The Miami Marlins have no shortage of young pitching, but Karson Milbrandt is a name worth watching as the organization prepares for the 2027 season.

Selected by Miami in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft, 85th overall, Milbrandt endured an uneven professional career. Yet the 6-foot-2 right-hander has continued to flash the kind of raw stuff that made him an intriguing draft selection in the first place.

Now, he may be approaching an opportunity to put it all together.

Milbrandt's 2025 season represented an important step forward. After beginning the year on the injured list with right elbow tendinitis, he returned to the mound, improved his control and earned a late-season promotion to Double-A. His performance also earned him a spot in the Arizona Fall League's Fall Stars Game, providing another indication that the Marlins still view him as an important part of their pitching pipeline.

The attraction starts with his arsenal, and for good reason. Milbrandt's fastball averages around 95 mph and can reach 98, with impressive rise that makes it elevate perfectly in the strike zone. His deep repertoire also includes a mid-80s sweeper that he locates well and uses to generate plenty of chase. An upper-80s gyro slider and low-80s curveball give him additional avenues to produce swings and misses.

His changeup, which features fade and sink, remains a distant fifth pitch. But he doesn't necessarily need five quality offerings to become a viable starter.

Milbrandt's lack of consistent strike-throwing has been the primary obstacle to his development and remains the factor that could ultimately push him toward a relief role. The Marlins have emphasized attacking the zone, however, and Milbrandt took a step in that direction in 2025. He also added good weight while maintaining an athletic delivery that he repeats well.

Perhaps most importantly, he has demonstrated an ability to handle opposite-handed hitters, an encouraging trait for a potential starter.

This season, the up-and-comer has been shaky for the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, and in any normal circumstance, the hurling hopeful wouldn't be on the radar for a roster spot. He's gone 4-9 with a 5.42 ERA and 132 strikeouts in 111.1 innings pitched. However, those numbers were inflated at Triple-A, where he's gone 0-8 and has a double-digit earned run average. That's not a good sign for his progress.

At the same time, the Marlins will also face a decision next offseason. Milbrandt must be added to the 40-man roster or risk exposure to the Rule 5 Draft. Considering he's the number-five prospect in the organization, it's almost impossible to fathom the Fish letting him leave that easily. And they need to fill the back of the 2027 rotation, so giving the kid a long look at Spring Training shouldn't

That makes the 2026 offseason pretty pivotal for the prospect. If he can turn his improved control into consistent strike-throwing, Miami could have more than an intriguing prospect on its hands. It could have another young arm capable of competing for a rotation job.

He's already shown the stuff.
Now, Milbrandt needs the opportunity to prove he can harness it.