Ranking 4 prospect trade candidates Mariners can shop around this offseason

It won't be surprising if the Seattle Mariners make a blockbuster trade this winter, and not just because the odds of Jerry Dipoto making any kind of trade are never far from 1:1. They have holes to fill, not to mention more blue-chip prospects than they really need.

The Mariners have eight prospects in MLB Pipeline's top 100, a remarkable number that feels even more so considering that they're only a few months out from trading for Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez. Those deals cost five players, yet not one of those five was among the club's best prospects.

Cut to now, and some of Seattle's best talents give off untouchable vibes. It seems that Harry Ford's time as Cal Raleigh's partner in crime has come, and the club has all but challenged Colt Emerson to go earn a job in spring training. Meanwhile, Lazaro Montes looks like a high-powered insurance option for right field, and the Mariners will surely want to see what Kade Anderson can do before they trade him.

This naturally leaves the question of who could go. And whether it's in a trade for Ketel Marte or someone else, here are our picks for four prospects the Mariners should consider dealing this winter.

4 prospect trade candidates Mariners can shop around this offseason

4. C Luke Stevenson

MLB Pipeline Ranks: Mariners No. 10

The Mariners just chose Stevenson with the No. 35 pick in the 2025 draft, and he wasted no time making a strong first impression. He got into 22 games with Single-A Modesto and got on base at a .460 clip. That's encouraging stuff for a guy who was supposed to be a power-over-hit sort of catcher, especially given that he's more than good enough defensively to stick behind the dish.

And yet, what Stevenson sees when he looks up the Mariners' depth chart is Raleigh and Ford set to share catching duties on the major league roster. It's a partnership that could hold for years to come, as "Big Dumper" is signed through 2030 and Ford is under club control through 2031.

3. RHP/LHP Jurrangelo Cijntje

MLB Pipeline Ranks: Mariners No. 8, MLB No. 90

If nothing else, Cijntje is one of the more interesting prospects in MLB simply by virtue of being a switch-pitcher. And even if there is some doubt as to whether his left-handed pitching will ever be of major league quality, his right arm has real thunder in it. He can get his fastball up around 100 mph and he has a plus slider, to boot.

But is Cijntje's right arm alone good enough to make him future ace material? There's plenty of uncertainty there, and not solely because he was humbled to the tune of a .845 OPS when he went right-on-left this season. He's also a tad undersized for a starter at 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds.

2. OF Jonny Farmelo

MLB Pipeline Ranks: Mariners No. 7, MLB No. 75

Farmelo was the Mariners' No. 29 pick in the 2023 draft, and at the time he looked like a veritable bucket of tools. He was a plus-plus runner first and foremost, with at least an average hit tool and plenty of room to add power as he grew into a 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame.

Two years later, however, Farmelo only has 75 minor league games under his belt as a result of injuries, including a torn ACL amid his pro debut in 2024. He recently put together a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League, yet his injury history should have the Mariners wondering if now is the time to sell high rather than the time to brush aside concerns about his future durability.

1. 2B Michael Arroyo

MLB Pipeline Ranks: Mariners No. 6, MLB No. 63

Arroyo put himself on the map by posting a .400 OBP with 23 homers in the low minors last season, and he more or less kept it up this year. His OBP ticked up to .401, and he had 15 home runs with High-A Everett before hitting only two with Double-A Arkansas — power has been known to go bye-bye like that at Dickey-Stephens Park.

Like with Stevenson, though, this is another case where the Mariners would be dealing from a surplus if they were to trade Arroyo. Emerson, Young and Ben Williamson are ahead of him in the pecking order for the 2026 Opening Day roster, and Leo Rivas and Ryan Bliss are there, too.