The Marlins optioned Fulton to Double-A Pensacola on Saturday, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Fulton missed all of 2024 while recovering from his second career Tommy John surgery. His return to a competitive setting yielded promising results, as he'll finish the spring with two strikeouts over three scoreless innings. Once he proves he can remain both effective and healthy for an extended period of time, he could receive his first promotion to Triple-A Jacksonville.

Fulton (elbow) threw live batting practice to a number of hitters Thursday, Kevin Barral of FishonFirst.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The extent of Fulton's throwing session isn't fully known, but the fact that he was facing hitters in the early stages of camp is a sign that he's healthy again after he missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from his second career Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in the summer of 2023. Despite the major red flags on his health record, the Marlins still protected Fulton from the Rule 5 Draft this winter and added him to their 40-man roster. The 23-year-old lefty isn't expected to be a factor in the majors anytime soon, as he'll need to prove his health and turn in quality results in the upper levels of the minors before he makes his big-league debut.

Fulton put up a 3.00 ERA, 0.76 WHIP and 30:7 K:BB over 21 innings following his late-season promotion to Double-A Pensacola.

EDGE Analysis

While his results were a bit uneven in High-A (4.07 ERA, 1.43 WHIP), Fulton still missed plenty of bats (11.1 K/9) and got wickedly unlucky with a .383 BABIP. The pendulum swung the other way in his limited Double-A sample (.175 BABIP), and when all the luck evens out, we're left with a promising 20-year-old, 6-foot-7 lefty who seems to have both the stuff and the endurance to grow into a big-league starter.

The Marlins promoted Fulton from High-A Beloit to Double-A Pensacola on Thursday, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.

EDGE Analysis

Fulton will make the jump to the Southern League after turning in a 1.73 ERA and 28:10 K:BB in 26 innings for Beloit over his five starts since the minor-league All-Star break. The 6-foot-7 lefty has struggled somewhat to keep his free passes in check at each stop of the minors thus far, but he's an imposing presence on the mound and has often flummoxed hitters with his plus curveball.

Fulton (elbow) is listed as a member of Low-A Jupiter's season-opening rotation.

EDGE Analysis

The 40th overall pick in the 2020 first-year player draft, Fulton has yet to make his professional debut after last year's minor-league season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Even if a season had been held, Fulton likely wouldn't have been ready to pitch while he remained in recovery from the Tommy John procedure he required in September 2019. Now more than a year and a half removed from surgery, the 6-foot-6 southpaw shouldn't enter the 2021 season with significant restrictions.

Fulton (elbow) was added to the Marlins' player pool Tuesday, Craig Mish of SportsGrid.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Even if healthy, Fulton would have essentially zero chance of making his big-league debut in the final two weeks of the season, as he was only drafted this year. He's still recovering from Tommy John surgery, a procedure he underwent last September, but he'll now get to continue his rehab with the Marlins' coaching staff.