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4 Mariners who do not deserve a 40-man roster spot heading into 2024
Discover which players on the Mariners' 40-man roster might be on the hot seat this Spring Training. Here are the 4 Mariners I think do not make the cut.
Spring Training is now less than a week away! That is crazy to think about, especially when superstars Blake Snell and Cody Bellinger are still available as free agents. The Mariners have been busy with moves being made this week, with the team claiming former Pittsburgh Pirates OF Canaan Smith-Njigba off of waivers, and adding bullpen help with names like Gregory Santos and Collin Snider.
With players like Bellinger, Snell, and others still available, no, I do not expect the Mariners to add Bellinger or Snell. Other players like Jordan Montgomery, J.D. Martinez, and Mike Clevinger are still available, not also may not make sense for the Mariners right now. The starting rotation is basically set, and the DH spot is now reserved for Mitch Garver and Mitch Haniger. The 40-man looks strong, with tons of potential. But there are still some players who should not be taking a key roster spot.
1. Dylan Moore, Utility
Dylan Moore is one of those players who are great to fill out the back of a 26-man roster when he is healthy. Moore can play multiple positions, and play them well defensively. The problem is... he just hasn't been able to stay healthy long enough to actually help the Mariners moving forward. Dylan also has struck out in 30.5% of his career at-bats. That strikeout rate is way too high for a utility player coming off of the bench.
Moore has 2 more years of club control. He signed a 3YR/$8.875M deal back in February of 2023. He managed to hit just .207/.303/.428 with a 731 OPS. His OPS+ was 104. He played in just 67 games due to injury and lack of production. With the Mariners cutting costs earlier this offseason, I am honestly surprised the team did not tack him onto a trade to clear his money off of the books. Moore is a Jerry Dipoto guy, so I am sure that is why he is still around. He will have to compete with Sam Haggerty and Ryan Bliss, amongst others, to make the team this year. A healthy Dylan Moore has a good shot, but if he has a bad spring, he has got to go.
At least we will all have this Dylan Moore moment!
DYLAN MOORE WITH THE GO-AHEAD GRAND SLAM IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 8TH AND THE MARINERS COME BACK FROM DOWN 7-0 IN THE TOP OF THE 4TH pic.twitter.com/HXrIAlWeUm
— MLB Clutch Moments And Walk Offs (@MLBWalk_Offs) July 27, 2021
2. Jackson Kowar, RHP
Okay, I have written about Jackson Kowar before. The Mariners acquired him when they shipped Jarred Kelenic off to the Atlanta Braves. I had no issue with the Mariners trading Kelenic, but getting Kowar? I had a lot of feelings about that. And I still do. Kowar is a former 1st round pick by the Kansas City Royals and was once a top pitching prospect. Things fell apart quickly for Kowar, and the results have not been there in a Major League uniform.
Jackson Kowar had a solid 1st inning pic.twitter.com/JF7ZekjGND
— Royals Daily (@RoyalsDaily_) March 18, 2023
In 74 career innings, Jackson has given up 75(!!!) earned runs. That is a 9.12 career ERA. In those 74 innings, Kowar has walked 51 and struck out 75. He gives up hits too, and boasts a WHIP of 2.09. How is he still competing for a roster spot with those numbers? That is hard to imagine a team with World Series aspirations giving a guy like this a chance. He throws the ball hard, with his fastball sitting in the 91st percentile. His career WAR is -2.6. For context, Justin Topa's WAR in 2023 was 1.6, and he was one of the most reliable arms for the Mariners in 2023.
I know the Mariners' pitching lab has done great work, and Kowar has some prospect pedigree. But I think his services would be better utilized somewhere else, maybe on a team that is rebuilding. He has "Oakland Athletic" written all over him.
3. Taylor Trammell, OF
Okay, this actually hurts me to write. I love TayTram. I still believe he can be a good Major Leaguer. I am just not sure it will happen in a Mariners uniform. Trammell is already out of minor league options, and if he does not make the 26-man roster out of Spring Training, he will have to be put on waivers, and there is no chance he clears waivers. He still carries some prospect pedigree and has shown he can hit in AAA.
Taylor Trammell - Seattle Mariners (3)
— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) May 17, 2023
pic.twitter.com/TBne7p18qR
The problem with Trammell is consistency. He goes through slumps that are so cold, it rivals Antarctica. But when he is on fire, he can swing the stick with the best of them. I fear that he is another AAAA player, too good for AAA but not good enough for the Majors. In 85 games for the Tacoma Rainiers, Trammell hit .268/.390/.530/.920 with 21 home runs and 17 stolen bases.
The Mariners are loaded with left handed hitting outfielders. Luke Raley, Dominic Canzone, Cade Marlowe, and Canaan Smith-Njigba are all options. think Trammell will be a great player still, he is still just 26 years old. Hopefully, he mashes in Spring Training and makes the team. If not, I hope he latches onto a team that can give him 500 ABs. I would love nothing more for him than to get everyday ABs for a major league team.
4. Mauricio Llovera, RHP
The Mariners claimed Llovera off of waivers from the Boston Red Sox back in January. Llovers spent time with the San Francisco Giants and the Red Sox in 2023, pitching 35 innings between the 2 teams. He has a career 5.80 ERA, with a 5.21 FIP. He is not a strikeout pitcher, as he has a career 8.7 strikeouts per 9 innings. He also walks batters at a 4.3 / 9 inning clip. He didn't light up the Savant page at all in 2023 either, so this is probably an easy choice.
The Mariners bullpen is loaded for 2023, so Llovera will be competing to stick around camp. Guys like Ty Buttrey, Jhonathan Diaz, Heath Hembree, and others are all competing for the last 1 or 2 spots in the bullpen. I just do not see Llovera beating out some of the names listed above unless the Mariners' pitching lab creates another Frankenstein, which is absolutely possible. Remember guys like Kendall Graveman and Paul Sewald were cast away players like Llovera, so who knows? But if he does not make the team, he should be ousted from the 40-man.
Other 40-Man roster guys on the hot seat
While I think Dylan Moore should lose his spot, I think there is a real battle for the utility bench spot. Sam Haggerty and Samad Taylor will join Dylan Moore to compete for that spot. Samad Taylor was acquired in a trade with the Kansas City Royals earlier this offseason. Taylor hit .301/.418/.466/.884 for the Royals AAA affiliate but struggled in his short stint in the Majors. He is cheaper than both Moore and Haggerty, so if he shows that he is ready he could knock both of those guys off of the 40-man.
Guys like Blake Hunt and Cade Marlowe could be on the hot seat as well. Hunt has yet to make his Major League debut, and should he not be ready for the Majors, he could be ousted from the 40-man. Cade Marlowe had a great debut with the Mariners last season but cooled off dramatically. Should he continue to struggle, he could find himself out of Seattle.
This is the most important Spring Training for the Mariners in some time. This is the best-looking roster the Mariners have had in some time, and expectations are high. As always, Go Mariners!