Seattle Mariners 2021 Grades: Part 1 – Infielders
Joe Swenson
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Third Base
Games Played: Kyle Seager (149), Dylan Moore (10), and 6 others.
Featuring: Kyle Seager
Offense: C
Kyle Seager ranked 17th among all third baseman in OPS but was top 10 in home runs and RBIs. He also set career marks in both those categories, but also a career-low in batting average, finishing the season at .212. In addition, he set a career in strikeouts (161) and strikeout percentage (26.7%).
Defense: B+
Ranked as the ninth third baseman in overall defense by FanGraphs, Seager was also the number five third baseman in Defensive Runs Saved. His range factor was behind perennial Gold Glove favorites Nolan Arenado and Matt Chapman.
Intangibles: A
When there were runners in scoring position, Kyle Seager was clutch. He finished with a 1.015 OPS, .308 batting average when runners were on second and/or third base. With the bases loaded, Seager batted .444. With a runner on third and two outs, he batted .421.
In five at bats with the bases loaded and no one out, he got hits four times and knocked in 8 runs. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Seager hit a blistering .356 and had a 1.263 OPS. By contrast, he struggled to get on when there was no one on base in front of him, batting .157 with a .593 OPS.
Utility
Games Played: Dylan Moore (80 games), Donovan Walton (18), Jose Marmolejos (14), Jack Mayfield (13), and 7 others.
Featuring: Dylan Moore
Offense: D-
If F+ were an option, I would have taken that one. He struggled mightily at the plate this season, especially with strikeouts (33% strikeout percentage). July and August were especially brutal, batting under .160 in both months. On the positive side, Moore led the Seattle Mariners with 21 stolen bases.
Defense: B+
Moore had a .989 fielding percentage in 80 games in the infield. Moore’s defensive runs saved (6) put him in the top 10 for all infielders (non-first baseman) with at least 300 innings.
Intangibles: C+
Like many Mariners, he batted better when there were runners in scoring position. In addition, his ability to play many positions made him a valuable commodity in the 2021 season.
He had the opportunity to solidify the second base job early in the season. Unfortunately, he let that slip through his hands with an awful April (.132 average). His inability to make contact became a liability, and Scott Servais used him less and less as the season came to a close.
Joe Swenson is an author, award-winning playwright, screenwriter, director, producer, podcaster, actor, and all-around interesting fellow to talk to.