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The Seattle Mariners can be great, but need to go all in for 2022

By Michael Thompson

SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 23: Seattle Mariners majority owner John Stanton, left, talks with Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto before the game at Safeco Field on September 23, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. The Cleveland Indians beat the Seattle Mariners 11-4. (Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - SEPTEMBER 23: Seattle Mariners majority owner John Stanton, left, talks with Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto before the game at Safeco Field on September 23, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. The Cleveland Indians beat the Seattle Mariners 11-4. (Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images) /
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Mariners: Go get Bieber and Ramirez
SEATTLE, WA – APRIL 16: Starting pitcher Shane Bieber #57 (C) of the Cleveland Indians meets at the mound with pitching coach Carl Willis (2R), infielders Jason Kipnis #22 of the Cleveland Indians (L), Jose Ramirez #11 and Kevin Plawecki #27 during a game at T-Mobile Park on April 16, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. The Indians won the game 4-2. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) /

For Cleveland, we are checking off their desired boxes. Do they need immediate help? Kyle Lewis has star potential, as we saw in 2020, and with a fresh start and a little more injury luck, he can be a star. Dylan Moore provides plenty of potential to play all over the field, while also providing some potential with the bat. Evan White has the best 1B glove in the majors and just needs the bat to come around. Cleveland can be a great home for him to develop that bat.

As for future talent, Brandon Williamson, Zach Deloach, and Kaden Polcovich all provide the potential for the Guardians and will all likely get their shot before the end of 2023.

The main prizes, however, are SS Noelvi Marte and RHP Emerson Hancock. Marte, a top 3 prospect in the Mariners farm, is the perfect future replacement for Ramirez at 3B, a position he’ll likely slide into as he gets older. Likely ready by 2023, Marte is on most prospect top 20-30 lists and has all-star potential.

Emerson Hancock, a top 5 prospect in the Mariners farm, will be pitching in the majors by September. He has a #2 starter potential. At the end of the day, Cleveland is getting 8 young talented players, a humongous haul that is balanced to allow Cleveland to contend by 2024.

As for Seattle, they’ve gutted the depth of their farm system trading away 6 of their top 25 prospects, but have kept 3 of the top 4 prospects in their system according to my rankings. Personally, I value catcher Harry Ford above all these players in the deal, minus Marte. Seattle keeps their superstar potential players in Julio, Kelenic, Kirby, and Ford. This deal will sting, but what they are acquiring is the biggest all-in move in Seattle Mariners history.

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