Ever-active Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto has surrounded his team’s core with a bevy of platoon players and optionable arms this winter. Though only three areas appear ripe for real competition, there are a variety of configurations and playing-time arrangements that remain possible.
Here are Seattle’s ongoing camp battles; click here for previous entries in MLBTR’s Camp Battles series.
FIRST BASE
Dan Vogelbach
Age: 24
Bats: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 2
Danny Valencia
Age: 32
Bats: R
Contract Status: 1 year, $5.5MM
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent
D.J. Peterson
Age: 25
Bats: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 or ’23 season
Options remaining: 3
It’s all but certain that Vogelbach and Valencia will combine to make up a first base duo to open the 2017 season. (Can someone craft a nickname for that combo?) But the precise mix of playing time is still in the air as camp gets underway.
The youthful Vogelbach, acquired in the deal that sent Mike Montgomery to the Cubs, has only seen 13 MLB plate appearances. But he raked last year at Triple-A, posting an outstanding .292/.417/.505 batting line over 563 plate appearances with 23 long balls and an impressive 97 walks to go with his 101 strikeouts. Beyond proving that he can translate that to the majors, Vogelbach will need to polish his glovework at first.
While Seattle surely hopes that Vogelbach hits enough to push Valencia into a reduced role — the veteran is also capable of playing third base and the corner outfield — there’s reason to believe that the 32-year-old could take over primary duties himself. Since the start of the 2013 season, Valencia owns a productive .284/.334/.464 slash in 1,349 trips to the plate. Of course, he has also posted rather dramatic splits over his career, with a robust .873 OPS against lefties and a less-than-impressive .682 mark when hitting without the platoon advantage.
Peterson, who just turned 25, would be a surprise on the Opening Day roster — barring injury, at least — but perhaps there’s some room for him to impress enough to pressure the V&V tandem. He has, after all, been rated as a top-100 prospect in the past. And he bounced back from a woeful 2015 season, producing at a solid .264/.327/.455 clip in the upper minors last year.
Prediction: This situation seems destined to result in a platoon, with Vogelbach perhaps given a shot to face most of the righties and Valencia appearing against opposing southpaws.
CORNER OUTFIELD
Jarrod Dyson
Age: 32
Bats: L
Contract Status: 1 year, $2.8MM
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent
Mitch Haniger
Age: 26
Bats: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 3
Guillermo Heredia
Age: 26
Bats: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 2
Ben Gamel
Age: 24
Bats: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 2
As with the situation at first, there are plenty of platoon options here. While Shawn O’Malley and Taylor Motter could factor into things, those two players appear more likely to battle for an infield-focused utility job. It’s mostly a four-horse race for the two corner outfield jobs flanking center fielder Leonys Martin — though basically any of this group of players could also see time in center as well.
The M’s are clearly excited about this defensively proficient group of players, but all have something to prove at the plate. Only Dyson is a clear certainty for a roster spot; the veteran was acquired for talented righty Nate Karns and can’t be optioned. His track record of outstanding glovework, excellent baserunning, and good-enough productivity at the plate also perhaps give him the best shot at earning near-regular time, though he has typically been used as a platoon player in the past and has long struggled against left-handed pitching.
The other three primary competitors will be duking it out for playing time, with Haniger perhaps having the inside track on duties in right field. Though he didn’t hit much in a 34-game MLB stint last year, the right-handed hitter laid waste to the upper minors, posting a .321/.419/.581 batting line and swatting a surprising 25 long balls in his 548 plate appearances.
While the M’s would no doubt love to carry both Heredia and Gamel, doing so would mean leaving behind an extra arm. And the optionable players can always be pulled back up as needed. Neither impressed in the majors last year, but both delivered strong on-base numbers in the upper minors. Which gets the first crack at MLB time this year may depend not only upon their respective performances this spring, but also the organization’s views on their potential platoon mates. Even the above-described first base battle could play into things; if Vogelbach secures regular time at first, that would leave Valencia available to provide righty pop in the corner outfield.
Prediction: Dyson seems likely to receive the bulk of the time in left, but right field seems wide open. On the one hand, platooning Haniger and Gamel could hold appeal. On the other, that would leave the M’s with three left-handed-hitting outfielders, perhaps opening the door for Heredia to make the roster with Gamel heading to Triple-A for further seasoning.
BULLPEN (THREE SPOTS)
Casey Fien
Age: 33
Throws: R
Contract Status: 1 year, $1.1MM
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent
Dan Altavilla
Age: 24
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 3
Chris Heston
Age: 28
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’21 season
Options remaining: 1
Ariel Miranda
Age: 28
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 2
Tony Zych
Age: 26
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’21 season
Options remaining: 2
Shae Simmons
Age: 26
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’20 season
Options remaining: 2
Paul Fry
Age: 24
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 or ’23 season
Options remaining: 3
James Pazos
Age: 25
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 2
Zac Curtis
Age: 24
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 season
Options remaining: 2
Other Candidates (non-roster invitees): Christian Bergman, Jonathan Aro, Jean Machi, Nick Hagadone, Dean Kiekhefer, Ryan Weber, Pat Venditte
With Steve Cishek only just beginning to throw, there’s added competition for a bullpen that has plenty of interesting candidates in camp. All of the 40-man members listed above, excepting Fry, saw MLB time last year. But only Fien, who signed a major league deal, seems to be all but presumed as a member of the Opening Day relief corps. And perhaps he’s not completely assured of a spot, meaning as many as three jobs are up for grabs this spring.
