Keep an eye on this Marlins prospect duo

This story was excerpted from Christina De Nicola’s Marlins Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

JUPITER, Fla. -- Earlier this week, Marlins prospects Noble Meyer and Thomas White took a break from Minor League camp and the whirlwind that is their young professional careers to sit down for a joint interview, much to this height-challenged reporter’s benefit. The 6-foot-5 duo reflected on meeting for the first time and their intertwining paths.

Before joining the Marlins’ organization last summer, Meyer and White participated in the Prospect Development Pipeline. But it wasn’t until the MLB Draft Combine that they actually met and introduced themselves. By July’s MLB Draft, they ranked as the top prep pitchers, so it surprised many when Meyer and White were still available to the Marlins with pick Nos. 10 and 35 overall, respectively.

“Wasn't it like three days before, you were like, ‘Hey, good luck. I got to see you at the Combine. Hopefully we get drafted to the same team,’” Meyer asks White.

“I just said, ‘Hopefully I'll see you,’” White replies. “I was like, ‘Hopefully I'll see you around. Wish you the best of luck.’ And then, after I got picked second after him, I texted him, ‘I guess I'll be seeing a lot more of you.’ That was really funny, actually.”

Meyer and White, both 19 years old, have been on parallel tracks ever since, and that’s unlikely to change. Each is expected to pitch at least one inning in Friday’s inaugural Spring Breakout, a seven-inning exhibition meant to showcase the game’s future stars. That 1-2 punch will be part of Miami’s contingent facing St. Louis prospects at 2:05 p.m. ET at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Fans can watch on MLB Network, MLB Digital platforms (MLB.TV, MLB.com, MLB App), ESPN+ or follow live on Gameday.

“I think it'll be a different kind of environment, especially because it could be me, Karson [Milbrandt], Noble, Jacob Miller or any kind of order that way,” said White, who ranks as Miami’s No. 2 prospect. “I feel like that's a pretty cool lineup to run out there. Pretty cool, strong four.”

Less than a month after signing, Meyer jumped to the top of Miami’s system prior to making his pro debut on Aug. 5 for the Rookie-level Marlins in the Florida Complex League. He went on to start another four regular-season games between there and Single-A Jupiter. White wasn’t far behind, making one appearance for the Rookie-level club and two starts with Jupiter. The tandem then combined for three starts across two postseason rounds, joining Miller in the rotation, as the Hammerheads captured their first Florida State League championship.

During that first taste of pro ball, the teenagers’ development didn’t stop on the mound or in the weight room. They roomed together and learned what living on their own without their parents was like. White once FaceTimed his mother asking for advice on grocery shopping, while Meyer reached out to his mom about managing without certain kitchen appliances.

“It's really good to have someone your age walking in,” White said. “It's kind of like freshman year all over again, but this time, it's like freshman year but you have a sibling there or something like that. If I'm confused, I can go to him and hopefully he knows, or same thing with him. Neither of us are going to be like young guys that don't know what they're doing.”

According to MLB Pipeline’s scouting report, both Meyer and White have frontline starter potential. Meyer, who ranks as the No. 57 overall prospect, was extremely advanced for a high schooler. Some evaluators, however, believe White has a higher ceiling; he just isn’t as polished. Though Meyer is right-handed and White is left-handed, both have a similar profile. They’re still able to give each other feedback.

“It’s nice that we're so similar, like our paths are projecting the exact same,” Meyer said. “It's nice to have someone to work with.”

Marlins director of Minor League operations Hector Crespo added: “It's been cool to see them go after it. There's a nice little competitive rivalry going there -- not in a bad way. It's just more they push each other, so it's been cool to see them take that in stride and show some leadership aspects, too. These guys were here early. They wanted to get down here and work, so it's been cool to see them go at it with one another, and it honestly just makes the entire group better.”