The Miami Marlins have done well in signing some of their top draft picks from the 2026 MLB Draft. Two of the top three Miami selections in the 2026 MLB Draft have signed at underslot values. This benefits the Marlins and saves them bonus pool money.
First-round pick Jacob Lombard signs with Miami
Miami’s first-round draft pick was a local high school prospect in Jacob Lombard. Lombard, who was committed to the Miami Hurricanes, played baseball for the Gulliver Preparatory School. The school is in nearby Pinecrest, Fla., which is about 20 minutes south of the Marlins’ home ballpark, loanDepot Park.
Lombard was selected by Miami with the 14th overall pick. This was an unexpected drop for the South Florida high schooler. Thus, the Marlins may have a “steal” on their hands from the first round of this draft.
According to MLB Pipeline, Lombard was the second-highest-ranked high school draft prospect and the number five overall draft prospect. This projected him as possibly a top five pick heading into the 2o26 MLB Draft in Philadelphia.
The only high school prospect who was ranked higher than Lombard was Grady Emerson. The Fort Worth Christian School prospect went second overall in the 2026 MLB Draft to the Tampa Bay Rays.
On Thursday, July 16, Lombard officially signed with the Miami Marlins for $5 million. His pick value was $5.44 million, which makes it an underslot signing.
Sam Houston’s Ryan Peterson signs with the Marlins
Another underslot signing for the Miami Marlins was with their third pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, Ryan Peterson. Peterson is a right-handed pitcher who Miami drafted with the 71st overall pick in Competitive Balance Round B.
The right-hander wrapped up a solid 2026 college baseball season with the Sam Houston Bearkats. In 88 innings of work, Peterson had a 3.38 ERA and 105 strikeouts. He was third in Conference USA in ERA and second in strikeouts.
Peterson earned six wins on the mound for Sam Houston in 2026 and pitched a complete-game shutout against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on March 27.
Peterson ended up signing with the Marlins for $897,500, according to Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo. Like the Lombard signing, this was an underslot deal. The pick value for Peterson was $1.19 million.
Between the Lombard and Peterson signings, Miami saved around $740,000 in bonus pool money.
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PHOTO: The Miami Marlins logo is displayed at loanDepot Park with the downtown Miami skyline in the background, Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
