Classic opened on Friday night, with the Milwaukee Brewers taking a 1-0 Series lead with their 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. The two teams will play again on Saturday night, 8 PM ET, at Milwaukee's Americna Family Field.

Leading this contingent are catcher Liam Hicks and outfielder Victor Mesa, Jr., who both joined Tampa Bay following their departures from Miami during the 2026 season. Their postseason run serves as a stark reminder for the Marlins of how rapidly player trajectories can shift in Major League Baseball.

Hicks' path to the World Series is particularly remarkable. Selected by Miami from the Detroit Tigers in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft, the Canadian catcher earned a major-league roster spot without prior experience above Double-A. He made an immediate impact, recording six home runs and 45 RBIs in his 2025 rookie season, before making even greater strides the following year.

The Marlins selected the Canadian-born Hicks from the Detroit Tigers in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft, giving him a chance to reach the majors despite never playing Triple-A ball. He debuted that year, hitting six home runs and driving in 45 runs.

Hicks batted .282 with 14 home runs and 62 RBIs in 101 games for Miami before being shipped up to the Bay on August 3. The Marlins received three prospects in return: infielder Brayden Taylor, right-handed pitcher Jacob Kisting, and shortstop Adrián Santana.

The trade proved to be an opportunity for Hicks to rediscover an important part of his game, and Tampa Bay offered him a chance to catch every day for a contender. He hit a grand slam in his first game with the Rays, and he's been a vital contributor all year long.

“I really enjoyed Miami and I had really good friends there, but I also wasn’t catching that much," Hicks said after settling into his new role. "I knew that I had value as a catcher, and they had Joe (Mack), who has been a really good catcher this year and is a little younger. He’s definitely the guy that they’re kind of looking to lean on. So, if a trade happened, I was looking forward to having an opportunity to catch more often.”

Miami signed the Cuban outfielder as an international free agent in 2018, alongside his brother, Victor Víctor Mesa. After seven years in the Marlins' farm system, Mesa, Jr. finally made his major-league debut in 2025. His opportunity in Miami proved brief, however, as he appeared in just 16 games and recorded 38 plate appearances.

The Marlins ultimately moved on, but Tampa Bay provided a new destination and another chance to continue his development. Mesa's inclusion on the Rays' World Series roster represents a remarkable milestone for a player who spent years working toward a permanent place in the majors.

All those former Marlins now find themselves just a handful of victories away from a World Series ring, something neither had experienced before this season.

The Marlins have won two championships of their own. This time, though, some of their former players have a chance to celebrate October glory elsewhere.