Consistency is key to carving out long careers in the big leagues, and down in Miami, second baseman Xavier Edwards is as reliable as they come.
Edwards is off to a blazing start in 2026, hitting .343 with a 152 OPS+ entering play on Monday. But his high batting average shouldn’t be much of a surprise due to his track record. The 26-year-old is a career .302 hitter over his first 1009 at-bats, solidifying a role in the Marlins’ lineup for the foreseeable future.
Still, even though Edwards hit a respectable .283 last season, his 96 OPS+ landed him four points below league average due to his lack of slug, similar to Luis Arráez, one of his predecessors in South Beach. So far this year, though, Edwards has been more well-rounded at the plate than he’s shown in the past, making him even more dangerous at the dish.
Xavier Edwards Is Slugging At Career-High Pace
The foundation of Edwards’ approach is built on staying within and long through the zone, putting the ball in play, and not seeing a third strike. He’s still executing those principles this season but is simultaneously getting the most out of his 5-foot-9, 175-pound frame.
Edwards is squaring pitches up as well as anyone else in the game, while also lifting the ball more often and hitting it harder on average. He’s slugging .467, which would be 40 points north of his previous career high.
In all of 2025, Edwards had just 28 extra-base hits. Through 28 games this year, he already has nine batted ball events of multiple bases. He’s most often found in the Marlins’ two-hole, but manager Clayton McCollough has toyed around with sliding Edwards down in the heart of the order, knowing his second baseman has a high chance of making contact when runners are on base. Plus, Edwards has upped his plate discipline, logging as many walks (15) as strikeouts.
Xavier Edwards Has Highest OBP (.425) In the National League
With the combination of finding grass when he swings and taking more free passes, Edwards has posted the highest on-base percentage (.425) in the National League.
Selected by the San Diego Padres 38th overall in the 2018 MLB Draft as a Competitive Balance Round A Pick, Edwards bounced around a bit before finding his home in Miami. Producing immediately on the professional scene, Edwards peaked as the Padres No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline and No. 72 overall in the sport. San Diego then shipped Edwards to the Tampa Bay Rays a year and a half after he was drafted, along with Hunter Renfroe, in exchange for Tommy Pham and Jake Cronenworth.
Three years later, Tampa traded Edwards and J.T. Chargois to their same-state neighbor in Miami, getting two prospects in return.
Over time, Edwards has transitioned from shortstop to second base and honed his hitting skills, making his former teams regret letting him go.
Xavier Edwards fWAR Second Among All 2B
His 1.2 compiled fWAR is second among all second basemen, as Edwards has utilized his above-average speed to steal four bags while accumulating one out above average and defensive run saved apiece.
Edwards is on pace for his first All-Star selection, and the talented second baseman is only getting better as he enters his prime.
