Seattle Mariners 2019 Position Preview: First Basemen

THE OCCASIONAL FIRST BASEMEN

Of the seven potential first basemen on the Mariners’ 40-man roster, three are either utility players or have the position in their back pocket. Jay Bruce is the latter, primarily being a left fielder his entire career.

The 31-year-old Bruce was solely brought to Seattle in order to offset some of Robinson Canó‘s remaining salary in December’s monster seven player deal with the Mets. Bruce is coming off a bad year and will look to rebuild his value in the 2019 season.

Adding a little more versatility to his game by playing first baseman on a more consistent basis should help, though he’s no more than passable at the position. Still, Bruce has been a liability in the outfield in the past and could be better suited for first, though his numbers will have to improve at the plate in order to stick.

Dylan Moore and Kristopher Negrón are both utility players with some experience playing first base. However, if you see either one playing there on a consistent basis for the Mariners in 2019, something has likely gone very wrong.

Moore is a career Minor Leaguer whom the Mariners signed to a Major League contract this offseason. They clearly like him enough to give him a shot to make the 25-man roster this Spring. He could find some comfortability in playing his original primary position of first base, though there are several names he’d have to leapfrog in order to get consistent opportunity.

Negrón is better suited to play the middle infield, third base, and the corner outfield spots, having only appeared in three MLB games as a first baseman. But in a pinch, the 33-year-old Swiss Army man could fill in respectably.