Mariners Prospect Pipeline is Loaded with Middle Infield Talent

The Utility Guys- Ryan Bliss hit .358/.414/.594 last year in Double A shortly before a AAA promotion and a trade to Seattle for Paul Sewald. Bliss saw diminished production in AAA, with a combined OPS of .779 between Reno and Tacoma. Even still, a .779 OPS is solid everyday production in the MLB if you're playing in the middle infield, and Bliss hit .304 and stole 55 bags across all of his 128 games in 2023.

Bliss is only 5'6" and doesn't project to have much game power, which is his biggest obstacle from playing every day in the show. Likely an infield utility player, but I expect him to be a productive offense-first role player, who can rake and terrorize the opponent on the base paths.

Michael Arroyo is only 19, but has a similar offensive profile to that of Ryan Bliss. Both have above average hit tools but may not have enough power to play every day. Michael struggled in Modesto in 2023, and 2024 is an important season for him to prove he can be a top-of-the-order bat against pro pitching.

Arroyo doesn't have the game-changing speed Bliss has, which makes the ability to play multiple positions even more important. If the power shows up and Arroyo can play multiple positions, he could be a valuable asset. If he can't tap into the power or defensive versatility, he doesn't have a viable path to a long MLB career.