Meet the 2016 Seattle Mariners
One thing is certain: These are not your same old Mariners. After a coaching change and an eventful offseason, Seattle's roster has been through an upheaval. This year, five of the projected starters were not on the team at the beginning of 2015. Meet the projected starters for the M's season opener.
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8 Norichika Aoki, LF
- Age: 34
- Height: 5-9
- Weight: 180
- Bats: Left
Best Case
He gets on base often – around his career percentage of .353 – while hitting in the leadoff position, and he steals about 20 bases and plays good defense.
Worst Case
Aoki, who has virtually no power, is left stranded on base far too often because the guys who do have power are unable to bring him home on a consistent basis.
What's Likely
He has been remarkably consistent in his four years as a major-leaguer, with batting averages between .285 and .288 and on-base percentages between .349 and .356. So expect more of the same.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | .287 | 42 | 102 | 5 | 26 | 14 | .353 | .380 |
| Career | .287 | 266 | 563 | 24 | 156 | 81 | .353 | .386 |
4 Ketel Marte, SS
- Age: 22
- Height: 6-1
- Weight: 165
- Bats: Switch
Best Case
He improves on the decent offensive numbers he put up for a half-season as a rookie last year, and the Mariners finally have a shortstop they can count on for years to come.
Worst Case
He regresses offensively in his second season, just like other Mariners middle-infield prospects over the past few years (Dustin Ackley, Nick Franklin and Brad Miller), and struggles at the plate affect his defense.
What's Likely
With such a small sample size from last year, it’s tough to predict. But here’s guessing he will hit about .250 with 15 stolen bases, which will be enough to keep his job provided he plays good defense.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | .283 | 25 | 62 | 2 | 17 | 8 | .351 | .402 |
| Career | .283 | 25 | 62 | 2 | 17 | 8 | .351 | .402 |
22 Robinson Cano, 2B
- Age: 33
- Height: 6-0
- Weight: 210
- Bats: Left
Best Case
Last season’s regression was not a sign that age is taking a toll, and he bounces back to hit about .320 with 20 homers and 100 RBI, which would return him among the best second basemen in the major leagues.
Worst Case
His offensive numbers continue to decline, the baserunning blunders from last year return, and that 10-year, $240 million deal he signed looks to be just another disaster from GM Jack Zduriencik’s tenure.
What's Likely
A season about as good as last year. At 33, he certainly should have a few good years left, but it’s likely he will never be as productive as he was during his best years with the Yankees.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | .287 | 82 | 179 | 21 | 79 | 2 | .334 | .446 |
| Career | .307 | 958 | 2015 | 239 | 983 | 50 | .356 | .494 |
23 Nelson Cruz, DH
- Age: 35
- Height: 6-2
- Weight: 230
- Bats: Right
Best Case
During a 2015 Mariners season in which few things went as expected, Cruz was the huge exception. If he can deliver another season of 40 or more homers and a batting average even close to last year’s .302, the Mariners would be ecstatic.
Worst Case
The inevitable drop-off (he turns 36 in in July) begins, and the power numbers take a big plunge, along with his batting average.
What's Likely
He will have a good season, with about 30 homers, a .270 batting average and 90 RBI. Anything more would be remarkable for a player who has had his best season in his mid-30s.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | .302 | 90 | 178 | 44 | 93 | 3 | .369 | .566 |
| Career | .273 | 581 | 1118 | 241 | 690 | 72 | .334 | .510 |
15 Kyle Seager, 3B
- Age: 26
- Height: 6-0
- Weight: 210
- Bats: Left
Best Case
His struggles with runners in scoring position vanish, and he comes much closer to the 96 RBI he had in 2014 than the 74 he had last season, all while playing excellent defense.
Worst Case
The prolonged slumps he has been prone to throughout his career continue. He struggles again to deliver in the clutch after hitting .179 in 145 at-bats with runners in scoring position last season.
