Mariners News: Ryan Bliss has gained inside track at second base

When the Seattle Mariners reported for spring training in February, their starting second base job was technically up for grabs but also had a clear favorite. That was Dylan Moore, who had creds as a stable offensive producer and 2024 Gold Glover.

Yet with less than three weeks to go until the Mariners' opener on March 27, it is now Ryan Bliss in the driver's seat at the keystone.

Whereas Moore is 1-for-20 in the Cactus League, the 25-year-old Bliss is batting .333 with three doubles and a triple in eight games. Daniel Kramer of MLB.com tabbed him as the Mariners' second baseman in his latest projection of the team's Opening Day roster, a view that RosterResource likewise holds.

Bliss is a flawed, yet dynamic prospect

Originally acquired with Dominic Canzone in the July 2023 trade that sent Paul Sewald to the Arizona Diamondbacks, whether Bliss is among Seattle's best prospects is a matter of debate.

He notably does not rank among the team's 30 best prospects for MLB Pipeline, and is similarly shut out of a top 20 compiled by Keith Law of The Athletic. Yet in Bliss' defense, this is the best farm system in MLB and he has at least one believer in Baseball America.

The publication calls attention to how Bliss has "sneaky power" for a 5-foot-7, 165-pounder. He's also a "plus runner" with the hands and arm strength to cut it as a capable defensive infielder.

The unknown in Bliss' game is whether his approach is viable for the big leagues. His strikeout rate of 22.3 percent at Triple-A is higher than you'd want from a guy with his size. He also fanned 22 times and drew only five walks in 33 games with Seattle last season, and has four punchouts against zero walks this spring.

What Bliss could bring to the Mariners in 2025

Yet even if whiffs may always be a part of Bliss' game, he is not to be confused for an undisciplined hitter. His chase rate in the majors last year was 21 percent, well below the MLB average of 28.5.

As for his speed, he has swiped 154 bags in 403 games in his four seasons as a professional. He's also proved his "sneaky" pop by slugging .456 for Triple-A Tacoma last season, and more recently by averaging 92.9 mph on his tracked batted balls this spring.

The ZiPS projection system thinks Bliss could give the Mariners 11 home runs and 31 stolen bases this season, albeit with a sub-.300 OBP. The system ultimately spits out a projection for 2.1 WAR, which would be an upgrade on the 1.6 fWAR Seattle got from the keystone in 2024.

In other words, Mariners fans should be feeling bullish that the team suddenly has a solid double play partner for shortstop J.P. Crawford. This, in turn, is yet another reason to be bullish on the Mariners as a legitimate AL West and World Series contender despite the negative energy that has surrounded the franchise of late.