4 Mariners players who are putting up eye-catching numbers this Spring

Spring training is winding down, and roster decisions are almost complete. The Mariners rode a wicked rollercoaster this offseason, but the front office was able to make this team better for the 2024 season. While the numbers on the back of their baseball cards look great, it is time for the players who need to show something - well, to show something.

The Mariners front office had to work within a much smaller budget than they anticipated, so hard decisions of cutting payroll had to be made. Marco Gonzales, Eugenio Suarez and Robbie Ray all got shipped out of town, and Teoscar Hernandez was never offered a qualifying offer. But the Mariners brought in Mitch Garver, Mitch Haniger, Jorge Polanco and Luis Urias to fill in the holes made by trimming the roster. With all of that turnover, the lineup had to be better, right?

Some of the new players have flourished so far this Spring. Some of the rookies and prospects have been surprisingly good so far. If the Mariners want to compete for a division title, or a World Series bid, then these new guys are going to have to step up, and that starts this Spring. Here are 4 Mariners players who have done just that.

Mitch Haniger

We all know what Mitch Haniger can do. He has proven that if he stays healthy, he can be a key cog in the lineup. The problem with Haniger is that he just can't seem to stay healthy. He has not played a full season since 2021, and the Mariners decided not to bring him back as a free agent in the 2023 offseason. He ended up signing with the San Francisco Giants, where he missed about half the season again.

He was not all that effective by the Bay, either. He hit just .209/.266/.365/.631 in 61 games with the Giants. It is safe to say that moving from Seattle to San Francisco did not go well at all, and the Giants were willing to move him. The Mariners needed offense, and with the starting rotation already set, the Mariners traded Robbie Ray to the Giants for Hanny and Anthony DeSclafani. DeSclafani was later dealt, along with three other players, to the Minnesota Twins for Jorge Polanco

Obviously he would need to stay healthy for things to work out in his second Mariners stint, and he is already putting up big numbers down in Peoria. In 32 at bats, Mitch is hitting .406/457/.844 with a 1.301 OPS. He has also hit 4 home runs, and drove in 6. While nobody expects him to duplicate his 39 home runs in 2021, he could still provide enough to be a worthy starter in that lineup. I can't wait for his return on Opening Day.

Jorge Polanco

The Mariners have struggled at the second base position for some time now. Not since the days of Robinson Cano have the Mariners had a player they can rely on at second base. They may have found their guy in Jorge Polanco.

Polanco was acquired from the Minnesota Twins for Anthony DeSclafani, Justin Topa, and a few prospects. They paid a heavy price for his services, and he is already showing Mariners fans why it cost so much to get him. Jorge is hitting .444/.512/.778 with a 1.290 OPS this spring. He has also homered 3 times and has driven in 15. Polanco is a switch hitter who can play both second and third base.

Like Haniger, Polanco has struggled to stay on the field over the past few seasons. He played in just 104 games in 2022, and just 80 games in 2023. But unlike Haniger, Polanco put together a great half of a season in 2023. He hit .255/.335/.454/.789 with an OPS+ of 115 (About 15% higher than an average player).

The Mariners will need Polanco to stay healthy if they want their second base woes to end. He has stayed healthy all Spring, and has looked like the player who earned MVP votes in 2019. Polanco was well respected in the Twins clubhouse, and that sould be true in the Mariners clubhouse as well. Veterans like Polanco, Haniger and Mitch Garver will provide the kind of veteran leadership that this team has needed for a long time.

Tyson Miller

You might be asking yourself "Who the heck is Tyson Miller?" And you may be correct in doing that. A quick trip over to his baseball reference page would make you scratch your head even more. Miller has a career 6.97 ERA over his 31 career innings at the Major League level. He has struck out 18 and walked 17 in those 31 innings. He was brought over to camp as a non-roster invitee, so not much was expected out of him.

As Jerry Dipoto has done over his career as the Mariners General Manager and President of Baseball Operations, he finds diamonds in the rough in the relief pitcher market. Paul Sewald, Drew Steckenrider, Justin Topa, Gabe Speier, and others were all cast always from other teams and turned themselves into high-leverage arms in Seattle. Tyson Miller has a real shot to add his name to that list.

Miller has pitched in eight innings so far this Spring, and has only given up 5 hits and no earned runs. He has walked only 2, and struck out 10. Mariners manager Scott Servais compared him to Paul Sewald, which is incredible. Miller seems to have bought in to the Mariners pitching philosophy, and that should only mean good things for him.

The problem is, he is not yet on the 40-man roster. He will likely start the year down in Tacoma, even with some key injuries in the bullpen. Matt Brash and Gregory Santos will likely start the season on the injured list, and Jackson Kowar will be out for the season following elbow surgery. The good news is there will be a spot opened up on the 40-man once Kowar lands on the 60-day injured list. Miller has as good of a chance as any of the guys in similar boats. Look for big things from Miller this year.

As always, Go Mariners!