Altavilla, too, has a largely unassailable case for a role. After all, he allowed just a single earned run and racked up a 10:1 K/BB ratio in his 12 1/3 debut MLB frames last year. Still, he only worked to the Double-A level previously, and had never before impressed to the extent he did in 2016, so he doesn’t enter camp with a stranglehold on a job.
You could probably argue that Zych, too, deserves a presumption in favor of a spot, but he is still working back from a shoulder procedure. Related issues perhaps contributed to his skyrocketing walk rate last year. Zych may require a DL stint to open the year, and may spend some rehab time ensuring he’s fully back on track before rejoining the major league ranks. Simmons has also shown plenty of promise combined with injury woes. He has drawn the praise of GM Jerry Dipoto and could well earn a job.
Heston and Miranda, meanwhile, might conceivably fight to become the Mariners’ long relief man and spot starter. The latter could also conceivably play a role as a second lefty to join Marc Rzepczynski. If the team is determined to have another southpaw to rely upon, though, that could create opportunities for any of Fry, Pazos, or Curtis — not to mention non-roster options such as Hagadone, Kiekhefer, or even Brad Mills. (And who can forget the unique switch-pitcher, Pat Venditte, who’s back in Seattle camp?)
There are some non-roster contenders on the right-handed side of the equation, too. Bergman, the recently outrighted Aro, and the veteran Machi are also on hand, though none seem particularly likely to crack the roster. With so many arms on the 40-man, the M’s may feel okay about exposing one to waivers if another pitcher shows better in camp; alternatively, the organization could try to stash as many players as possible to maintain loads of depth entering the season.
Prediction: Fien and Altavilla look like strong bets here. Jason Martinez of MLBTR and Roster Resource currently likes Heston to join them. My own inclination, though, is that the organization will prefer another lefty — predicting which one seems a fool’s errand, though Miranda could also handle a swingman function — unless Simmons has such an overwhelming camp that he can’t be held down.
I would say for the outfield Dyson and Heredia platoon while Haniger gets RF. They are having Miranda start this spring, and it seems that they aren’t set on giving Gallardo the fifth spot. Heston and Miranda are his competitors. Gallardo reminds me a little of Wade Miley and could be a trade chip once the season gets started. If I was Dipoto, I would keep stocking Triple-A, because in 2 years we lose a lot of players. We need to have a bridge through bad years because I’m done swimming from peak to peak.
I don’t think platooning Dyson is even an option. JD acquired him to provide excellent defense for our questionable pitching staff, so I expect him to see 130 games minimum (barring injury of course).
the 1b duo: either deep v’s, killer v’s, or some pun on DV that can be passed off for how hard they hit balls. i’ll leave the nuances up to someone more clever.
Deep Velocity Duo
The Flying V’s
The Deep V’s
It depends on what he does in ST but they are pretty high in Vieira. There is a small chance he could make it out of ST but more than likely be called up later in the year. They compare him to Diaz with 2 real nasty pitches. It will be interesting to see how he does this spring.
The 1st base situation still doesn’t make sense to me. We will see if Vogelbach is enough of an upgrade over Petersen to lose Montgomery I don’t see it yet but we will see. Hopefully one will breakout and we don’t have to platoon the position. As for a nickname they haven’t done anything to deserve one yet. Let them earn one before we give them one.
I don’t think we got enough for Montgomery by any means but to be fair we also got Paul Blackburn who we then flipped for Valencia so now the Montgomery tRade makes up for both our 1st baseman. It would be pretty sad if we had dj penciled in as our everyday 1b for 2017. I wanted to be fair and throw that out there but I just don’t see any reason to trade a stud lefty pitcher for a first baseman when you could go out and sign Chris carater who hit 40 bombs for only 3 million on a 1 year investment. It seems to me like unless you a all start 1st baseman the rest are cheap and easy to come by on the free agent market. I mean look at Napoli. He was cheap and safe also and a guy who can play everyday and had 101 rbis and only got a short term deal. The scariest part to me is the fact they worry if Vogel can even hang defensively at first. It’s where you move guys who can swing it but are not good enough to play defensively and they are tElling us there is concern of he can be serviceable there. If he has to become a dh only player now he loses a ton of value and the trade get really iffy.
Chris Carter provides even less defense than Vogelbach, isn’t controllable, and has a much lower ceiling. He belongs in the AL east anyway because all he can do is mash.
under-DV-eloped?
Correct me if I’m wrong, which is never, but doesn’t Cruz also like to play RF over DH? Wouldn’t he be in the mix for corner, or is he strictly offense now?
I’m sure he’ll mix in every now and again, but he’s slated to pretty much turn into a full-time DH: seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/nelson-cruz-on-th…
Thanks.
V Twin Engine
JT, how about Vogelencia? Has a nicer ring than Valbach.
I’m going with flying V for the 1st base duo. Hopefully they hit some homers.
You nailed it
Dyson is the superior CF, they should move Martin to RF since he’s more arm than range. I don’t get why people think Martin gets more playing time, he’s a worse player, even has a worse vs. LHP split. And his body fell apart with his workload last year. I think they should go Haniger/Dyson/Martin vs R and alternate Haniger/Dyson/Heredia and Haniger/Martin/Heredia vs L.
Well Servais loves him and when he was actually healthy last season he provided a ton defensively. He was actually hitting pretty well until he went on the DL. Also why would we be comparing Martin and Dyson’s PT anyway? Both are slated to start.
I’m going with the DV Duo!
Darn Vital
Hanover
considering the fact that servais and Dipoto have flat out said that Haniger will be the opening day right fielder, it really isn’t much of a battle.
It’s not quite the same as spending hundreds of millions on a free agent. There’s plenty of room for competition, not just for who takes the field opening day but how playing time is allocated throughout the season.
V-Bach
Valenbach