Luke Raley could be next to prove Mariners legend is a gift that keeps giving

Although he won't be a free agent until 2029, 2026 will be a pivotal year for Luke Raley and his future in Seattle. He's one of several players in desperate need of a comeback and unlike some of his peers who find themselves in the same boat, his spring training provides an uplifting glimpse of what's to come. However, these improvements came from somewhere and for Raley, he couldn't have done it without the help of Edgar Martínez.

Luke Raley is shaping up to be Edgar Martínez's latest successful project as a hitting coach

Injuries made it difficult for Raley to get back into the swing of things last season. He made just 219 plate appearances and posted an 85 OPS+, a steep decline from the 128 OPS+ he posted in 2024. Although his bat speed remained strong, his whiff rate of 40.8 percent and poor numbers against fastballs suggested a timing issue, something he confirmed in a recent article by Tim Booth of The Seattle Times. Raley also credited a lot of his progress with work that he did with Edgar to adjust his swing and do a better job of catching up to velocity.

His spring training numbers are indicative of a big turnaround. He has a .959 OPS over 49 plate appearances with three home runs, just one shy of his total from all of last year. His average exit velocity is also up by nearly 4 mph and his whiff and zone contact rates, while still below average, are far better than they were in 2025.

If Raley does manage to carry this success into the regular season, he wouldn't be the first player on the team to reap the benefits of working with Edgar. Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez both benefited from a simple tee drill that he suggested and had incredible seasons.

For the team, these fixes couldn't come at a better time. Now that they have Josh Naylor manning first base, Raley can return to sharing right field with Víctor Robles. If Robles continues to struggle at the plate and carries his offensive slump into the regular season, a new and improved Luke Raley should be more than a viable option to do the job in the interim.

Edgar Martínez may not receive the same shine as other career designated hitters like David Ortiz, but his hitting ability is statistically undeniable. It can often be difficult for talented players to pass on their knowledge to other players, especially those of a younger generation, but it seems like he's had no such difficulties. He may not have taken the field for the Mariners since 2004 but his impact on the field can be tangibly felt through the next crop of Seattle greats.