What's Likely
Another solid season with good power numbers, but a couple of slumps keep his average around .265.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | .266 | 85 | 166 | 26 | 74 | 6 | .328 | .451 |
| Career | .263 | 319 | 685 | 96 | 338 | 38 | .328 | .434 |
26 Adam Lind, 1B
- Age: 32
- Height: 6-2
- Weight: 195
- Bats: Left
Best Case
He solves the Mariners’ longtime woes at first base, hitting for decent power with a solid batting average. He may never approach the production of 2009 when he had 35 homers, 114 RBI and a .305 average, but a season like last year would be a big improvement for the Mariners.
Worst Case
He regresses from last season and struggles to hit for power, just as he did with Toronto in 2014 (six homers and 40 RBI in 290 at-bats), his most recent season in the AL.
What's Likely
He will bat about .270 with 20 homers and 75 RBI while hitting almost solely against right-handers – more than the Mariners are used to getting from their first basemen.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | .277 | 72 | 139 | 20 | 87 | 0 | .360 | .460 |
| Career | .274 | 501 | 1070 | 166 | 606 | 6 | .332 | .466 |
7 Seth Smith, RF
- Age: 33
- Height: 6-3
- Weight: 210
- Bats: Left
Best Case
Something similar to last year, when he was solid against right-handed pitchers (.255 average and .801 OPS, or on-base plus slugging percentage), and he is a big part of a productive outfield platoon with Franklin Gutierrez.
Worst Case
The struggles he had at the end of last season, when he hit .216 from August until the end of the season, were a sign of things to come.
What's Likely
He has been fairly consistent throughout his career, so expect him to hit about .250 with 12 home runs. That would be enough to keep him in the platoon role.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | .248 | 54 | 98 | 12 | 42 | 0 | .330 | .443 |
| Career | .263 | 413 | 755 | 97 | 363 | 20 | .344 | .452 |
33 Chris Iannetta, C
- Age: 32
- Height: 6-0
- Weight: 230
- Bats: Right
Best Case
Last year’s poor performance was an aberration, and he hits about .250 with 10 to 15 homers.
Worst Case
The big offensive regression last season was not a fluke and, for the second consecutive season, the Mariners have a starting catcher who is unable to hit above .200. If that happens, Mike Zunino’s return could come quicker than anticipated.
What's Likely
Even at hitter-friendly Coors Field in Denver, Iannetta was never much of a hitter, but he should rebound some and hit about .220 with 10 home runs.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | .188 | 28 | 51 | 10 | 34 | 0 | .293 | .335 |
| Career | .231 | 332 | 590 | 100 | 378 | 11 | .351 | .405 |
12 Leonys Martin, CF
- Age: 28
- Height: 6-2
- Weight: 200
- Bats: Left
Best Case
He has a big rebound offensively (he struggled so badly with Texas last year he lost his starting job), hitting about .275 with at least 30 stolen bases and playing some of the best center field in the major leagues.
Worst Case
Another offensive season like he had last year, when he had a horrible .576 OPS for an outfielder and struck out at an alarming rate for a player with little power.
What's Likely
He will be a liability on offense, hitting about .250 with a low on-base percentage, but his defense will be excellent.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | .219 | 26 | 63 | 5 | 25 | 14 | .264 | .313 |
| Career | .255 | 168 | 339 | 20 | 120 | 84 | .305 | .361 |
34 Felix Hernandez, P
- Age: 29
- Height: 6-3
- Weight: 225
- Throws: Right
Best Case
He at least matches last year’s total of 18 wins, and his ERA and WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) return to Felix-like numbers. That’s what the Mariners have come to expect from Hernandez, who also has been remarkably healthy throughout his career.
Worst Case
The regression last season was not a fluke (his ERA of 3.53 and WHIP of 1.180 were his highest since 2011) as the 2,262 career innings begin to take a toll.
What's Likely
The inflated stats last season were mostly caused by a couple starts in which Hernandez was really bad, so a bounce-back seems likely. That said, a return to the performance of 2014 when he should have won the Cy Young Award is asking a lot. Look for about 15 wins and an ERA around 3.20.
| W-L | ERA | GS | IP | CG | BB | Ks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 18-9 | 3.53 | 31 | 201.2 | 2 | 58 | 191 |
| Career | 143-101 | 3.11 | 334 | 2262.1 | 25 | 630 | 2142 |