Mariners' new spin artist is impressing the right people in spring training

Established superstars don't need to worry about using spring training to fight for a roster spot. Prospects can make a strong case but depending on roster availability, making the team may not be totally up to them. Of those that don't already have a guaranteed place on the team, the ones who have the best chance of getting called up are arguably relievers.

Seattle stocked up on plenty of bullpen arms this offseason, giving themselves more than enough optionality in the pitching department. Most of these are waiver claims and minor league deals that won't amount to much, but there's one arm that has been utilizing this opportunity to the fullest.

The Cooper Criswell signing is already starting to pay off for the Mariners this spring

Criswell was acquired from the Red Sox for cash in late January and didn't carry the highest expectations. He had some upside, but hardly any qualities that demanded a spot on the roster, especially in a bullpen as talented as Seattle's. Fortunately for him, his spring training numbers are starting to get some attention.

He has posted a 2.57 ERA with five strikeouts over seven innings. His last outing was a three-inning start against the Giants that earned praise from manager Dan Wilson and was indicative of what he can bring to the table.

"I thought Criswell did a really nice job at the outset. He threw a ton of strikes. We’ve talked about the movement and his arm slot and just the secondary pitches that he has with the changeup and the slider. I thought everything was working really, really well for him tonight. He looked like he was in control for the time that he was out there. It was really, really good."

Dan Wilson

Criswell's lack of appealing surface-level characteristics seem to contradict the numbers he has managed so far, but the secondary pitches that Wilson mentioned are exactly what have allowed him to reach the next level. His sweeper has had an impressive chase rate of 71.4 percent with an average of nearly 19 inches of glove-side break. His changeup has been similarly effective, boasting a whiff rate of 46.2 with 14 inches of arm-side movement.

Three of the Mariners' bullpen arms will be participating in the World Baseball Classic: Gabe Speier (USA), Eduard Bazardo (Venezuela), and Andrés Muñoz (Mexico). This should mean that there will be more innings up for grabs and more opportunities for Criswell to show his quality, good or bad. He's still far from taking the ball in high leverage situations but he could very well have a future with this Seattle squad.