MLB Seattle Mariners

Weighing The Options For Seattle Mariners’ Next Move

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By @JordanWevers

USA Today Sports - Mark J. Rebilas

Mark J. Rebilas – USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Mariners are still looking for their productive right-handed bat to play a prominent role in the 2015 team’s offense. Another talented player who fits that profile was recently inked by a team we know is not the Mariners, though, as Cuban defector Yasmani Tomas has found a home for the 2015 MLB season. He signed a six-year deal for $68.5 million on Wednesday to play outfield for the Arizona Diamondbacks through the 2020 season, should the opt-out clause not be exercised.

The Mariners were not one of the four clubs linked to Tomas. The demand for talented right-handed hitters on the free agent market is still high, while the supply is now plummeting.

Mariners beat writer Ryan Divish for the Seattle Times confirmed earlier today that the organization budgeted to both re-sign third baseman Kyle Seager and add another impact bat this offseason.

But what are the team’s options? Whispers of a trade for Matt Kemp will persist more with every player who gets scooped up elsewhere as the M’s sit idly by. Justin Upton has been another rumored target for the club as well, as it’s no secret the Atlanta Braves are trying to build their rotation of the future after acquiring Shelby Miller from the St. Louis Cardinals for Jason Heyward earlier this offseason.

For Upton or Kemp, the cost of doing business would likely include a Taijuan Walker price tag. Allen Craig and Yoenis Cespedes are other names floating around as trade targets.

FA candidates Melky Cabrera and Nick Markakis are still available, though Cabrera switch hits and Markakis is a lefty. Cabrera is better from the left side of the plate against righties than vice versa with a career split of .290/.277. Both are quality players, though neither hold the particular allure of a 20-plus home run guy such as Nelson Cruz does.

Because the Baltimore Orioles have yet to work out a contract with him and things have quieted down regarding his name, he’s still another option to consider. It feels unlikely though, as the M’s reportedly distanced themselves from him during his 2013 free agency offseason.

Exploring options on the farm early in 2015 is very unlikely and could be risky, but the M’s do have some strong hitting prospects. Their best is Alex Jackson, the sixth overall pick in the 2014 amateur draft. He will be 19 when Spring Training opens, but unfortunately for the M’s, he won’t be major league-ready like Mike Trout and Bryce Harper were at so young an age. Jackson is projected to make an appearance by the time the 2017 season rolls around.

D.J. Peterson is another name to consider, but he would need to absolutely set Triple-A on fire early in 2015 to get a call-up. The 22-year old had a setback following his NCAA career at University of New Mexico. He was hit by a pitch in 2013, fracturing his jaw. This required surgery and for his jaw to be wired shut, causing him to lose 30 pounds and not participate in the AFL that year.

He hit .261/.335/.473 in 222 Double-A at bats last season. Making matters worse, he plays third base, which is an obvious roadblock the M’s will have to work around in the future.

Gabriel Guerrero is another intriguing body. The nephew of Vladimir Guerrero, the 20-year old outfielder tore up the Class-A Advanced California League with the High Desert Mavericks to the tune of 18 HRs and 96 RBIs across 538 ABs. He was a pleasant surprise inside the organization and represented Team World in the MiLB Futures All-Star game.

The clock continues to tick, with the Mariners being relatively open about their needs. The club’s checkbook remains closed however, and no resolution has yet come to fruition.

Jordan Wevers is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JordanWevers, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.

 

 

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