3 deserving Mariners who are going to be squeezed off of the Opening Day roster

Samad Taylor

Ugh. This is the one that worries me the most and is why I saved it for last. It seemed odd that the Royals so easily gave up Samad Taylor earlier in the offseason to the Mariners, as he had done quite well in the minors, even if he struggled in his brief debut in the show with them. He's 25 this season, and it seemed like they may have given up on him a year early.

The Mariners have taken full advantage, and so has Taylor. So far this Spring, we have seen Taylor hit two homers, steal three bases, and hit an impressive .310/.364/.552 with just a 21% K rate.

Oh, and he's a UTIL too. Like Dylan Moore. Which, oddly enough, is where the problem lies. The Mariners lineup/roster is different than years past. A full-time DH and a few guys who need rest for injury concerns. Where does Taylor fit? You have 2 catchers + a DH. 3 infielders + Rojas/Urias. Julio, Haniger, Raley, Canzone in the OF. That makes 12 already. Chances are, the team only has one more bench bat.

Do they do something with Dylan Moore? He's long been a part of this team, always flashes impressive upside with a speed+power combo that's ever-so tempting, but also has injury and consistency concerns. I honestly dream of seeing Moore put it together for a season, knowing that somewhere in there is a 15 HR/30 SB with a .250 BA season. He's also got a legit MLB contract, which makes the decision a little tougher.

I worry that the Mariners keep Moore up, and send Taylor down. Taylor could be a fantastic addition to this team. Late inning speed and defense, and true speed. Moore and Haggerty are fast, but Taylor is FAST. Unfortunately, unless Moore is traded or we see some odd roster shuffling, it seems like he could be forced off the roster by it's current construction.