via Seattle Mariners Twitter 
Jul 18, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) hits in the final round during the 2022 Home Run Derby at Dodgers Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports 
FILE – In this July 12, 2020, file photo, Seattle Mariners’ Jarred Kelenic smiles after hitting a double during an intrasquad baseball game in Seattle. Even in a 60-game sprint season, this will not be the year that team comes to fruition. If anything, the truncated season may delay some of the Mariner’s rebuilding plans, but still with the optimistic hope the club begins turning the corner into contention in 2021. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File) Toronto’s Teoscar Hernandez celebrates his 2-run homer off Mariner’s starting pitcher Robbie Ray in the second inning as the Seattle Mariners played the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022,, at Rogers Centre, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times) Apr 8, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Chicago White Sox left fielder AJ Pollock (18) hits an RBI double in the second inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Heading into 2023, the Seattle Mariners outfield looks like it may be one of, if not the best in baseball.
The Mariners have not had the busiest offseason, in fact, all media and baseball fans may agree that that title belongs to the New York Mets. Though the Mariners have made some upgrades to both their infield and outfield. At the beginning of the offseason, the Mariners traded for Teoscar Hernandez, then they traded Kyle Lewis in exchange for Cooper Hummel. On Dec 2, the Mariners traded Jesse Winker and Abraham Toro in exchange for Kolten Wong.
The deal for Wong was the last major acquisition that the Mariners had made until Jan 7, 2023 when they signed AJ Pollock. The Mariners signed the former all-star to a one-year deal worth $7 MM.
Not to mention, the Mariners still have outfielders Jarred Kelenic and Taylor Trammell who look to finally make a name for themselves and prove why they should stay in Seattle. They also have utility players Sam Haggerty and Dylan Moore who have seen time in the outfield.
The Mariners lost a big bat in their lineup with the departure of Mitch Haniger. But the additions they’ve made should cover that production.
Mariners Outfield – On the 40:
- Jonatan Clase – S/R – Projected to start in A, A+ or AA
- Haggerty – S/R – .256, 9 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 23 RBIs, 13 SBs in 2022
- Hernandez – R/R – .267, 35 2B, 1 3B, 25 HR, 77 RBIs in 2022
- Hummel – S/R – .176, 8 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 17 RBIs in 2022
- Kelenic – L/L – .141, 5 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 17 RBIs in 2022
- Cade Marlowe – L/R – Projected to start in AAA or MLB
- Moore – R/R – .224, 11 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 24 RBIs, 21 SBs in 2022
- Pollock – R/R – .245, 24 2B, 1 3B, 14 HRs, 56 RBIs in 2022
- J. Rodriguez – R/R – .284, 25 2B, 3 3B, 28 HR, 75 RBIs, 25 SBs in 2022
- Alberto Rodriguez – L/L – Projected to start in AA or AAA
- Trammell – L/L – .196, 9 2B, 4 HR, 10 RBIs in 2022
The Mariners have some valuable depth in the outfield which is something that has been missing over the years. Not to mention, they have several guys waiting in the wings to have their name called upon as well. There are three outfielders in the Mariners Top 10 prospects, so they’ll have a lot of talent to work with.
Anything could happen; injuries could derail what could be the best outfield that the Mariners have had in quite some time. However, if all goes as planned the Mariners will start 2023 with Julio in center, Hernandez in right and use a platoon of Kelenic and Pollock in left.
“We face a lot of lefties, particularly in our division,” Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners’ president of baseball operations, said at the MLB winter meetings in December. “We don’t want to just feed (their young hitters) to the lefties without some type of safety net. So finding a right-handed hitter who can protect them, I don’t want to say rotate or platoon, but allow them to not be forced into all of those at-bats and who frankly can give ‘Teo’ a DH day when we can; that would be very good.”
The Mariners may not have spent $20-plus million on an outfielder this season or stretched the budget like many thought they would, but they have built an outfield that can produce at an elite level.
With just over a month left anything could happen, but heading into the start of 2023 the Mariners have put together one of, if not the best outfield in baseball.
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