3 infielders the Mariners could still pursue for 2025 to salvage dreadful offseason

It hasn't been the most active of offseasons for the Seattle Mariners, but that doesn't mean they haven't been trying (at least a little bit). The team was very transparent about their need for upgrades in the infield and despite various free agent pursuits and trade talks, nothing has come to fruition just yet.

With nearly $2.5 billion of free agent contracts already signed and several major trade moves already made by other teams, who are the remaining infielders that could still help push this team to the playoffs in 2025?

Mariners Free Agency: Who's left for Seattle to sign to help infield for 2025?

Kiké Hernández

Hernández is one of the most intriguing infield free agents this year. He fits the role of a "super utility" player even more than most that have been graced with the title. With the Dodgers in 2024, he played six different positions, not including the four games he pitched out of the bullpen.

Offensively, one might believe that the 85 OPS+ he posted in 2024 would move the needle in the wrong direction, but there's more than meets the eye with him. After a brief conversation with countryman Martín Maldonado earlier in the season, he learned that many players on the White Sox had to get glasses after scoring surprisingly poorly on recent eye exams. Inspired by this, Kiké opted to get an eye exam for himself and discovered that he had astigmatism, which resulted in blurred vision.

A few pairs of glasses weren't nearly enough to save Chicago from having a historically pathetic season but Hernández fared much better, posting a .766 OPS in the second half and seeing dramatic improvements to his batting average and on-base percentage after donning the specs. He also managed to carry these improvements into the postseason, posting an .808 OPS on the way to the Dodgers' eventual World Series win.

At 33 years old, it would be surprising for him to be in the running for a big contract, especially given the uncertainty of whether his newfound approach at the plate will be sustainable. He had been vocal about his desire to return to Los Angeles but given their newest free agent signing, that possibility seems more distant than ever.

This gives the Mariners a chance to get an affordable veteran with huge potential upside that can fill any one of the many gaps on their roster. They won't be getting Gold Glove defense but they will be getting a well-rounded bat that just might be a better hitter than most front offices are giving him credit for.

Jose Iglesias

In the midst of building his burgeoning pop career, Iglesias's side hustle was being one of the best infielders in the National League in 2024. A comeback story for the ages, he had been out of the big leagues for two years before having an outstanding season with the Mets, posting a 137 OPS+ and accumulating 3.1 rWAR in just half a season, primarily playing second base.

His offensive profile shows that he's able to compensate for a lack of pop with excellent bat-to-ball skills, striking out just 13.4% of the time and whiffing on 15.2% of his swings. This helped him compile a .337 batting average over his 291 plate appearances. His walk rate of 4.1% is quite poor in today's three true outcome focused approach, but having a player who puts the ball in play would be an invaluable addition to a team that was 29th in MLB for batting average last year.

He's not too shabby with the glove either. Despite a reduced number of innings, he still managed four Defensive Runs Saved at second base. Helped by his good speed and excellent range, he struggled more at shortstop and third base, held back by his week arm strength. Nonetheless, he'd be, at the very least, competent at any position in the infield.

The Mets have been surprisingly quiet on any discussion regarding bringing him back, even for just one more year, but that's understandable given everything they committed to acquire Juan Soto. This is good news for the Mariners, who could never hope to compete with the bank account of Steve Cohen. Other teams may be wary about a 35-year-old infielder who had a suspiciously good season, but Seattle can only stand to get better if they do end up signing him.

Luis Arráez

Arráez embodies what many old-school baseball fans love: immaculate bat-to-ball skills and not much else. He doesn't hit for power nor does he play defense very well at all — both qualities that make him a perfect fit for the Mariners.

For one, the Mariners have a lesser need for infield defense given the quality of their pitching staff. If opposing hitters are punching out or getting weak contact, it significantly reduces the fielding work needed to get outs. Secondly, the Mariners were actually fine in the power department last year, hitting 185 home runs (12th in MLB). What Seattle's lineup needs is someone to put the ball in play on a consistent basis, allowing them to actually take advantage of having runners in scoring position, something they were horrible at in 2024.

Furthermore, the Padres have reportedly been very open to trading him, and other news outlets agree that he would be the perfect complement to this Mariners' offense.

The best part is that he's not totally unaffordable. He will make $14 million in 2025, which is pricey but justifiable given his three consecutive batting titles. He'll become a free agent in 2026, but it's doubtful that he'll sign a long-term contract even then.

Despite all of his success at the plate, he has been traded thrice consecutively, and getting sent to Seattle would make four in as many years. Teams don't seem to want to keep him around, likely because of his hyper-specific toolkit, but that set of skills is exactly what the Mariners' lineup needs right now. Who knows, maybe he'll finally crack the code to being a successful hitter at T-Mobile Park.