Jesse Winker, Seattle Mariners.
The Seattle Mariners farm system gets a lot of attention and praise. It is all rightfully deserved. However, there is a real possibility that the Opening Day Lineup won’t feature a single Mariners grown-up prospect. To be specific I’m talking about a player that GM Jerry Dipoto drafted and that player progressed through the minors. So, don’t try the “Jarred Kelenic is a former M’s prospect.”
It’s crazy to think, that Seattle Mariners are on the precipice of being in the playoffs for the first time in 21 years. They have the best farm system in, Major League Baseball, and not one of Dipoto’s drafted, homegrown talent could be on the Opening Day lineup card.
Let’s look at the projected Opening Day lineup card that Manager Scott Servais will fill out and provide to Minnesota’s skipper Rocco Baldelli.
Tom Murphy was acquired from San Francisco for Jesus Ozoria in a trade back in 2019. Murphy’s first season with the Seattle Mariners is easily the best year of his career. Unfortunately, it may have set unreal expectations for him in Emerald City. Cal Raleigh and Luis Torrens have a shot to earn the opening day catcher spot.
Ty France was a part of the Austin Nola trade with San Diego back in 2020. France showed very well in his short Seattle Mariners debut that year. Enough that he was widely thought to be the team’s starting second baseman.
Well, Evan White got hurt at first base, France took over there and the rest is history. White will be competing for his starting spot back but unless he fixes his ability to hit Major League pitching, France will be starting at first again.
Adam Frazier came to the Seattle Mariners in yet another trade with San Diego. Dipoto and A.J. Preller do enjoy working with each other. Frazier is similar to Murphy in that both of their names are practically written in pen at their respective positions.
Frazier will have some competition from Abraham Toro. However, Frazier is the better glove at second and his bat is no slouch. Speaking of Toro he too was acquired via trade from Houston.
Eugenio Suarez came to Seattle, via trade, along with another starter for this year’s Seattle Mariners team. Now, this is a spot that could very easily go to the previously mentioned Toro. Both players have many questions that they need to answer. Can Suarez fix his hitting and not be the real-life version of Roger Dorn at third base?
Can Toro hold up and be an everyday major league third baseman? In the end, I’d expect Suarez’s contract to be the reason he gets the first shot at third.
J.P. Crawford left Philadelphia for the Pacific Northwest’s best team in 2018. All it cost the Seattle Mariners was trading Jean Segura. Crawford earned a Gold Glove at shortstop in ‘20 and after the ‘21 season. Dipoto told J.P that he is the team’s starting shortstop he won’t bring in someone else who move Crawford off that position. At this point, only Noelvi Marte might move Crawford off shortstop, but it’s just as likely Marte changes positions.
Jesse Winker is the other member that came with Suarez to Seattle. All it cost the Seattle Mariners is Jake Fraley, Justin Dunn, prospect Brandon Williamson, and a player to be named later. Winker’s defense in left field is less than average.
The only player that might start in left over Winker is Frazier. However, that’s only happening if Servais has Toro starting at second. I don’t see it happening but it is certainly a possibility. As to who may have a bigger chance at starting in left field we’ll touch on that later.
Kelenic came to the Seattle Mariners in what was once considered the biggest Dipoto trade. It’s still possible this is Dipoto’s best deal but it certainly has competition with the France and Winker trade. Kelenic is almost assuredly starting in center field. Unless former rookie of the year Kyle Lewis is actually recovering better and faster than reported to the public.
Mitch Haniger came to Seattle back in ‘16. Accompanying him to the Emerald City was the Segura. In exchange for Taijuan Walker and Ketel Marte. Haniger has been the starting right fielder ever since he put on a Seattle Mariners jersey. He will be starting in right field again this year.
Robbie Ray is one of the players who joined the Seattle Mariners, not via trade. He signed this offseason as a free agent. Marco Gonzales has been the Opening Day starter for the last few years and it’s possible he is again this year.
Although Gio’s been a very good pitcher for Seattle, it’s time he moves into a rotation spot that is better suited for his skills and abilities and Ray takes the ball for game one. Gonzales is yet another player acquired via trade for Tyler O’Neil.
Torrens is another one of the players that came to the Seattle Mariners with the previously mentioned France, Taylor Trammell, and Andres Munoz. Ok, so Seattle is planning on rotating players at the DH spot.
It’s probably a smart idea considering this team has a plethora of versatile players. Also, there are a few players on the roster that are not the model of health like this guy is.
Torrens could earn the starting spot at Catcher. If he does then Toro is probably the most likely choice here for Opening Day. However, there is a wild card that could ruin the entirety of this article and have another starter be in play for the Opening Day DH spot.
Julio Rodriguez is the newest Seattle Mariners’ top prospect. There is a very strong outcry from the fans and some writers to put Rodriguez in the starting lineup. He is having a very good Spring Training so it is certainly a possibility. However, what is most likely and probably the best thing for him is to start the year at Triple-A Tacoma.
JRod might be the next big thing but he has yet to compete above Double-A. Going straight from Double-A to the major leagues is a big jump in skills and abilities. Not everyone can make that jump.
Conversely, if he does make it happen then there is a big trickle-down effect that is likely to take place. JRod might start in centerfield, moving Kelenic to left field, and Winker to DH. Subsequently, it could mean Torrens doesn’t make the roster as it’s difficult for teams to carry three catchers.
Like this article alluded to at the beginning, the Seattle Mariners farm system gets a lot of attention and love. And again it’s all very deserving. What Dipoto has been able to do is amazing.
Hopefully, it continues as the Seattle Mariners get better and no longer have the chance to pick early in the draft. And also Dipoto doesn’t deplete the farm system at trade deadlines trying to acquire some MLB pieces to shore up the M’s roster for a playoff push.
Dipoto has been able to navigate being Major League GM with great aplomb. He took over a team that already had MLB talent, even if it was aging, and shipped them all out to quickly bolster the Seattle Mariners farm system. In some cases yielding immediate dividends for the Big League club.
To date, he has only traded one of his highly regarded prospects for immediate MLB talent. So, for as much love as the Mariners farm system gets the other guys, that Dipoto acquired most likely start game one of the upcoming MLB season. They deserve an equal amount of love.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.