MIAMI — Marlins No. 2 prospect Robby Snelling underwent left elbow UCL repair surgery with an internal brace Friday, ending his season barely two weeks after his Major League debut and sidelining the 22-year-old left-hander for 10-12 months. Dr. Keith Meister performed the operation.
“This is a pretty tough pill to swallow, but it’s the cards that I was dealt, and there’s a greater plan, so I’m ready to get going,” Snelling said ahead of the Marlins’ series finale against the Mets at loanDepot park. “I don’t know if it has really sunk in yet that I’m not going to be playing baseball for the rest of the year, which kinda stinks.”
Snelling, ranked No. 28 overall by MLB Pipeline, experienced soreness in his left elbow during a bullpen session May 12 — four days after his debut May 8 and two days before a scheduled start May 14 in Minneapolis. He said the velocity was still there but the feel was not. “I don’t remember exactly what pitch it was,” Snelling said. “Threw another fastball, it was still 95, 96 [mph], and I was still locating, so I wasn’t super worried about it.”
Snelling tried to throw through the discomfort during a bullpen session in Minnesota. “I really wanted to see how I felt throwing a bullpen on Tuesday when we were in Minnesota … and [I had] normal velo. I was still 87 and 91, and [my] body was feeling okay,” he said. “I just couldn’t trust my arm to be able to go out on that start on Thursday, and try and throw 95.” An MRI revealed a sprained UCL in his left elbow. Miami placed him on the 15-day injured list and recalled veteran lefty Braxton Garrett to take his rotation spot. Snelling was transferred to the 60-day IL Thursday to make room on the 40-man roster for the acquisition of outfielder Rece Hinds from the Reds.
The loss stings particularly because of what Snelling was doing before the callup. The Marlins’ 2025 Minor League Pitcher of the Year posted a 1.86 ERA — second lowest in the International League — a 0.90 WHIP (third lowest) and 44 strikeouts in six starts for Triple-A Jacksonville. He earned International League Pitcher of the Week honors for tossing five no-hit frames in his final Triple-A outing. Miami had summoned him to provide a spark after designating Chris Paddack for assignment earlier this month.
“It’s probably as tough as it gets, honestly,” Snelling said. “You get a taste of it, and obviously, like I was explaining to [manager] Clayton [McCullough] when we found out, it’s just hard being ripped away from something that you know you’ve been waiting for for so long.”
Snelling is the second starting pitcher on the Marlins’ 40-man roster to undergo elbow surgery this year, joining right-hander Adam Mazur. Miami’s rotation depth took another hit when Garrett was optioned back to Triple-A Jacksonville on Wednesday after a second consecutive short start in Snelling’s place. “Disappointing for him, us,” manager Clayton McCullough said ahead of the procedure. “That’s an unfortunate part of our industry. Guys go down. … We just keep going, and Robby will come back from this a stronger person.”
Based on the 10-12 month recovery timeline, Snelling would be eligible to return during spring training or the early weeks of the 2027 season.