Seattle, WA
Breaking down Mariners position players, projecting opening day roster
Joyful first day of spring baseball, everybody! With the Mariners starting their exhibition slate on Friday, now could be pretty much as good a time as any to debate the staff’s projected opening day starters and which place gamers will probably be preventing to assert one of many 13 roster spots.
Mariners’ Dipoto: Early ‘pen standouts, Hummel’s versatility, Miller’s ceiling
Beneath you’ll discover a position-by-position breakdown of Seattle’s roster in addition to a have a look at those that are on the bubble.
Catcher: Cal Raleigh
Raleigh’s turnaround in 2022 was astonishing. He went from being an entire legal responsibility on the plate to delivering a 4.2 fWAR season, largely because of his 27 homers and 121 wRC+. Raleigh was so spectacular that anticipating one other large leap in 2023 would doubtless be too grasping. Establishment and one other 4-plus fWAR season would cement him as one of many sport’s high catchers.
The large factor for Raleigh is to get him to opening day wholesome. Seattle is more likely to take issues gradual with their prized backstop given he completed final season with a painful thumb harm.
First Base: Ty France
France has indicated that his wrist harm plagued his swing down the stretch of final season. I’ve seen sufficient from France to belief that he’ll bounce again to his first-half kind that made him an All-Star in 2022. Protecting France wholesome will probably be paramount.
Second Base: Kolten Wong
Wong managed to be a 2.5-win participant in 2022 regardless of having the worst season of his profession defensively. His glove ought to bounce again given he’s a two-time gold glove winner, and now he’s obtained Perry Hill in his nook.
Seattle will want his bat to remain scorching although if he’s going to be a marked improve over Adam Frazier. Wong posted a 117 wRC+ and 15 house runs in 2022. Frazier managed simply three lengthy balls and a meager wRC+ of simply 81. As certainly one of solely two notable offseason additions to the lineup, there’s stress on Wong to ship.
Shortstop: J.P. Crawford
Each of Seattle’s center infielders are coming off dreadful seasons defensively. Crawford ought to bounce again identical to Wong given he was such a wizard defensively in 2020 and 2021. His bat is more likely to hover round league common, and whereas I’d want to have extra firepower offensively up the center, Crawford has sufficient management intangibles to make up for a few of his shortcomings on the plate.
Third Base: Eugenio Suárez
Suárez might be Seattle’s largest regression candidate following his stellar 31-homer, 4.1 fWAR marketing campaign in 2022. However when you’re searching for a glass-half-full strategy you may argue that he’s merely regained kind following two subpar seasons in 2020 and 2021 by which he posted a mixed fWAR of simply 1.0.
Previous to that, Suárez posted fWAR seasons of three.9, 4.3 and 4.2 from 2017-19, respectively. He was as nice a shock as any Mariners place participant that I can keep in mind. Suárez was a throw-in wage dump within the Jesse Winker commerce final spring and ended up being a catalyst for Seattle’s run into the postseason.
Suárez remaining a potent middle-of-the-order bat will probably be paramount as soon as once more in 2023.
Left Discipline: Jarred Kelenic
The wild card of all wild playing cards. Sports activities Illustrated’s Tom Verducci thinks Kelenic is “prime for a turnaround” in 2023. I can’t get myself to look by means of these rose-colored glasses. I don’t have any expectations for Kelenic given his monitor report the final two seasons, however I do agree with Verducci in that Seattle’s embattled outfielder has the ability set to realistically change the ability construction within the American League West.
I’m of the thought that it’s Kelenic’s eyes and mind which have hindered him greater than his swing. He at all times appears to be going 12 rounds with himself mentally whereas concurrently being unable to acknowledge and find large league breaking balls. Nonetheless, if his new swing makes him faster to the baseball it’s doubtless that he’ll be capable of catch as much as extra hittable fastballs that he has beforehand swung by means of or fouled off.
I actually hope that is the 12 months for Kelenic. There’s little question he’s put within the work to search out large league success, and he’ll have each alternative to take action.
Middle Discipline: Julio Rodríguez
We don’t must spend a lot time right here. Rodríguez is predicted to be a high AL MVP candidate, and there’s no cause why he can’t win it this season. Final 12 months’s again points had been a bit troubling, and it makes me nervous that he’ll be enjoying within the World Baseball Basic.
Nonetheless, it will likely be awfully enjoyable to look at Rodríguez proceed his ascension on a worldwide stage figuring out that he’s already signed a mega-extension to maintain him in Seattle for no less than the subsequent decade.
Proper Discipline: Teoscar Hernández
Hernández needs to be an improve over Mitch Haniger, and staying wholesome for a full season can be an enormous bonus in that regard. Nonetheless, if Haniger performs an injury-free season for the Giants, it wouldn’t shock me if he ended up with the higher numbers in 2023.
Designated Hitter: Tom Murphy
I could also be misreading the tea leaves right here, however I get the sensation that the staff internally believes in Murphy’s bat and that perception performed a task in Seattle opting to not signal a extra conventional DH this offseason. Murphy posted an otherworldly wRC+ of 168 in simply 14 video games final season.
This spot will probably be a sum of the elements with France, Hernández, A.J. Pollock, Raleigh and doubtlessly others chipping in.
On the Bench: Dylan Moore, Sam Haggerty, A.J. Pollock
Moore (core) being harm might open up a gap day roster spot for any person else. Haggerty’s velocity, defensive versatility and sneaky pop towards lefties make him too invaluable to go away off the roster. Pollock is the staff’s high insurance coverage in left subject ought to Kelenic falter once more. His begins will doubtless come towards lefties as further safety for Kelenic, who has struggled towards left-handers the final two seasons.
On the Bubble: Evan White, Tommy La Stella, Cooper Hummel
My intestine tells me that La Stella’s roster spot is protected, however I put him down right here as a result of if White or Hummel are to power themselves onto the Opening Day roster, it might be at La Stella’s expense. Hummel in all probability has as a greater shot than White, who will virtually assuredly begin in Triple-A with a purpose to get him most at-bats.
Gonna Take a Miracle: Cade Marlowe, Kole Calhoun
A miracle, or a number of accidents, that’s. Taylor Trammell additionally gained’t have the chance to interrupt camp with the massive league membership because of his damaged hamate bone.
Extra Mariners roster speak from Joe:
• Fann: A have a look at Mariners’ rotation that needs to be high 5 in MLB
• Fann: Mariners’ high spring coaching competitors resides in bullpen