Is free agent David Dahl a risk the Seattle Mariners should take on?

SEATTLE, WA - AUGUST 09: David Dahl of the Colorado Rockies warms up. The Seattle Mariners should go after him. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - AUGUST 09: David Dahl of the Colorado Rockies warms up. The Seattle Mariners should go after him. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
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David Dahl of the Rockies bats.
SEATTLE, WA – AUGUST 09: David Dahl of the Colorado Rockies waits for a pitch. The Seattle Mariners should pursue him. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)

David Dahl was a surprise non-tender player which makes him a free agent. Should the Seattle Mariners take a chance on him?

The 26-year-old outfielder David Dahl was once a shiny exciting Colorado Rockies prospect, but injuries have always been an issue for him. I think David Dahl is a legitimate player with a lot of talent and someone the Seattle Mariners should consider since he recently became a free agent when the Rockies decided to non-tender him.

He was the 10th overall pick in the 2012 draft by the Rockies and had a very good minor league career which propelled him to make the MLB as a 22-year-old in 2016. Prior to his MLB debut in 2016, he was the Rockies’ 2nd ranked prospect in the organization. Before entering the big leagues, he dealt with several injuries including one in 2015 right before his 2016 debut.

Once Dahl was promoted mid-season during 2016 after tearing up Triple-A and played 63 games with the Rockies. In those 63 games, Dahl batted .315, slugged .500, hit seven home runs, and stole five bases. After he joined the Rockies, I became an immediate fan of his playstyle. David Dahl is a well-rounded player standing at 6’2″, who can hit, run, throw, and play defense. According to ESPN, out of high school he had “the tools to develop to a true five-tool player.”

After a successful 2016 campaign, David Dahl suffered a stress fracture in a rib during the 2017 spring training. While he was recovering in the minor leagues, he incurred back spasms which shut him down for the entire season. He would finally return to the Rockies lineup in 2018 but would not play the entire season.

He began the 2018 season once again in the minor leagues to get back into the swing of things, but he would break his foot at the end of May. Dahl made his return from the injured list in August and finished with a .273 average, slugged .534, and hit 16 home runs in 77 games. Dahl also stole five bases, hit 11 doubles and three triples. Despite his health struggles, he would fight to make an impact during the 2019 season.

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