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The 43rd overall pick in the 2025 First-Year Player Draft out of Clemson, Cannarella was promoted from High-A Benoit in early June and is putting together a breakout campaign that puts him on track to make his big-league debut next season. While there's still some question about his ultimate power upside, the 22-year-old hits the ball hard to all fields and has the athleticism and defensive chops to stick in center field. With Jakob Marsee regressing significantly this year at the big-league level, Cannarella is establishing himself as the Marlins' center fielder of the future, and another promotion to Triple-A Jacksonville later this summer seems likely.
Cannarella missed more than a month of action earlier in the season after fracturing his wrist April 11, but he resumed raking for Beloit upon returning from the 7-day injured list. In his 12 games after being activated, the 22-year-old outfielder earned his promotion to Pensacola after slashing .404/.434/.577 with four extra-base hits while striking out at a 12.3 percent clip over 57 plate appearances.
Cannarella ended up taking on the brunt of a collision in the outfield with a teammate while he was in pursuit of a fly ball and appears likely to be held out of action until at least early June. The 22-year-old was in the midst of a strong start to the Midwest League season, producing a .368/.440/.579 slash line with one home run and one stolen base across 25 plate appearances.
He has several plus tools, but Cannarella didn't hit for enough power to close his collegiate career to go in the top half of the first round. A lefty-hitting center fielder from Clemson, Cannarella slashed .353/.479/.530 with five home runs, six steals, a 17.8 percent walk rate and a 14.4 percent strikeout rate in 61 games this spring. Cannarella had labrum surgery in his right (throwing) shoulder in July 2024, and he's not back to 100 percent yet as a thrower or slugger - his 11 homers and .224 ISO the spring before his injury were career bests. Even so, Cannarella could end up a plus hitter, runner and fielder, so he could realistically lead off for a good team in his mid-20s. He isn't a zero in the power department, but he'll probably be capped in the 10-to-15-homer range at peak, as he's at his best when he's spraying line drives to all fields.