Agustín Ramírez admits he must improve defensively after a rocky rookie season. Can the Marlins catcher take the next step in 2026?
The Miami Marlins don’t need Agustín Ramírez to be perfect behind the plate in 2026.
They just need him to be better.
And to his credit, Ramírez isn’t pretending otherwise.
Speaking to reporters at the first day of spring workouts, -- in reporting from the Miami Herald -- Agustín Ramírez offered a blunt self-assessment of his rookie campaign: “The reality is that I have to improve.”
There was no deflection. No excuses about youth. No brushing aside the criticism.
That matters, especially when the numbers from 2025 tell a complicated story.
Offensively, Ramírez was electric for stretches. He hit 21 home runs, drove in 67 runs, stole 16 bases, and became the first rookie catcher in MLB history to reach 20 homers and 15 steals in a season. The bat was never the long-term concern.
The defense was.
Minus-14 defensive runs saved. An 8.8% caught stealing rate. Nineteen passed balls.
Those aren’t small blemishes. They’re structural issues for a position that demands reliability. Opposing teams ran at will. Pitchers occasionally struggled with rhythm. And advanced metrics placed him near the bottom tier among regular catchers.
Ramírez knows it. More importantly, he’s addressing it.
He spent the offseason focused on mobility and lateral quickness -- critical traits for blocking balls in the dirt and improving reaction time. He emphasized the mental side of catching as well: anticipating sequences, understanding pitchers’ tendencies, managing game flow.
Those refinements rarely make highlight reels, but they define whether a catcher earns long-term trust.
Manager Clayton McCullough publicly backed him, noting that Ramírez was realistic about his shortcomings and proactive in fixing them. That’s not empty coach speak. It’s an organizational bet that growth will follow humility.
And then there’s the quiet layer of pressure.
Top catching prospect Joe Mack remains in the system. The Marlins are committed to Ramírez as their primary catcher entering 2026, but they are not boxed in. If defensive progress stalls, the club has alternatives.
That’s why this spring feels pivotal.
Ramírez doesn’t need to transform into a Gold Glove defender overnight. But he does need tangible improvement. Fewer passed balls. Better footwork. Stronger throwing mechanics. Cleaner exchanges. Incremental gains that turn doubt into stability.
What makes this storyline compelling isn’t the criticism -- it’s the mindset.
“I ignore it,” Ramírez said of outside skepticism. His entire career, he noted, has been accompanied by defensive doubts. Now he’s in the majors. The only response left is development.
There’s a difference between a player who resents criticism and one who absorbs it.
If Ramírez pairs his 30-homer ambition with genuine defensive growth, the Marlins won’t just have an offensive weapon at catcher. They’ll have a cornerstone.
If not, the questions will get louder.
For now, though, the most important step has already happened.
He admitted it.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!