4 Mariners players who could become first time All-Stars in 2025

Some may argue a trip to the MLB All-Star Game no longer holds the same appeal as it used to, but we would contend there's still something special about it after all these years.

Seattle Mariners fans still hold fond memories of the Midsummer Classic and especially that of the 2001 season. The team set a franchise record with eight All-Star selections (M's skipper Lou Piniella also coached under AL manager Joe Torre) for the event, which was held in Seattle.

Last season saw Logan Gilbert earn his first ever All-Star selection, although he was subsequently replaced by teammate and fellow first-time All-Star selection, Andrés Muñoz. Let's now take a look at four Mariners players with a shot at being selected as All-Stars for the first time in 2025, wherein the event will take place in Atlanta at Truist Park.

No. 1: Cal Raleigh, C

In one respect, it makes perfect sense why Raleigh is our first contender to be an All-Star for the first time in 2025. In another, it's actually embarrassing to Major League Baseball that he has yet to receive the honour as he prepares for his fifth season.

Raleigh is one of the very best catchers in the game, yet it was only last season when he finally started to receive the true recognition he deserves. He won Gold Glove and Platinum Glove awards for the first time, becoming the first Mariners catcher to receive either award.

The 28-year-old is a durable player who lead all Major League catchers with 1122.0 innings caught in 2024, but it's with his bat that he really stands out. Last season, he became the first catcher to lead his position in home runs for three consecutive years since Hall of Famer Mike Piazza (1999-2002).

Raleigh even surpassed Piazza for the most ever home runs by a catcher in the first four years of his career, with 93. As a final note, the Mariners' motivational leader led all AL catchers in WAR last year.

No. 2: Bryan Woo, RHP

Some people may wonder why the fifth starter in the Mariners rotation is even being mentioned as a candidate to be a first-time All-Star in 2025. However, the reality is that Woo was arguably the team's best pitcher by the conclusion of last season.

As we wrote about last month, The Athletic's Jim Bowden picked 12 breakout candidates he was excited to scout at spring training this year (subscription required). And ranked at number five was none other than Woo.

This makes perfect sense, when you consider that the 25-year-old was first among the Mariners' main starters in win-loss percentage, ERA, ERA+ and walks per nine innings for the 2024 season. He was also second-best in WHIP and third-best in FIP, which all makes for impressive reading.

The Mariners have a stellar rotation, which also includes three-time All-Star Luis Castillo, George Kirby and Bryce Miller. However, Woo has shown he can more than hold his own and be part of the fab five, which in turn means he has an excellent opportunity for a special season in 2025.

No. 3: Bryce Miller, RHP

As with Woo, Miller is another starter entering his third season with potential designs on a first All-Star selection. And while he appears unassuming with his slender frame, he is a fierce competitor who is determined to continue improving and become one of the best at his position.

It may surprise some people that Miller had the best WAR among all Mariners pitchers last year. It's a testament to him when considering the overall talent in the rotation. In general, he made excellent improvement during his second season after showing glimpses of his ability during a promising rookie year in 2023.

When it was all said and done, the 2021 fourth-round draft pick finished second among all M's starters in ERA in 2024, while producing a 0.976 WHIP. At the same time, there is still a need for some improvement, particularly on the road, where he had the worst ERA disparity among all Mariners starters (4.07 compared to 1.96 at T-Mobile Park).

Overall, there's a lot to like about Miller, with plenty of reasons to be encouraged by his chances of becoming a first-time All-Star in 2025. As Tanner Vogt recently wrote about, this includes an increase in his average fastball velocity this spring.

No. 4: Víctor Robles, RF

In some respects, Víctor Robles is probably the long-shot of these players to earn a first ever All-Star selection. However, while his time in Seattle has been short, he's been extremely impactful since signing with the team after the Washington Nationals released him last June.

The Mariners clearly saw something in Robles, as they signed him to a two-year extension just over a month later. Among other things, his .328 batting average and 155 OPS+ in Seattle contributed towards single-season bests of .307 and 140 in the respective categories.

The Dominican Republic native also produced a .860 OPS, which was notable for leading the Mariners last year. The question now is if last year with the M's was just a flash in the pan, or alluding to something special and more long-term?

Robles has shown glimpses previously of what he's capable of, particularly in 2019 when he recorded career-best of a 4.4 WAR, 17 home runs and 65 RBI, and contributed toward the Nationals winning the World Series. Now it's a case of showing his talent on a more consistent basis, as part of what could potentially be the best outfield in the Majors, along with Julio Rodríguez and Randy Arozarena.

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