Which outfielder will reign supreme in Mariners Spring Training battle?

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As it stands, the Mariners lineup currently will feature JP Crawford, Ty France, Jorge Polanco, Josh Rojas, and Luis Urias in the infield. Mitch Haniger, Luke Raley, and Julio Rodriguez will be in the outfield. Cal Raleigh will be the starting catcher, and Mitch Garver will be the DH. That leaves three open roster spots, but two of those roster spots will presumably be occupied by a backup catcher (likely Seby Zavala) and Dylan Moore, who is under contract for two more years.

This leaves one roster spot up for grabs. Barring a dream signing of Cody Bellinger, this spot will likely be decided in spring training. Here’s who is most likely to win the job.

The favorite: Dominic Canzone

Canzone, who the Mariners traded for last July at the trade deadline, is presumably the favorite to win the final roster spot. He would provide outfield depth, with the ability to play both LF and RF, and also has some exciting potential for power, with his 12.1% barrel rate and .470 xSLG% in 2023. He was a player the Mariners identified as a potential piece, so it would make the most sense to give him a chance out of opening day.

The fan favorite: Sam Haggerty

Sam Haggerty may not be an elite MLB player, but the affectionately nicknamed ‘Swaggerty’ sure has the love of the Mariners fandom. Haggerty is probably the odd man out on the roster, meaning he’d have to start the season in AAA Tacoma. Fortunately for the Mariners, he has MiLB options, so they can stash him in Tacoma and call him up at the first sign of need. Haggerty does come with some upside, especially on the basepaths.

He’s stolen 32 bases with the Mariners and has only been caught three times in his career. He ranked in the 93rd percentile in sprint speed in 2023 (via Baseball Savant), boasting a high BB% of 13.9, and a low K% of 15.7. He is also more versatile than Canzone, able to play essentially every position on the diamond outside of catcher. With a great spring, it’s possible Haggerty could steal the final roster spot from Canzone, but if not, look for him to play every day in the outfield of Cheney Stadium for the Rainiers.

The former prospect: Taylor Trammell

Last year Taylor Trammell boasted a 16.7% barrel rate, a 45.8% hard-hit rate, and an average exit velocity of 91.5 MPH. All those power numbers are eye-popping, and over a full season, would rank him as one of the game’s best power hitters, so there’s no question that Trammell doesn’t have juice. Unfortunately, Trammell also struck out at a 39.3% clip, one of the highest in the league. Trammell’s .168 career batting average and -0.4 bWAR don’t help his case either. What Taylor does have on his side is his contract.

Trammell is out of MiLB options, so if the Mariners want to give him one last chance, they would be forced to give him an MLB roster spot. If not, they would have to designate him for assignment and hope that no other team claims him off waivers. That seems like the likely route, but maybe Trammell has something more in the tank…with an impressive spring, he could earn a spot on the roster, at least for Opening Day.

The recent acquisition: Samad Taylor

Samad Taylor was recently acquired by the Mariners from the Kansas City Royals, and he is certainly an intriguing player. The 25-year-old hit .200 in 31 games last season for Kansas City but has a lot of tools that could help him succeed in the future. He profiles similarly to Sam Haggerty, being a quick, versatile player who has a lot of intangibles that make him valuable while being more of a liability offensively. Taylor’s OPS+ of 52 last season indicates he probably needs more time in AAA, and with older, more deserving guys ahead of him on the depth chart, it’s hard to see a scenario where Taylor cracks the Opening Day roster.

The dark horses: Ryan Bliss, Cade Marlowe, Tyler Locklear, Nick Solak, Michael Chavis

All of these players will have a chance to prove themselves during Spring Training, and theoretically, there’s a world where one of them could shock the league and make the Mariners big league team. However, that world is highly unlikely. Marlowe is the only one out of those 5 who is even on the 40-man roster, and the only one who has played for the Mariners in the past.

Ryan Bliss was acquired in the Paul Sewald trade last July, and will likely be called up eventually, but he is behind Haggerty and Taylor on the infield depth chart. Locklear has been climbing the ranks of Mariners prospects as well, and both Solak and Chavis are former major leaguers for the Rangers and Pirates respectively. These players all provide the Mariners with solid depth options when injuries occur, but for any of them to make the Opening Day roster would take a miracle.

My Prediction: Canzone

I’ll stick with my gut and predict the final spot goes to Canzone. The Mariners traded for him for a reason, and they are going to give him a chance to prove he belongs. He’s also the best defensive outfielder out of any of these options, and with Mitch Haniger aging, the Mariners are going to want somebody on the roster who can platoon with him. Canzone likely will be that guy.

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