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Could the Mariners grab players from other teams who are out of minor league options?

Could the Mariners grab players from other teams who are out of minor league options? From former top prospects to relievers, there could be a ton of talent available before Opening Day.

By Jeffrey Nooney |
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With Opening Day just a few weeks away, the Mariners have some hard decisions to make, and trimming the Spring Training roster down to 26 means that some good players will be left off of the Opening Day roster. We have talked about position battles for the Mariners all offseason, but is there a chance the Mariners could take advantage of other teams' roster crunches?

MLB Trade Rumors posted an article showing every team's players without minor league options left, and there is a ton of talent on that list. If a player who is out of minor league options does not make the Major League roster, he must first clear waivers before being sent down. That often leads to trades which is right up the Mariners' sleeve. We all know Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander are not afraid to make a trade.

Some players on the MLBTR list have already signed a long-term deal, or the player is a lock to make the roster, but there is still a lot of talent that could be available via trade of a waiver claim. Mariners players out of minor league options include Luke Raley, Trent Thornton, Austin Voth, and Taylor Trammell. Raley and Voth are likely cemented in the 26-man roster, but the other guys will need a big showing this Spring to make the team.

As for the rest of the league, here are some players that could be available that the Mariners should take a hard look at. Most of these guys were former top prospects who just have not made an impact at the Major League level yet.

Former top prospects Jo Adell and Joey Bart are out of options

Jo Adell was once a top-10 prospect in all of baseball, but he just has not figured it out yet at the major league level. Like old friend Jarred Kelenic, Adell just has not lived up to the hype. He has a slash line in his career of .214/.259/.366/.625 with an OPS+ of just 71, making him roughly 29% worse than a league-average player. He has stuck out in 35.4% of his at-bats while walking only 4.9% of the time. So, why should the Mariners be interested?

The Mariners could be on the lookout for a right-handed hitting corner outfielder to platoon with the plethora of lefty outfielders the Mariners already have on their roster. Adell could be used on the weak side platoon with any of Luke Raley, Dominic Canzone, Cade Marlowe, or Taylor Trammell. They do have Mitch Haniger, who can handle that job. But with Haniger's injury issues, would it be the worst thing to take a chance on Adell, should he be available?

Adell is still just 24, though he will turn 25 on April 8th. Adell has been one of those typical AAAA players, too good for AAA, but not good enough for the Majors. In 2023 down in AAA, Adell hit .273/.375/586/.961 with 24 home runs and 9 stolen bases. He still struck out about 31% of the time, though. He was more selective at the dish, walking at a 14% clip. If he were to take more walks and reduce the strikeouts some, Adell could be a good player. Will he ever live up to the prospect hype? Probably not. But I still think there is some untapped potential in there.

Much like Jo Adell, Joey Bart was once a former top prospect. Bart was the second overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants out of high school. Both he and Adell have had a similar MLB career so far. Unlike Adell, though, I actually expect Joey Bart to be placed on waivers before Opening Day. The Giants liked what they saw out of 2023 rookie Patrick Bailey at catcher, and they also brought in former Mariner Tom Murphy to back him up. Unless the Giants rock with 3 catchers, Bart will be on his way out of San Francisco.

Why should the Mariners take a chance on him? Seattle already has enough catchers at the Major League level. Cal Raleigh has shown that he is one of the top catchers in baseball, and the team just traded for his new backup, Seby Zavala, this offseason. Taking a flyer on Bart has less to do with Bart, and more to do with the backup catcher position. Zavala is not exactly a world beater, and Bart still may have some untapped potential.

Bart has struggled as a Major Leaguer so far in his career. He has a career line of .219/.288/.335/.623 in 457 at-bats. His OPS+ of 75 is not good at all, making him just 3/4 of a league-average player. Like Adell, he has struck out in over 35% of his at-bats. His career OPS+ is better than Zavala's (72), and they strike out about the same. Personally, I think Bart would be the better backup, and this is a move I would love the Mariners to make.

Relief pitching could be available, too

There could potentially be several relief options that the Mariners could choose from. Injuries to Matt Brash, Gregory Santos, and Jackson Kowar have left the Mariners somewhat thin in the bullpen. They did go out and sign Ryne Stanek, which helps. While Brash and Santos are not expected to miss significant time, depth is still an issue for every team, no matter how good your bullpen is.

Some relievers who are out of options and could be waived include names like Brandon Bielak (HOU), Pierce Johnson (ATL), JT Chargois (MIA), and Sixto Sanchez (MIA). Those are not huge names, but they are guys who have shown upside before. Some of these guys may stick with their current club, but you would have to think that they all could be available, too.

Bielak started 13 games for the Astros in 2023 and had a sub-4 ERA. Injuries in the Astros rotation may force the Astros to keep Bielak, but he has shown to be a decent swingman in the past, and that brings value. Pierce Johnson has bounced around so far in his career. He started 2023 with the Colorado Rockies and had a 6.00 ERA before being traded to the Atlanta Braves, where he had a 0.76 ERA in 23 innings. Could be great value in that arm.

A pair of Marlins arms who are out of options are former Mariner JT Chargois and former top prospect Sixto Sanchez. Chargois spent part of 2021 in Seattle before they traded him to the Tampa Bay Rays. He spent 2023 with the Marlins and was a solid option in their bullpen. The Mariners already have 2 lefty's in their pen, but they should at least take a look in his direction, should he be waived.

Sixto Sanchez was the centerpiece from the Philadelphia Phillies back when they traded for J.T. Realmuto back before the 2019 season. He debuted in 2020 but has not pitched in the Majors since then due to injury. In fact, Sanchez did not pitch in 2021 or 2022 and only pitched in 1 inning in 2023 for Miami's AA affiliate. So, why should the Mariners be interested? He looks to pitch again full-time in 2024, and he is still just 25 years old. He will not be a candidate for the Opening Day roster, but if the Mariners could find a way to stash him, he could be a monster in Seattle.

While there are countless other names out there, these are the most interesting names the Mariners should look at. None of them are going to be stars for the team in 2024, but depth is the key to success, and you can never have enough depth. These guys are still talented, and a change of scenery could do these guys wonders. As always, Go Mariners!

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