Marlins draft Jacob Lombard at 14, hand ball to Eury Pérez ahead of Guardians game

Miami native picked 14th as Pérez takes the mound.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jul 121 min read

Wow Marlins draft Jacob Lombard at 14 and have Eury Perez on the mound today. Sounds like a good pre-game show ! Tune in Via @CraigMish on X

What happened: The Marlins used the 14th pick in the 2026 MLB Draft on Miami native Jacob Lombard, then turned to Eury Pérez as their starter against Cleveland the same day. Craig Mish said he and Rod Allen would break down both storylines on the pre-game show ahead of first pitch.

Why it matters: Landing a hometown prospect gives Miami a local storyline alongside Pérez's turn in the rotation, a game the Marlins need after dropping the previous two meetings with Cleveland. The Guardians already hold a 2-0 lead in the series.

By the numbers: Miami is 52-43 this season, Cleveland 49-46. The Guardians have taken the last two head-to-head meetings, 4-1 on Saturday and 3-2 the day before.

What to watch: Pérez takes the mound looking to snap Miami's two-game skid against Cleveland, with Lombard set to begin his path through the farm system.

Sources

@CraigMish 2026-07-12T01:28:58.381938+00:00

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MLBPreviewMiami MarlinsCleveland GuardiansJacob LombardEury Perez

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