Former top 100 prospect signed by Mariners needs a total reboot

The Mariners have developed a well-earned reputation, with their ability to take on struggling and disappointing pitchers as reclamation projects, and make them successful. In recent years, this includes the likes of Paul Sewald, Erik Swanson, Justin Topa and Gabe Speier. Now comes one of the most intriguing tests of this ability to turns someone's career around, in Simeon Woods Richardson.

After being designated for assignment last week by the Blue Jays and subsequently clearing waivers, Woods Richardson elected for free agency on Tuesday. The Mariners swooped in a day later to sign him to a minor league deal and he has now been assigned to Triple-A Tacoma. This understandably leads to the question of what the M's organization can get out of the righty?

In theory there's potential to work on, with a player taken in the second round of the 2018 draft, who was a top 100 prospect in 2020 and 2021 with both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. (A high of No. 61 with Baseball America ahead of the 2020 season.) Woods Richardson was also voted the Twins' 2024 Rookie of the Year, following a campaign when he established himself in the rotation. He performed even better in 2025, but this season has seen the 25-year-old suffer a spectacular slump, with him now looking to reestablish himself.

At his best, Simeon Woods Richardson is the type of steady starter the Mariners could use

The best way to describe Woods Richardson's achievements in Minnesota during 2024 and 2025 is that he was steady, with a 4.08 ERA and 1.28 WHIP over 50 starts. And let's be honest, the Mariners rotation could use some steady after ranking 25th in the majors with a 4.81 team ERA during August. However, the issue is that the Texas native has not offered this during the 2026 campaign in either Minnesota or Toronto, albeit he didn't get many opportunities with the latter.

It's always good to go to sites such as Baseball Savant to look for silver linings with a new signing, but there admittedly isn't a lot to hang your hat on as such with Woods Richardson. At the same time, it isn't as if he is a total lost cause. For example, his four-seamer is up 2.1 mph since 2023, with the pitch also having 2.8 more inches of induced vertical break than the average four-seamer.

Aside from this, Woods Richardson throws with a lower arm slot with good extension, which fits the Mariners' forte. On the subject of fortes in Seattle, in some respects he could well represent the ultimate experiment for them to work on in their lab, with the feel that he needs all new pitch shapes. At least he's gone to one of the top places to put himself in the best possible position to have success.

It will also be interesting to see if the Mariners decide to use Woods Richardson as a starter as he was throughout his time in Minnesota, or out of the bullpen similar to how he was utilized in Toronto? If they do use him as a reliever, we can actually see him getting called up to Seattle at some point in September, given how much of a disaster the bullpen has become. First things first though, let's see if he can take advantage of his new opportunity in the Pacific Northwest and turn things around.

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