Seattle Mariners Spring Training Preview – Outfielders And Pitchers

Left Field:

Projected Starter: Dustin Ackley/Rickie Weeks

Projected Backup: Justin Ruggiano

Dark Horse: Alex Jackson

The plan in left field is a platoon of two former top prospects.  Ackley struggled defensively at second base, and his average dropped off a cliff at the start of the year, ending at .245.  It is encouraging that he set career highs in home runs (14), RBIs (65) and his strikeout-to-walk ratio remains low.  Weeks played in a platoon at second base with Milwaukee last season, batting almost exclusively against left-handed pitchers.  He tied a career-low in home runs, though he set a career-high with a .279 average.  It appears Ackley will play against right-handers and Weeks versus southpaws.  The big question is the play of current top prospect Jackson.  The Mariners first-round pick in the 2014 draft, Jackson has overwhelming amounts of power and hits for a high-average.  He batted .280 and hit two home runs in the Arizona Fall League.  He is expected to start at High-A High Desert, but should find his way to Double-A Jackson or Triple-A Tacoma by year’s end.

Center Field:

Projected Starter: Austin Jackson

Projected Backup: James Jones

Dark Horse: NONE

Seattle has to expect more from their prize in the David Price sweepstakes last season.  Jackson was supposed to shore up the average and roam Safeco’s vast center field with ease, but instead he batted just .229 in 54 games for the Mariners.  He also hit a career-low four home runs.  If Jackson comes anywhere close to his previous form with Detroit, Seattle will be in good shape.  Jones was solid in center field last season, though a dizzying lack of power and a .278 OBP hurt his playing time.  He still brings tremendous speed and an above-average glove to the position.

Right Field:

Projected Starter: Seth Smith

Projected Backup: Ruggiano

Dark Horse: Gabby Guerrero

A new acquisition from San Diego in exchange for Brandon Maurer, Smith had a strong campaign with the Padres last season with a .266 average and 12 home runs.  Those numbers are around his career averages, so Seattle has an idea of what to expect from him.  Ruggiano is projected to platoon at times, with the former Chicago Cub facing left-handers.  Ruggiano is coming off a season with a lot of average, a LOT of strikeouts, and way too many injuries.  If healthy, he has good power and decent speed, but that is a big “IF” considering he is 32 years old.

Guerrero was described by one scout as “a freak athlete”.  He has a howitzer for an arm, fantastic speed, good power, and hits for a high average.  He hammered 18 home runs with a .307 average in 131 games for High Desert last year, and should take a big step forward in his development this year.

Designated Hitter:

Projected Starter: Nelson Cruz

Projected Backup: Jesus Montero

Dark Horse: NONE

Cruz blasted 40 home runs last season for Baltimore on a one-year contract after being suspended 50 games the previous season for his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal.  Those kind of power numbers from a 34-year old are unusual, especially in this era of steroid suspicion.  Another ban would be 100 games, something Seattle can ill afford.  If Cruz is clean, he will be highly productive, though expecting 40 home runs in spacious Safeco Field is probably asking too much.

Starting Pitchers:

Projected Rotation: Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, James Paxton, Taijuan Walker, J.A. Happ

Dark Horses: Jordan Pries, Tyler Olsen, Ryan Yarbrough

Seattle’s rotation continues to be one of the best in the American League, topped off by perennial Cy Young award candidate Hernandez.  Iwakuma, when healthy, is a solid number two pitcher with a microscopic ERA.  Walker is a top pitching prospect who missed a lot of time with shoulder trouble, though he fired a 2.61 ERA in eight appearances last season.  Happ was acquired from Toronto in exchange for Michael Saunders.  Though Happ is a career 4.24 ERA pitcher, he is a solid innings eater who gives the team a chance to win when he is on the hill.

For the others, Pries struck out 111 hitters in 142 innings for Tacoma last season.  Unfortunately he surrendered 14 home runs, second worst on the team.  Olsen had a 3.52 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 125 innings for Jackson.  Yarbrough, the Mariners fourth-round pick in the 2014 draft, is the ninth rated prospect for the Mariners, and struck out 53 batters in 38 innings for Short Season Everett last year.  He has an absolute rifle of an arm, and will move through the minors quickly.

Bullpen:

Projected Relievers: Danny Farquhar, Yoervis Medina, Charlie Furbush, Tom Wilhelmsen, Carson Smith

Projected Closer: Fernando Rodney

Dark Horse: Stephen Kohlscheen

Wilhelmsen, Farquhar, and Medina combined for a 2.44 ERA last season as they dominated out of the bullpen.  Wilhelmsen in particular continues to be one of the best relievers in the game, striking out 72 in 79.1 innings for Seattle last year and surrendering just 47 hits in the process.  Smith struck out better than a batter an inning for Tacoma last season, and will be a solid addition to the pen.

Rodney is a question mark, as he had some rough patches last season.  He dropped his ERA by almost a full run lower than his career ERA, which is unsustainable at age 37.  A regression to his numbers with Detroit and Los Angeles could be expected.

Kohlscheen was the best reliever for Tacoma last season, sporting a 2.58 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP last year.  If he can keep those numbers up for Seattle in spring training, Seattle’s pitching will be in great shape.