WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- A few days before reporting to Spring Training, Marlins right-hander Edward Cabrera stated his goal for 2023: start and finish the season in the Majors.

Once a Top 100 prospect, Cabrera has yet to make an Opening Day roster. His time in The Show hasn't reflected his high ceiling. But Cabrera, who turns 25 on April 13, expects a breakthrough this season.

Credit veteran Johnny Cueto, whom Cabrera has been leaning on so far this spring. Pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. made the wise decision to pair them up as throwing partners from the get-go, and it's a surreal experience for Cabrera. The flamethrower used to play as Cueto in video games growing up.

"He told me that it doesn't matter if we're here on the roster or the rotation, I need to come in like I need to work for my job, for that position," Cabrera said via interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. "It doesn't matter how secure you feel about that position. Every day, you've got to come in like you're actually fighting for a spot on the team."

Cabrera's journey began in Thursday afternoon's 5-5 tie with the Nationals at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, where he tossed two scoreless innings. Braxton Garrett, another candidate for the rotation, piggybacked for three frames (2 ER) in his second spring outing.

In the first inning, Cabrera worked around a pitch timer-influenced walk to Corey Dickerson by striking out Jeimer Candelario and Dominic Smith on his changeup. In the second, he surrendered hard contact to Keibert Ruiz (lineout), Michael Chavis (lineout) and Victor Robles (double). After a wild pitch, Cabrera buckled down to induce a Jeter Downs popout to escape the jam.

"I loved his demeanor on the mound, I loved his command of all three pitches," manager Skip Schumaker said. "The changeup, I hadn't seen it live before. It's as good of a changeup as you're going to see. When you're throwing 98 mph [with the fastball] and you're seeing guys out in front at 90-92 [mph] or whatever it was [for the changeup], it's a really, really effective Major League pitch. But I just liked his whole demeanor out there with the presence. It just looked really good."

Cabrera's health -- not stuff -- has been the issue, dating back to 2017 at the Single-A level when he was sidelined with a right forearm strain. Though he showed up to big league camp on time in '21, he had an inflamed nerve in his right biceps that kept him out until May. As a result, Cabrera didn't make his MLB debut until late August. He struggled, posting a 5.81 ERA with 8.20 H/9 and 6.49 BB/9 in seven starts that season.

Last season, Cabrera dealt with biceps fatigue that delayed his return to the Majors until June 1. In that start, he threw six scoreless innings of one-hit ball with four walks and nine strikeouts. His changeup created headlines by maxing out at 96 mph.

But the good vibes were short-lived, as right elbow tendinitis sidelined Cabrera from June 13 to Aug. 4. Upon his return, he closed out the season with scoreless starts in five of his final 11.

"My biggest goal is to stay healthy," Cabrera said. "I know if I'm healthy, that's all I need."

Cueto is clearly rubbing off on Cabrera, who could be seen walking alongside head athletic trainer Lee Meyer back to the clubhouse for a post-outing workout. Cabrera spent the offseason working on his strength and physique. He also cut out fats from his diet, which he admitted proved tricky because of fried chicken and sausages prevalent in Dominican meals.

"He's a top-of-the-rotation type of arm," Schumaker said. "You watch how he works and you watch -- I say it a lot, but he's literally in Sandy [Alcantara's] back pocket. You watch the work ethic in between, and he can be a frontline starter in the Major Leagues for a long time. We're going to need him to be really, really good, because we think he's really, really good. And so if he's healthy, then that makes us pretty good."