Mariners Position Battle Update: Backup CF/ 5th Outfielder

Shawn O’Malley

We’ve have already previewed Shawn O’Malley here at SodoMojo, as a contender for the M’s utility infielder gig. However as many fans probably remember, O’Malley spent most of his time in center field last season in Seattle. The 28-year-old has made an impression this spring, hitting .400/.500/.400 with a 1 RBI and a team leading 4 stolen bases.

Since coming over to the Mariners in late 2014, O’Malley has shown great adaptability in the positions he is able to play on the field. In this article from his September call up last year, we see that O’Malley has made it a point to become comfortable in center field in order to make himself more attractive to the club. He saw some solid action at centerfield (among other positions) in 24 games with the Mariners at the end of 2015, and finished with a productive .418 on-base percentage.

This spring O’Malley has seen most of his action in the infield. Overall, O’Malley offers a lot of options with his range of available playing positions, so it seems like he’ll be the likely candidate to win the opportunity to support center field. I also feel his familiarity with the club and Safeco Field should work in his favor, and we should see him fill a spot on the 25-man roster come April.

Next: Dan Robertson looks for another chance in the AL West