Zach Pop returns to the Marlins on a minor league contract, set for Triple-A Jacksonville

The Miami Marlins have agreed to terms with right-handed reliever Zach Pop on a minor league contract, according to the transaction log as reported by MLB Trade Rumors. The arrangement gives Pop another opportunity to work his way back to the majors, with a clear short-term destination: Triple-A Jacksonville.

Pop previously signed a big league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies over the winter, a move that reflected the club’s intention to evaluate him at the highest level. MLB Trade Rumors reports that he made it through the spring and broke camp with the organization, appearing in games early in the season.

Through the first couple of weeks of the Phillies’ season, Pop logged seven appearances. In those outings, he allowed three runs over 7 1/3 innings, a line that suggests he was used regularly but without extended stretches that would fully define him as a long-term bullpen piece in Philadelphia.

Despite that early usage, Pop was ultimately released by the Phillies one week before the Marlins agreement was reported. The change underscores the churn that often characterizes bullpen depth, especially when clubs are balancing innings management, minor league options, and near-term roster needs.

For Miami, the Pop signing reads as a classic organizational reset. A minor league deal allows the Marlins to add a known bullpen arm to their system without committing a spot on the 26-man roster. Jacksonville, as Miami’s top-level affiliate, becomes the primary proving ground while Pop works his way back toward the majors.

What to watch next is how Miami deploys him in Triple-A. If Pop can translate his early-season command into more efficient outings and string together multiple scoreless appearances, the Marlins could treat his promotion as a bullpen reinforcement rather than a short stopgap. Conversely, if his results do not stabilize, the deal may remain a depth insurance move through the summer.

The Pop agreement also carries a more personal storyline. MLB Trade Rumors frames him as an “old friend” returning to the organization, a reference that hints at prior organizational familiarity. Still, the Marlins will ultimately evaluate him by his ability to handle higher-leverage matchups in the minors and to hold up on the kind of workload that can earn a recall.

At this stage, there is no official indication beyond the transaction reporting about when or if Pop will reach Miami’s big-league bullpen. His immediate impact will be determined in Jacksonville, where his next outings will shape whether this becomes a quick re-entry to MLB or a longer development assignment.