Could Cade Marlowe Break Camp with Mariners?

Spring Training always offers a surprise or two. A few seasons ago, Taylor Trammell flashed in March and broke camp with the big-league club. We are only a handful of games into the Cactus League slate, but a player follows the same recipe. Cade Marlowe, a five-tool player, is flashing those skills daily and might make it challenging for Manager Scott Servais to leave him off the Opening Day roster. 

The team holds Marlowe in high regard, evidenced by including him on the 2022 playoff team's taxi squad. President of Baseball Operations, Jerry Dipoto, hit all the superlatives when speaking about the 26-year-old outfielder on Brock and Salk on Seattle Sports 710. 

"Cade does just about everything well on a baseball field. He plays all three (outfield) spots, he hits, he uses the field to hit, he’s got power, he can run. He’s been one of the best performers in the minor leagues, period, over the last two years, and he’s done it from A-Ball all the way to Triple-A and put himself on the doorstep,” Dipoto said. “He’s the guy that could break through (in 2023) and help."

- Jerry Dipoto

Last year, Marlowe finished with a .287/.377/.487 slash line in 133 games across two minor league levels. He brings a power-speed combo the upper levels of the Mariner’s farm system lacks (23 HR/42 SB). As for his Spring Training stats, sample sizes are small, but everyone knows statistics don’t tell the whole story in Peoria. 

Spring Training is about stacking moments on top of one another, and Marlowe is doing just that, whether it's easily legging out a triple, showing his speed and range in centerfield by covering an immense amount of ground, or displaying the power he possesses by hitting a rocket to dead center. 

So, how does this late bloomer break camp with the big-league club later this month? Well, that is where things get a little dicey. You are probably looking at a scenario where Jarred Kelenic doesn’t impress, Dylan Moore isn’t ready for Opening Day, or AJ Pollock doesn't hit. I wonder if any die-hard Mariner fan would subscribe to these outcomes. The good news is there is a great chance Marlowe contributes this year, as I expect injuries, DL stints, and trades that will change this roster.