Mariners fans badly needed the mood booster that ESPN just dropped

The Seattle Mariners and their fans have been taking it on the chin lately. What was supposed to be a triumphant stretch after a bold deadline day shopping spree has instead turned into an uninspired string of gut-punch losses on the road. The bats have gone cold, and optimism has felt about as scarce as a clean inning in September.

But just when the mood in Seattle seemed primed to sink into full-blown despair, ESPN of all places delivered a pick-me-up many Mariners fans needed. Kiley McDaniel released his annual “MLB core rankings: Who has the most star talent?” — and Seattle’s standing reads like a splash of sunshine breaking through the clouds.

ESPN ranks Mariners’ roster core among baseball’s very best

The Mariners checked in at No. 2 overall, behind only the juggernaut Los Angeles Dodgers.

And this isn’t a one-off. Seattle’s climb has been steady and undeniable. Ranked 10th in 2022. Then third in 2023. Fourth in 2024. And now, second in 2025. For a fanbase that has spent the past two decades waiting for “the process” to mean something more than empty buzzwords, this is some validation.

McDaniel didn’t mince words about why Seattle earned the bump. The Herculean leap of Cal Raleigh, who continues to evolve from lovable cult hero to legitimate franchise cornerstone, paired with the steady reliability of Bryan Woo, has elevated Seattle’s floor and ceiling alike.

“Raleigh and Woo have taken big steps forward this season while the rest of Seattle’s top-end big league talent has, at least, held strong, if not improved a bit,” McDaniel wrote.

It isn’t just the big-league roster turning heads. McDaniel pointed out that the Mariners boast the No. 3 farm system in baseball, with eight top-100 prospects waiting in the wings. A tidal wave of talent stacked in Double-A and Triple-A, poised to crash onto T-Mobile Park by 2026.

Conveniently, that’s the exact moment the front office will be forced to make tough calls on cornerstone shortstop J.P. Crawford and trade-deadline prize Randy Arozarena, both free agents after that season. In other words, the cavalry isn’t just coming, it’s perfectly timed to arrive when Seattle needs reinforcements most.

For fans, the timing of this ranking couldn’t be better. It’s a reminder that even if this year’s Mariners look like an 85-win team destined to frustrate as much as they thrill, the core remains elite. The foundation of this roster is strong, the next wave of prospects is on the way, and Seattle is still built for something bigger than heartbreak.

Sure, rankings don’t win games. And there’s always the cautionary tale of the Braves, who sat at No. 1 in 2023 only to tumble to No. 5 this year with the same core. But if you’re a Mariners fan, you don’t need to squint to see why this feels different. For once, Seattle isn’t just clinging to hope, they’ve got validation from the national stage.