Even an incomplete version of 2026 Mariners has ESPN extremely bullish

January is around the time that publications start to roll out things like power rankings and prospect projections. There's never a perfect time since moves may still be made between now and Opening Day but for many organizations, the core of what they have has already been established.

The Mariners are still being linked to players like Brendan Donovan and there are some potential free agents for the club to pursue, but the acquisition of Josh Naylor will likely be the needle-moving deal of the offseason. As a result of the lineup filling in one of the biggest holes in their lineups, recent projections seem pretty excited about what the team can do in 2026.

In a recent set of power rankings, ESPN placed the Mariners as the third-best team in MLB

Given the moves made so far by each front office, ESPN released a list of where they think each of the 30 teams currently stand, and the Mariners are right behind the Dodgers and Blue Jays. Their primary reasoning was the aforementioned acquisition of Naylor along with the smaller but still impactful signings of Jose A. Ferrer and Rob Refsnyder, but there are plenty of other tailwinds for Seattle.

Aside from new faces, the team's young core is still developing and about to head into their prime. Cal Raleigh showed the world what he's capable of in a single season, Julio Rodríguez could be a legitimate contender for the MVP award, and the organization's best young talent is on the cusp of cracking the big leagues. The starting pitching is still solid, the back of the bullpen is stacked with elite arms, and the lineup looks deep so it should be unsurprising that ESPN and other outlets have high hopes for the team.

Will Leitch of MLB.com came to the same conclusion as ESPN, placing the Mariners at third in his recent power rankings. In Dan Szymborski's 2026 ZiPS projections for the team, he mentioned that when he completes the projections for the rest of MLB and compiles the results, the Mariners could "be one of the American League’s elites." After falling just short of the franchise's first World Series, the consensus seems to be that they'll return in 2026 with a vengeance.

There's still plenty of time for these power rankings to shift and the season has no obligation to adhere to what the industry thinks will happen. Players can exceed expectations or fall short. Injuries can sideline core pieces and big trades at the deadline could transform middling contenders to postseason favorites. Because of the mercurial nature of the sport, it's important not to place too much stock in these lists and estimates but if nothing else, they're a reason to be excited for what Seattle will accomplish next year.