Analysis: What’s left for the Mariners to upgrade their infield?
Eventually, they will do something. They have to do something.
Right?
In an offseason defined, so far, by their inaction, the Mariners remain on the prowl for two new infielders.
In an ideal scenario, the Mariners would like to fill those spots with one first baseman and one third baseman.
But it’s not quite that simple.
After a flurry of trades and signings around the league, the number of options for the Mariners to upgrade the infield is diminishing at both positions, and the club’s payroll budget to acquire new players isn’t suddenly going to grow.
What will they do? What can they afford to do?
The Mariners, at least, have left themselves options in how they go about acquiring help, either through a trade (a preferred route), a mid-level free-agent signing (a good possibility) or an internal promotion (a short-term backup plan).
Dylan Moore, the newly minted Gold Glover, figures prominently in the infield mix going into 2025, and his ability to play either second base or third base gives the Mariners flexibility in their search.
Here’s look at some intriguing options for the Mariners to fill their two infield openings:
Trade possibilities
Veteran right-hander Luis Castillo remains a trade chip as the Mariners search for infield upgrades.
The Mariners have been consistent in their stance on Castillo: They don’t necessarily want to trade him, but they have been fielded offers and would be open to a deal if it makes the major-league roster better.
The Mariners were engaged with the Boston Red Sox earlier this month about a trade involving Castillo for first baseman Triston Casas. Those negotiations broke down when the Mariners declined to take designated hitter Masataka Yoshida (and the $55.8 million remaining on his contract over the next three years) as part of the deal, MLB.com reported.
Perhaps the Mariners will wait to re-engage on Castillo talks until after Roki Sasaki, the 23-year-old Japanese ace, signs with an MLB team. Sasaki can’t sign until MLB’s new international signing period opens on Jan. 15.
A handful of teams – the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers – have already reportedly met with Sasaki’s camp. It’s unknown if the Mariners have been granted a meeting with Sasaki.
In 2017, when another Japanese sensation, Shohei Ohtani, was making his move to MLB, the Mariners made public their enthusiastic pitch to sign the two-way star. This time around, the Mariners are being strategically guarded with public comments about Sasaki.
Because Sasaki is only eligible to sign from a team’s international bonus pool limits, every MLB team can theoretically afford to make play for him — and the Mariners obviously have interest.
As they await Sasaki’s decision, the Mariners will continue to explore the infield market, and president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has said he would be willing to deal prospects in a deal for major-league talent.
The Detroit Tigers could be an interesting trade partner after they signed second baseman Gleyber Torres (one year for $15 million, per reports) on Friday, giving them a surplus of infielders. Would the Tigers consider moving infielder Jace Jung, one of their top prospects?
The Mariners need a right-handed-hitting first baseman to pair with lefty Luke Raley, and Detroit’s Spencer Torkelson fits that profile.
Torkelson, 25, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft, but he’s been an inconsistent hitter in 361 games for the Tigers. He hit 31 homers in 159 games in 2023, but regressed considerably this year, posting a .219/.295/.374 (.693 OPS) slash line with 10 homers and a 27.6% strikeout rate in 92 games.
The Tampa Bay Rays, the Mariners’ most frequent trade partner, have two veteran infielders (Yandy Diaz and Brandon Lowe) who fit the Mariners’ needs.
Diaz is owed $10 million for 2025 (with a $12 million club option for 2026), and Lowe is owed $10.5 million for 2025 (with an $11.5 million club option for 2026). The Rays are known to have previous interest in Mariners catching prospect Harry Ford, but Tampa would likely want proven major-league talent in any deal.
The New York Mets could wind up with a glut of infielders, too. The Mets are reportedly in talks with free agents Pete Alonso and Alex Bregman, and even without signing either of those two sluggers, the Mets might not have a regular role for Brett Baty, their former top prospect.
Baty has a .215/.282/.325 (.607 OPS) slash line in 169 games with the Mets. A 25-year-old left-handed-hitting third baseman, he fits the profile of what the Mariners need, and he shouldn’t cost a major trade asset.
Two other young Mets infielders – Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña – would be worth exploring for the Mariners.
Free agents
With roughly $15 million in payroll space, the Mariners can really only swim in the shallow end of the free-agent pool.
A reunion with Justin Turner, the veteran first baseman/designated hitter, remains a possibility. Turner was a productive and popular player after the Mariners acquired him at the July trade deadline.
Beyond that, the low- to mid-tier free-agent options are dwindling.
Yoan Moncada, after an injury-plagued tenure with the Chicago White Sox, could be an interesting bounce-back candidate available on a one-year deal.
Another bounce-back candidate: Former Colorado second baseman Brendan Rodgers, who was not offered a contract by Rockies last month, making him a free agent at age 28.
Internal options
Dipoto has left the door open for one of the Mariners’ up-and-coming prospects to win a job at some point in 2025.
Ryan Bliss and Leo Rivas got their first taste, albeit in limited spurts, of the majors in 2024 and will compete for a roster spot in spring training
Shortstop/second baseman Cole Young, the Mariners’ first-round pick in 2022, had a strong full season for the Arkansas Travelers in 2024 as one of the youngest players in Class AA Texas League. Playing in a notoriously pitcher-friendly park, the 21-year-old Young slashed .271/.369/.390 (.759 OPS) with nine homers, two triples, 25 doubles and 23 steals.
“Cole Young is about as polished a prospect as you can get,” Dipoto said earlier this month. “He’s one of those guys — and we’ve talked about it internally — that if he came in and ‘wowed’ us in March, it wouldn’t shock anybody.”
Third baseman Ben Williamson, 24, is expected to get a chance in spring training too after a solid season in Arkansas. In 95 games at Class AA this year, Williamson slashed .272/.365/.374 (.739 OPS) with three homers, two triples, 23 doubles and 15 steals.
A second-round pick in 2023, Williamson has earned a reputation as one of the best defensive third baseman in the minors.
“Those guys may not be ready on opening day or even on May 1,” Dipoto said, “but we believe in those players and think that those guys will contribute this year.”