Graham Pauley faces a crucial test at first base. Can the versatile infielder seize this opportunity and prove his staying power with the Miami Marlins?
Nobody really knows what to make of Miami Marlins infielder Graham Pauley yet.
His big-league career so far is limited to 63 games, and in those appearances, he's spent time at four different positions.
Where a guy plays doesn't matter so much as his ability to hit well, and that's not something Pauley did in 2025.
In 161 at-bats, Pauley had a .224/.311/.366 slash line, hitting four homers and driving in 11 runs.
The league average OPS+ is 100, and Pauley's was 12 points below that at 88.
But 161 at-bats are a small sample, and the Marlins like Pauley enough to have him as their Opening Day first baseman -- for now.
He's the latest subject of "Getting to Know the Fish," a Marlins Roundtable series profiling each Miami player.
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 200 pounds
Hometown: Alpharetta, Georgia
Before Miami: Before Pauley became a Marlin, he was on the San Diego Padres. He made his MLB debut March 20, 2024, when the Padres were opening the season in Japan. But Pauley ended up only playing in 13 games for San Diego before the team traded him to the Marlins at the deadline for ace reliever Tanner Scott, in a deal that also netted the Marlins lefty pitcher Robby Snelling, who is now their No. 2 overall prospect.
Last Year: In spring training, it looked like Pauley was going to start 2025 in AAA.
Then an injury to third baseman Connor Norby opened the door for Pauley to return to the bigs.
Pauley was sent down to AAA Jacksonville in late May, then called back up in mid-July, after Norby suffered another injury.
So, it's been an up-and-down career for Pauley thus far, and he might find some stability in 2026.
Outlook: It seems the only chance Pauley isn't Miami's opening-day first baseman is if the Marlins either sign a specialist at the positions or trade for one.
It's late January, so many of the top free-agent first basemen, such as Pete Alonzo, Josh Naylor, and Ryan O'Hearn, are already off the board.
The Marlins could always sign a veteran like Paul Goldschmidt or Nathanial Lowe, and if that happens, who knows what Pauley's role will be.
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