Robby Snelling’s MLB debut lasted exactly one start. The Marlins’ injury crisis deepens as another top prospect faces season-ending surgery.

“Marlins say Pitcher Robby Snelling will undergo Tommy John Surgery,” wrote Craig Mish after the news of the injury came out.

The 22-year-old left-hander will undergo TJ surgery just weeks after reaching the majors. The Marlins promoted Robby Snelling earlier this month after his dominant performances with Triple-A Jacksonville. Before his promotion, Snelling carried a 1.86 ERA with 44 strikeouts through six minor-league starts. And now, after only one MLB appearance, Miami has lost one of its most promising prospects.

Snelling made his debut against the Nationals on May 8 and pitched five complete innings. During that outing, the left-hander allowed 3 earned runs with 5 hits and 4 walks. That outing was a very tough one for the rookie, but the worst was yet to come.

Days later, Snelling reported elbow discomfort during a bullpen session just before his start against the Twins. An MRI later, it was revealed he had a sprained UCL. When the team consulted specialist Dr. Keith Meister, he recommended a Tommy John. Miami quickly placed Snelling on the 60-day injured list.

Manager Clayton McCullough addressed the situation, calling the injury disappointing for both the team and the player. McCullough said that injuries are unavoidable in baseball and promised that Snelling will return stronger.

The timing hurts Miami because the team has already suffered several losses to the IL. Pitchers Adam Mazur and Ronny Henriquez landed on the IL reserve because of elbow-related problems. Meanwhile, Griffin Conine required a hamstring surgery, while infielder Leo Jimenez was off due to concussion protocols.

For Snelling, this will be a long recovery because a Tommy John procedure is expected to take around 14 months before the pitcher is good enough to be competitive again. Snelling is expected to miss the remainder of 2026 and a part of the 2027 season. That timeline creates another developmental setback because Snelling had finally reached the majors.

But the real question for Miami now is not how long it will take for Snelling to return; it is who will replace him in the rotation. But the Marlins have more bad news on another pitching prospect.

The Marlins have news on another pitching prospect

Just when the Miami Marlins thought Wednesday’s ugly 9-1 loss was the worst news, they were in for a bad surprise. The team has to place top pitching prospect Thomas White on a 7-day IL.

MLB Pipeline currently ranks White 14 overall, making this injury a major concern. Fish On First Prospects reported the 21-year-old walked his final batter on four pitches before leaving his last game. The same report also noted White’s fastball velocity dropped noticeably during that difficult final inning on Wednesday.

Before the injury concern surfaced, Thomas White already struggled adjusting against quality Triple-A hitters in his starts. Across seven starts, White has a 4.01 ERA with only 24.1 innings pitched. In the last five Triple-A appearances, White got hit for three home runs and allowed nine runs. His last outing was the major problem because White gave up two homers in four innings.

Despite recording 25 strikeouts, White’s command issues and rising walk totals have remained difficult recently.

Miami will take White, making the IL seriously because he is not only a pitcher with a young arm but also a top prospect. He remains one of MLB’s better pitching prospects because of his strikeout numbers and how they have been improving.

With Robby Snelling also on the IL with an elbow injury, the situation becomes a lot more concerning surrounding White. Because Miami’s pitching depth already appears increasingly fragile, with others from their starting rotation on the IL.