Don’t draft these 5 Mariners players in fantasy baseball

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.