JUPITER — Left-hander Nate Payne, a 20-year-old Miami Marlins pitching prospect who skipped a college commitment to turn pro, has posted a 2.00 ERA across his last three starts at High-A Beloit after earning the organization’s inaugural Pitcher of the Month honor at Single-A Jupiter in April.

Payne recorded a 16 K/9 rate, a 2.50 ERA and a 1.167 WHIP in four games — three starts — for Jupiter in April, a performance that earned him an early-season promotion. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound lefty was selected in the 18th round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Central Dauphin High School in Harrisburg, Pa., and chose to begin his professional career rather than attend George Mason University.

“It was always a dream just to play pro ball, and I figured skipping out on college would get me one step closer to the ultimate dream of playing in the big leagues, and I figured possibly I could get up there quicker,” Payne said.

Payne pitched for both the Florida Complex League Marlins and Single-A Jupiter in 2025 as a 19-year-old, combining for a 3.20 ERA and an 11.7 K/9 rate across 56 1/3 innings and 17 starts. According to MLB Pipeline’s scouting report, he spins two breaking balls — a curveball and slider, both graded 60 on the 20-80 scale — from a three-quarters delivery. His changeup carries a 45 grade and remains a work in progress. His fastball sits in the low 90s but features elite vertical movement.

“My fastball is pretty high vert, averaging probably around 18-19 vert, so that helps get some swings under it,” Payne said. “Trying to throw it harder this year than last year. Last year, wasn’t throwing it as hard as I am now, and so that’s helping again create more whiff.”

The transition to High-A was not seamless. Through nine starts at Beloit, Payne carries a 4.44 ERA and a 1.224 WHIP. But his recent trajectory tells a different story: he has completed six innings in each of his last three outings, striking out 23 batters and walking only five while allowing just four runs for that 2.00 ERA. The Marlins organization features four pitchers on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects list — Thomas White, Robby Snelling, Karson Milbrandt and Kevin Defrank — but Payne is making a case to join that conversation.

“My goal at the beginning of the season was to end this year in Double-A at least, and that’s still the goal,” Payne said. “I’ve gotten one step closer to it being in Beloit, and I just want to continue to do good here and dominate here and get one step closer and get to Double-A by the end of the year, so then next year I’m knocking on the door.”

While his former high school classmates balance coursework and summer schedules, Payne is focused solely on baseball. “I play on Xbox with my friends, and we have group chats and stuff like that, so they’re always talking about doing class work and doing homework,” Payne said. “I’m always saying I can’t relate, and I’m glad I can’t relate, because I don’t want to do schoolwork.” Payne’s next start at Beloit could further strengthen his case for a promotion to Double-A before the end of the 2026 season.