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3 Mariners players who have surprised us so far in Spring Training

While the team has a losing record this spring, here are 3 Mariners players that have surprised us so far in Spring Training!

By Jeffrey Nooney |
Oakland Athletics v Seattle Mariners
Oakland Athletics v Seattle Mariners / Stephen Brashear/GettyImages
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Spring Training is here, and games are being played. Baseball season is back, and Mariners fans everywhere should be excited, even if the team is 1-7 to begin Spring as I am writing this. While the team record means almost nothing, there have been some standout performances from players who are fighting for a roster spot. There are also reasons to raise your eyebrows at the kids pushing to advance through the system faster.

Like I said above, the team's record does not mean anything in Spring Training. Statistics also need to be taken with a grain of salt, because some of those hits or strikeouts are coming from guys who will not be Major League players. If Julio Rodriguez gets a base hit off of a 37th-round pitcher, what does that really prove? Not a ton, really. On the flip side, though, if Julio Rodriguez strikes out 7 out of 10 at-bats, against subpar competition, you can get upset.

With all of that being said, There have been some performances to get excited about. Understand that some, if not most of the prospects, will not make the team out of Spring Training, no matter what they do to impress. When it comes to the Vets on non-guaranteed deals, they are hoping to latch on to the 25th or 26th spots on the roster. Let's find out who has really surprised us so far this Spring, and what that means going forward this Spring, and maybe even this season.

1st surprising performance this Spring: Cole Young, INF

Cole Young has been a stud so far this Spring. The former 1st round pick and number 1 Mariners prospect according to MLB Pipeline is showing why the Mariners used such a high pick on a high school shortstop. Young has sneaky power, and that showed with his mammoth home run earlier this Spring.

While that home run was fun to watch, that is not all he has done this Spring. Young is second on the team in hits (5) and is tied for the team lead in RBIs with 5. I know it is just the first week of Spring Training, but the kid is balling out. Cole Young will be a Mariner for a long time, though I doubt we see him in The Show in 2024.

Cole is still just 20 years old, and will not be 21 until the end of July. He also has not played above the Mariners' High A affiliate, the Everett Aqua Sox. What Cole can do now is play well enough to start out in Arkansas, the Mariners AA affiliate. Maybe we see him in September with the big club, but there is no need to rush him at this time. The Mariners have plenty of infielders, and they need to make sure that he is ready to go when that call does come.

For now, enjoy the show, because Cole Young is going to be a stud for years to come, just maybe not this year.

2nd surprising performance this Spring: Tyler Locklear, INF

Kind of the same deal here as it was with Cole Young, just another prospect balling out in the first week of Spring Training. Tyler Locklear is the 10th-ranked prospect in the Mariners system, according to MLB Pipeline. He spent last season between High A Everett and AA Arkansas, where he hit 13 home runs, drove in 52 RBI, and even stole 12 bags. Not bad for a first baseman who missed about 2 months with a broken wrist, no?

This Spring, Tyler leads all of the Mariners in hits, with 6 in 14 at-bats. He has smacked 2 doubles and has driven in 2 runs. He does swing and miss, but not as much as you think in the minors. He struck out in 24.5% of his at-bats in 2023, which is just a bit higher than the league average in the Majors last season.

There is a path for Tyler to make the team in 2024, just probably not right out of Spring Training. He is a first baseman, who can also play a bit of third. Should the Mariners bats struggle, or miss time due to injuries, Tyler is a candidate to get called up this year. If he continues to ball out this spring, though, the Mariners may have no choice other than to break camp with him.

Ty France has been taking reps at third base, where he has played in the past. The Mariners also have Luis Urias at third base, but he is dealing with a shoulder injury and showed up to camp out of shape. Should he not be ready to go, maybe Ty France slides over to third, opening up a spot for Locklear at first. Keep your eye on him for the rest of the Spring, because he is going to be fun to watch.

3rd Surprising performance this Spring: Cade Marlowe, OF

Remember Cade Marlowe? You should because he debuted in the Majors last season. He was a cult favorite amongst Mariners fans, and he has had a great start to Spring Training. So far, he has 4 hits, a double, a home run, a stolen base, and has only struck out twice in his 13 at-bats. His home run came off of San Diego Padres ace Yu Darvish, so it was not a cheap home run by any means.

Cade hitting does not come as a shock, though. He .239/.330/.420/.750 in his short stint with the Mariners last year. He has monster stats in both AA and AAA in the minors, and he could be primed for a breakout season for the Mariners, should he make the big club and get playing time.

The problem is that he is a lefty-hitting outfielder, something the Mariners have a ton of. Yes, they traded away Jarred Kelenic, but they still have Marlowe, Dominic Canzone, Taylor Trammell, and Luke Raley, who they traded for earlier this offseason. That is a lot of lefty corner outfielders for just one or two spots. So far, Marlowe has made his push to be included on the 26-man roster, something I hope happens.

There is a ton of players to keep your eyes on this Spring, I only mentioned 3 of them. Relievers Reid Vanscoter and Jhonathan Diaz have had great starts to Spring Training, as well as Cody Bolton and Jackson Kowar. With injuries to Matt Brash and Gregory Santos, there are spots open for some of these guys.

As always, Go Mariners!

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