So the casual sports fan would be forgiven for not knowing who's on the roster these days.
Too bad, really, because while you weren't looking, the Marlins found themselves a genuine feel-good story: They have an honest-to-goodness All-Star slugger lighting up the league this year. His name is Kyle Stowers.
Yes, it's totally okay to ask: Who the heck is that?
KYLE STOWERS
— MLB (@MLB) July 19, 2025
WALK-OFF BLAST
ARE YOU KIDDING?! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/V9AF0js8a6
Seriously, Who Is This Guy?
Kyle Stowers is a 27-year-old left-handed outfielder who took the scenic route to MLB relevance. A Stanford junior whom the Baltimore Orioles drafted in the second round in 2019, he spent years buried on their depth chart, just another name behind the top prospects getting all the hype.He wasn't bad. But he wasn't good. He mostly rode the pine. (In retrospect, he was the perfect Marlins player.)
When the Fish picked him up at last year's trade deadline, they put him right to work. But you probably didn't notice; in 50 games, he slashed a microscopic .186/.262/.195 and struck out once every three plate appearances.
Then, boom! This season, Stowers is shipping more bombs than the United States military. He's delivering walk-offs. As of Sunday's action, his 2025 slash line sits at .295/.372/.556, including 21 home runs and 59 RBI. That was plenty to prompt MLB to extend him an invite to Truist Park in Atlanta to participate in last week's All-Star Game festivities as the Marlins' sole representative.
That's more than merely good-for-a-Marlins-player production, that's good production from a certain ex-Marlin the Yankees paid $325 million to bang baseballs around the yard for 13 years back in 2015. (Stowers is reportedly pulling down $768,200 — essentially the Major League minimum.)
How the Marlins Got HimThe Miami Marlins today announced that the team has acquired infielder Connor Norby and outfielder Kyle Stowers from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for left-handed starting pitcher Trevor Rogers. pic.twitter.com/1JGCOOYcEE
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 30, 2024
In a move that might go down as one of the franchise's all-time steals, the Marlins acquired Stowers and infielder Connor Norby from Baltimore in exchange for southpaw starting pitcher Trevor Rogers, a 2021 Rookie of the Year runner-up who'd lost his mojo and most of his velocity.
At the time, it appeared to be a minor exchange of spare parts. Like Stowers, Rogers didn't show much promise with his new team last year but appears to be rebounding nicely of late. And Stowers is beating up baseballs like they're going out of style. Plus, he's six-two, blonde, and looks like a country music star who moonlights as a Disney Channel dreamboat.
Trade grade: A+!
The Miami Marlins will not be trading Kyle Stowers. The deadline will certainly have it’s fair share of rumors and discussions but he will not be a player they move.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) July 19, 2025
Why You Should Care
Why care about the newest future ex-Marlin? Because if you've been emotionally unavailable to the home nine for years now, Stowers presents the perfect soft launch back into the relationship. Think of him as an olive branch from Peter Bendix, the team's president of baseball operations.You don't have to commit. You don't have to pretend the Marlins are going to win the division. You don't even have to learn how to pronounce anyone's name. However, you should be familiar with Kyle Stowers. Not only because he's absolutely raking the baseball, but because he represents a chance to determine if the Marlins have changed their ways.
Stowers won't be eligible for arbitration until 2027, and he'll remain under team control through 2029. That gives the Marlins four more years of potentially All-Star-level production at cut-rate prices. And if the Marlins love one thing, it's cheap labor that outperforms.
So, who is Kyle Stowers? He's the feel-good story we didn't ask for but desperately needed and are ecstatic to accept. And if this magic ride keeps going, he might just be the reason you dust off that teal cap and hum "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" en route to LoanDepot Park.
