Mariners Prospects: Julio Rodriguez is the next Frank Robinson

PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 15: Julio Rodríguez #85 of the Seattle Mariners at bat in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the MLB spring training baseball game at Peoria Sports Complex on March 15, 2021 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 15: Julio Rodríguez #85 of the Seattle Mariners at bat in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the MLB spring training baseball game at Peoria Sports Complex on March 15, 2021 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
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Delmon Young with the Twins
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JUNE 16: Delmon Young #21 of the Minnesota Twins bats against the Chicago White Sox on June 16, 2011 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins won 1-0. (Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/Getty Images)

Floor player comp for Seattle Mariners Julio Rodriguez: Delmon Young

Delmon Young was on the fast track to being the next big thing for the Tampa Bay Rays. Called up at the age of 20, he was supposed to have strong power, fair defense, and a good bat to go alongside that power. It looked like the skills would play as well, as he finished 2nd in the American League Rookie of the Year voting back in 2007. 13 home runs, 93 RBI, 10 SB, and a .288 BA was quite a line for Young and worthy of the second-place finish.

He never gained a good eye at the plate, with a paltry walk rate of 4.1%, half the league average. After the 2010 season, a breakout seemed on its way after he finished 10th in MVP voting for the Twins. Young would notch his first (and only) 20+ homer season, hitting .298 with 113 RBI.

Young never really improved as his career progressed, turning into a serviceable outfielder, but no more than that. He still hit .283 for his career but managed just 109 homers. Although he played ten total seasons, he would only amass a career WAR of 3.2, in large part to a -9.5 dWAR. What makes it worse is that half of his WAR came in 2010, when he finished the year with a 1.9 WAR.

This should be the realistic floor for Julio Rodriguez. He never gains enough speed to steal more than a handful of bases, is a bit of a liability in the field, and puts together a couple of decent seasons. A ten-year career is nothing to scoff at. For the potential and expectations surrounding him, it would be a disappointment.

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