Don’t draft these 5 Mariners players in fantasy baseball

Mariners players to avoid in fantasy baseball #2 – Chris Flexen

The former Doosan Bears pitcher has a spot in the Mariners starting rotation but I don’t think he deserves a spot on your fantasy baseball rotation. I was pretty excited about signing Flexen after watching some of his highlights from the KBO, but Spring Training has made me reconsider.

Don’t get me wrong, the 26-year-old still has a chance to revitalize his career in the MLB and live up to past expectations, but I don’t think he will be more than a decent back of the rotation kind of guy this year. Maybe things will change in the next couple of years, but his ceiling is low in 2021.

The 6’3″ right-hander has thrown eight innings in Arizona and has allowed nine earned runs. He has allowed given up 12 hits, one home run, and four walks. On the positive side, he has struck out 10 batters which are tied for the second-most on the team.

His stat line: 10.13 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 4.5 BB/9, 11.3 K/9

Chris Flexen’s current output is worrisome and not what fans want to be seeing. It is also important to acknowledge that the batters Flexen has faced are not of elite quality. According to Baseball Reference, the quality of batters Chris Flexen has faced is roughly 8.0, which basically means they are Triple-A hitters.

Putting it all together, Flexen is someone you should ignore in fantasy baseball. There are plenty of other fantasy baseball pitchers you can find. Plus, if you want to draft a low-tier Mariners pitcher, Flexen isn’t your guy. Go for Justin Dunn or Yusei Kikuchi.

Now we move onto the third Seattle player to avoid this year in fantasy baseball.

Mariners players to avoid in fantasy baseball – #3 Tom Murphy

I can imagine fans being unhappy with me putting Tom Murphy on this list, but hear me out. As much as I like Murphy, I am a little worried about the catching situation in Seattle and how he is performing in Spring Training.

I am sure Murphy will be the Opening Day starter and will receive a majority of the starts, but the coaching staff also likes Luis Torrens. When you’re playing fantasy baseball, it is important to draft players that play almost every day. Catchers are a little different because they can’t be behind the dish every single game anyways, but oftentimes they will go DH on their days off.

Not only do I think that Torrens will cut into Tom Murphy’s playtime, but I also don’t think Murphy will be slotted in as the DH. The Mariners lineup is filled with depth and I want Kyle Seager to be the primary DH (probably will be France) which puts Murphy on the bench “on his days off.”

I know that Murphy was fantastic in 2019, but his Spring performances haven’t impressed me. The 29-year-old is hitting .200 with a .294 OBP. He has just one home run and has struck out nine times in 30 at-bats.

Not only are his numbers lackluster, but the quality of pitching he has faced is also 7.2 out of 10 according to Baseball Reference (7 = AA, and 8 = AAA). I know it’s only Spring Training but we are so close to Opening Day and I am unsure about how much Murphy will play.

I would also avoid Murphy because he might go undrafted. I don’t think many people know how good Tom was in 2019. In Fantasy Pros, he is the 22nd ranked catcher. Most fantasy owners don’t draft two catchers (I would recommend it), so Murphy would be available in I would guess 50% of leagues.

Just keep a close eye on how he does during the season, but you don’t have to draft him.

Mariners players to avoid in fantasy baseball – #4 Nick Margevicius

As good as Nick Margevicius’ Spring Training numbers look, I am a little sad to say that he isn’t valuable in fantasy baseball. Currently, the Mariners southpaw owns a 2.00 ERA in nine innings and has struck out 10 batters. He has allowed a hit an inning and only walked one batter.

Although he has been lights out in Arizona, I am heavily leaning towards Justin Dunn to lock in the sixth spot in the rotation. That means Nick Margevicius gets moved to the bullpen or is optioned to Triple-A.

And when you are a reliever (and not a closer), your fantasy baseball value is nearly zero. Unless Nick somehow becomes the next lights-out All-Star setup man, he is not someone to consider. But you never know. If Nick can post stats like the pre-closer Josh Hader, Andrew Miller, etc., then you might want to consider adding Nick to your team.

But in general, Nick doesn’t provide a lot of value in the current moment. So, you should definitely not draft him and there is a minuscule chance you might want to add him during the season.

I will say, I am impressed with how he has pitched this Spring Training and it is crazy to think how young Nick is. Honestly, the Mariners are lucky to have him. With the next wave of Mariners pitching prospects coming soon, Nick is a little unlucky in terms of timing but he could become a valuable long reliever in a couple of years.

Now, onto the last player.

Mariners players to avoid in fantasy baseball – #5 Julio Rodriguez

This might be pretty straight forward but some of you might be intrigued to stash Julio Rodriguez in the event that he gets called up this season and you shouldn’t. It is just a waste of a pick. The Mariners top prospect is super unlikely to be playing in 2021 and if I were to put it into a percentage, it would be a 1% possibility we see him in T-Mobile Park.

There is no question that Julio is one of the best prospects in the MLB and I have been very impressed with how he has played in Spring Training, but that doesn’t mean he is any closer to reaching the big leagues. (.308 BA, 1.035 OPS, two home runs, two stolen bases)

I acknowledge that Juan Soto played just eight games in Double-A before playing for the Nationals, but the Mariners aren’t going to take that chance. Even if coaches thought J-Rod was ready this year, the Mariners outfield is crowded and there is no reason to take the gamble. The highest level Julio has played at is High-A Modesto, and that was only 17 games.

Plus, the Mariners have other prospects in front of J-Rod like Jarred Kelenic, Taylor Trammell, and Jake Fraley who will see the field before Rodriguez anyways. Now when we talk about fantasy baseball for 2022, my advice would be a little different.

Lastly, if you are in a dynasty league, obviously things are different for you. J-Rod won’t play in 2021, but if you want to stash him this year so you are guaranteed to have him in 2022, I think that’s a great idea. It would be the equivalent of drafting Bobby Witt Jr. and Wander Franco this draft, in preparation for the long haul.

Of course, there are plenty of other players that don’t deserve your pick in fantasy baseball, but I think these are the most notable. Good luck in your fantasy drafts and be sure to check out our old fantasy baseball breakdowns.