3 Mariners That Could Be Worth More As Trade Pieces

#3 Prelander Berroa

Of all the prospects currently in the Mariners system, it's important to hold onto the position players as tightly as possible. Given how the team's offense has been over the past few years, it's clear that Seattle needs all the bats that they can get. On the other hand, their exceptional pitching development extends to their bullpen as well, with Berroa serving as the most recent example of the organization's ability to churn out great arms.

After spending time with the Twins and the Giants, Berroa ended up on Seattle's roster in 2022 and made a brief major-league appearance in 2023, pitching 1 ⅓ scoreless innings. His larger body of work came in Double A with the Arkansas Travelers where he posted a 2.89 ERA and 1.29 WHIP over 65 ⅓ innings. Currently the #16th ranked Seattle prospect by MLB, here's what scouts had to say about his abilities.

"Berroa’s heater sits in the mid-90s and has touched 99-100 mph with seamless arm-side run, and the slider sits at 82-85 mph possessing a shorter, cutter-like shape; both generate a ton of whiffs and groundouts. He also has a changeup in his back pocket, but he can throw it too hard at times, thus making it hittable. The power profile behind his two best pitches, not to mention command issues, suggests he might be destined for relief long term"

MLB.com

While there were intentions to stretch his usage into a starting role, his raw stuff and issues with control have landed him snugly as a reliever, potentially one of high leverage.

Potential Landing Spots

A team that could use a guy like Barroa in the bullpen is the Miami Marlins. In 2023, Marlins relievers combined for an ERA of 4.37, 21st in MLB. They've got a couple of valuable bats under team control but not all of them are realistic. Jazz Chisholm Jr, Luis Arraez, and Jake Burger are likely off-limits and Josh Bell's $16.5 million salary is more than the Mariners are willing to pay, but Jesus Sanchez would definitely be an upgrade over the current options of Dominic Canzone and Sam Haggerty in right field. Given how unproven Berroa is as a prospect and that Sanchez is under team control for four more years, the Marlins might want more in return. If a trade is made, expect some more depth pieces to go along with Prelander.