The Miami Marlins announced last Friday that right-hander Connor Gillispie will open the 2025 season in the starting rotation, with right-hander Valente Bellozo and No. 13 prospect Adam Mazur the likely candidates for the fifth and final rotation spot. Miami's starting rotation is pretty beat up with Opening Day coming later this week, as both righty Edward Cabrera (finger) and lefty Ryan Weathers (forearm) will open the year on the injured list. The 27-year-old Gillispie was excellent in 12 Grapefruit League innings to secure a spot in the rotation, sporting a 0.75 ERA with six K's and three walks. He made his big-league debut in 2024 with the Guardians, allowing two earned runs while walking five and fanning eight in just eight relief innings. Because he's inexperienced and could only be a short-term rotation option in Miami, Gillispie is only worth looking at in deep NL-only affairs.

The Miami Marlins claimed right-hander Connor Gillispie off waivers from the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday. In a corresponding move to make room on the 40-man roster, the Marlins designated catcher Jhonny Pereda for assignment, according to sources. Gillispie will give the Fish some organizational pitching depth as both a starter and a reliever in his time in the minor leagues last year. The 27-year-old former ninth-round selection by the Baltimore Orioles in 2019 out of Virginia Commonwealth University made his major-league debut in 2024 with the Cleveland Guardians and allowed two earned runs while walking five and striking out eight in eight innings over three relief appearances. At Triple-A Columbus in 27 outings (15 starts), he had a 4.05 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with 119 strikeouts and 48 walks in 113 1/3 innings. Gillispie is nowhere near the fantasy radar.

According to the team, the Atlanta Braves have designated right-handed pitcher Connor Gillispie for assignment to open a roster spot for outfielder Jurickson Profar, who the team signed to a three-year deal earlier on Thursday. Gillispie signed a minor league contract with the Braves earlier this offseason. Gillispie made his major league debut last summer with the Cleveland Guardians and allowed two earned runs across eight innings of work. He struck out eight batters and served up five free passes. Across 113 1/3 career innings at the Triple-A level, Gillispie posted a 4.05 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. He struck out 119 batters. Fantasy managers should expect the former ninth-round selection out of VCU to spend most of the 2025 campaign at the Triple-A level.

Free-agent right-hander Connor Gillispie signed an undisclosed one-year major-league deal with the Atlanta Braves on Friday. Gillispie, a former ninth-round selection by the Baltimore Orioles in 2019 out of Virginia Commonwealth, made his major-league debut with the Cleveland Guardians in 2024 and gave up two earned runs while walking five and striking out eight in only eight relief innings. The 27-year-old hurler made 27 appearances (15 starts) at Triple-A Columbus and went 5-7 with a 4.05 ERA, a 1.23 WHIP and a 119:48 K:BB in 113 1/3 innings thrown. Gillispie will probably enter spring training in 2025 as a long shot to make Atlanta's Opening Day starting rotation, but he can at least provide them with some bullpen depth to open the year. In five minor-league seasons, he has a 4.01 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with a 9.1 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9.