4 Mariners making plays to be All-Stars for the first time in 2026

June is just about here, so buzz about which players will get chosen to go to Philadelphia for the All-Star Game is about to ramp up. And after sending five players to last year's Midsummer Classic, the Seattle Mariners have a hard act to follow.

Save for Julio Rodríguez, Randy Arozarena and George Kirby, the Mariners' best bets to get picked for the 2026 American League All-Star team happen to be guys who have never had the honor. Let's break down who they are and why they deserve recognition.

These 4 Mariners deserve to be first-time All-Stars in 2026

Be warned that Matt Brash is actually not one of the guys on this list. He still hasn't allowed an earned run this season, but the couple weeks he spent on the injured list has limited him to just 16 appearances. That doesn't necessarily crush his All-Star chances, but it doesn't help them either.

LHP Jose A. Ferrer

Jose A. Ferrer, on the other hand, is absolutely making a good case for himself out of Seattle's bullpen. Among American League relievers, he's tied for third with 25 appearances and is first with a 7.33 K/BB ratio. He also has a 1.90 ERA that's none too shabby.

The 26-year-old lefty does have some warts, including a 1.268 WHIP that is not quite befitting of an All-Star-caliber reliever. But his results are nonetheless his results, and they have been a godsend for a bullpen that has yet to see the best of ace closer Andrés Muñoz.

2B Cole Young

Cole Young has fallen into a wee bit of an offensive slump in May, batting .169 with no home runs. By comparison, he hit .286 with three homers in April, also driving in 19 runs. He's still second on the team with 26 runs batted in, however, and rocking a generally acceptable 96 OPS+.

More importantly, the 22-year-old is first among all American League second basemen with 1.9 rWAR. That has quite a lot to do with his excellent defense, which could get more recognition than usual in a year that doesn't really have any other standout second basemen in the AL.

RF Luke Raley

Speaking of club leaders, Luke Raley leads the Mariners with 27 RBI and 10 home runs. He's also sporting a 159 OPS+, ranking fourth among all AL hitters with at least 140 plate appearances.

The knock against the 31-year-old Raley is that he's strictly a platoon hitter, as he's taken all but six of his140 plate appearances in left-on-right matchups. Even so, he's the best offensive right fielder in the American League this side of Aaron Judge, who is sure to earn the starting nod.

RHP Emerson Hancock

It still feels weird to say it — much less write it — but Emerson Hancock has been Seattle's best starting pitcher. He leads his fellow rotation mates with a 3.07 ERA, which also ranks just outside the top 10 among qualified AL starters. He's firmly in the top 10 with a 4.62 K/BB ratio.

The question the 26-year-old must still answer is whether he can sustain this performance for at least a few more weeks. There are some warning signs to this end, but he's also given up three earned runs or fewer in nine of his 10 starts.

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