Divish has Miles MasterB making the team.
By Ryan Divish
Seattle Times staff reporter
PEORIA, Ariz. — On the occasion of the first of three off days during spring training, it’s a good time to try to project the Mariners’ opening-day roster.
Seattle has played 12 Cactus League games with most of their regulars playing every other day, and most of the young players in camp on non-roster invites seeing the heavy playing time. The Mariners have been unusually healthy this spring. But the risk of injury can significantly alter the roster.
While there weren’t many expected position battles coming into camp, the last few spots on the roster are up for competition.
The Mariners started making cuts from camp last week and they will increase in the coming days. Seattle will need to trim down to 26 spots — 13 pitchers and 13 position players — before opening the 2025 season on March 27 vs. the A’s at T-Mobile Park.
Starting rotation (5)
Luis Castillo, RHP
George Kirby, RHP
Logan Gilbert, RHP
Bryce Miller, RHP
Bryan Woo, RHP
Next up:
Emerson Hancock, RHP
Logan Evans, RHP
Casey Lawrence, RHP
Notes: The rotation remains unchanged, which is a good thing for the Mariners and their fans, as all five starters have looked healthy in their first turn through the rotation this spring. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect thus far will be who makes the start on opening day. Will it be Luis Castillo or Logan Gilbert? And when will manager Dan Wilson announce the decision?
Bullpen (8)
Andrés Muñoz, RHP
Gregory Santos, RHP
Collin Snider, RHP
Seth Martinez, RHP
Eduard Bazardo, RHP
Trent Thornton, RHP
Tayler Saucedo, LHP
Gabe Speier, LHP
Next up:
Casey Legumina, RHP
Shintaro Fujinami, RHP
Brandyn Garcia, LHP
Cody Bolton, RHP
Injured list:
Matt Brash, RHP
Troy Taylor, RHP
Jackson Kowar, RHP (60-day)
Notes: The bullpen projection features a new addition in Martinez, who the Mariners claimed off waivers from the Marlins on Sunday. The veteran right-hander was expected to report to the complex on Tuesday and be ready for Wednesday’s workout. For Martinez, it’s a homecoming since he grew up in Peoria and went to Sunrise Mountain High School and later Arizona State.
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He would fill a middle-innings role, giving the Mariners a pitcher that can work multiple innings and is effective against right-handers.
While Legumina has looked solid for most of the spring and Fujinami’s overpowering stuff might outweigh his lack of command, it comes down to roster slotting.
Martinez is out of minor-league options. If he doesn’t make the opening-day roster, the Mariners must designate him for assignment. Fujinami signed a split contract, meaning if he’s added to the active roster he’s guaranteed a $1.3 million salary for 2025. It’s not an insignificant sum for a team with budget limitations like the Mariners.
Santos has yet to throw in a Cactus League game, which is somewhat curious. But Wilson said he would likely pitch coming out of the off day.
Infielders (7)
J.P. Crawford, SS
Luke Raley, 1B
Jorge Polanco, 3B
Donovan Solano, 1B/3B
Dylan Moore, 2B/OF
Ryan Bliss, 2B
Miles Mastrobuoni, U
Next up:
Leo Rivas, SS
Tyler Locklear, 1B
Austin Shenton, 1B/3B
Ben Williamson, 3B
Notes: A slight change to this group with Bliss moving on to the opening-day roster and Rivas being removed. It’s due to a few reasons. Rivas sprained his left ankle last week and has yet to return to games. The hope is that he can return for the split-squad games on Thursday. He has increased his activity in practice. Bliss has also played often, and well, this spring. He’s driving the ball with authority.
Polanco played in his first Cactus League game on Monday, but he won’t start playing third base in games for another week. If the Mariners want to be cautious with how much Polanco plays in the field early in the season, Moore can fill in ably at third, leaving Bliss to play second.
Mastrobuoni makes the team as a left-handed hitter off the bench. He also can play outfield if needed and is a plus base runner.
Outfielders (3)
Julio Rodriguez
Randy Arozarena
Victor Robles
Next up:
Dominic Canzone
Cade Marlowe
Samad Taylor
Notes: Perhaps the only thing noteworthy about the projected outfield is their hair color. Arozarena arrived in camp with his hair dyed blonde. Rodriguez got the tips of his thick head of hair frosted. And Robles? Well, his hair is so short that the attempt to dye it made it look almost reddish-orange. Canzone does represent an interesting roster option if the Mariners wanted a left-handed bat with some power that can play outfield and also fill in at designated hitter. Canzone is hurt by having minor-league options remaining.
Catchers (2)
Cal Raleigh
Mitch Garver
Next up:
Blake Hunt
Harry Ford
Notes: Wilson has been asked multiple times about the possibility of carrying three catchers on the roster so Garver could be used at designated hitter on a more regular basis, particularly if he’s swinging the bat well. But those questions have been met with a lukewarm response.
“I think that’s something that you have to continually look at and assess,” Wilson said. “We’ve talked about the idea of both catchers in the games and how that leaves you a little bit exposed. Should that continue to be an issue or a problem, then it’s something you look at. But I think that’s just kind of a wait and see how things develop over the course of the year.”
Designated hitter (1)
Mitch Haniger
Next up:
Rowdy Tellez
Canzone
Notes: Haniger has played in a couple of games in the outfield this spring, but Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners president of baseball operations, has said that Haniger’s playing time will come at designated hitter.
“It’s going to be tough to get reps with the three regular outfielders, who are all right-handed hitters,” Dipoto said early in spring.
The plan going into spring and likely the season is to give the DH starts to the hitters that are producing while also using the spot to give partial rest days for regulars like Raleigh, Arozarena and Rodriguez.
“Whether it’s Mitch Haniger, it’s Mitch Garver, it’s Donovan Solano, it’s Jorge Polanco, it’s Luke Raley — that’s how we’ll manage DH,” Dipoto said. “It’s by allocating those ABs to whoever’s playing well. It’s whoever is swinging it well will get those at-bats. If I had to envision how it works, that’s how it works.”
The left-handed hitting Tellez was an intriguing pickup on a minor-league contract. He can play first base and does have some power. But he’s sort of redundant to what Luke Raley provides on the roster at first base or even what Canzone could provide in power.
While he didn’t get “XX(B)” status as a free agent since the Pirates released him in September to avoid paying a $200,000 contract bonus, the Mariners gave Tellez XX(B) rights in his minor-league deal, meaning he must be notified if he’s going to make the opening-day roster a few days before the season and can opt out of the contract if he won’t make the team. If he stays in the organization, he has opt-outs in early May and June.
