Can Marlins Prospect Deyvison De Los Santos Rebound From MLB Struggles?

The Miami Marlins have seen plenty of reasons to believe in Deyvison De Los Santos during his minor league career, but unfortunately, translating his toolset to the top level has been tough for the young, Dominican prospect.

De Los Santos put together an impressive  offensive stat line in with the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp this season, De Los Santos hit a solid .277 with 21 home runs, 70 RBI, and 18 stolen bases, finishing with an .838 OPS in 379 at-bats. Those numbers showcased a hitter who can do damage in multiple ways rather than just swing for the fences... and a potential 30-home run guy for the Marlins down the road.

Unfortunately, his  sample size in the bigs was like jumping into an ice-cold bath. Across 42 plate appearances in 2026, De Los Santos collected just six hits, for a .143 average and a disappointing .353 OPS. He failed to hit a homer or drive in a run during that cup of coffee. While a 42-at-bat sample isn't any reason to label him as a big-league bust, the gap between his Minor League pop and Major League punchouts is a bit overwhelming.

A lot of his success will lie with Miami's group of hitting coaches, who can help him adjust his approach in the box. De Los Santos has shown he can mash Triple-A pitching, but thriving in the majors requires laying off chase pitches outside the zone, making adjustments on offspeed pitches, and barreling up high-heat fastballs when opposing pitchers challenge him.

However, moving forward, De Los Santos cannot rely solely on slugging reputation; he must show make consistent contact and put together quality at-bats against big-league arms. Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix has faith that the prodigious prospect can put it all together going forward.

"“He knows that he needs to work on his pitch selection," Bendix has stated. "He knows that he needs to work on his plate discipline, and he knows that at the big league level, if you have a big weakness, pitchers are going to exploit it.”

Even so, dismissing his outlook would be premature. Only 23 years old, De Los Santos still has room to grow, and his minor league production in 2026 proved that his offensive upside is very real. That raw power remains a prized commodity for an organization seeking to build a more potent lineup.

The real test is turning that potential into regular results. While another strong campaign in the minors would be promising, it won't answer the most obvious question at this point: Can he produce at the game's highest level?

The best-case scenario for the Marlins is straightforward. They hope De Los Santos establishes himself as a genuine power threat rather than joining the ranks of prospects whose minor league numbers fail to transfer to the majors. However, with rival prospects pressing for opportunities, the organization's patience will have its limits.

De Los Santos has already displayed his power and ability to drive the ball. Now, he must prove he can consistently hit major-league pitching. 2027 prospects will depend on how rapidly he makes that transition.