What could 2023 look like for Seattle's young outfielders?
What could 2023 look like for Seattle's young outfielders?
Jarred Kelenic, Taylor Trammell and Cade Marlowe are all going to get a chance to help this team in 2023. If one of them can reach their ceiling it could be huge for Seattle's future.
In an interview with Ty Dane Gonzalez and Colby Patnode on the Locked on Mariners podcast, Jerry Dipoto had many interesting comments about the upcoming season. If you haven’t already checked out the interview you can check it out at the link below.
The most interesting comments of the interview came when discussing young left-handed outfielders. Dipoto essentially said that the best way this team can maximize its potential over the next six years is by having Jarred Kelenic, Taylor Trammell, or Cade Marlowe reach impactful everyday player status.
Dipoto stated that the only way to have these players develop is to give them the opportunity while also putting them in a good position to succeed. Seattle signing AJ Pollock has created an opportunity for all three of these young left-handed hitters.
I want to go through each one of these players and explain their strengths and weaknesses, and what the Mariners can do to put these players in the best position to succeed.
For starters, this team has signed AJ Pollock to basically protect all three of these players. None of these young outfielders should be playing against left-handed pitching, and Pollock excels against left-handers.
In all likelihood, Jarred Kelenic will start the season as the platoon partner to Pollock, but this could change as the season goes on. Taylor Trammell and Cade Marlowe are not far behind at all, especially because Kelenic has the most plate appearances of the group and hasn’t taken advantage yet.
Kelenic hasn’t exactly dominated right-handed pitching but does have a career 85 WRC+ and 18 home runs, compared to a 37 WRC+ and 3 bombs against southpaws. He is no longer the hitter that he was in the minor leagues, as his hit tool and gap-to-gap approach have shifted.
The 23-year-old has become a player that sells out for power and has struggled with a muscle-bound swing. He has tinkered with his mechanics too much at the MLB level, and his swing has been entirely out of whack.
We see flashes of pop and has been a good defender in his time in Seattle, but Kelenic must make more contact to succeed. His strikeout rate is about 30 percent at the big league level, a number he was never even close to in the minor leagues.
If he can start using the whole field again and making more contact, Jarred Kelenic can impact this roster more than anybody else by reaching his ceiling. He still has six years of control left, so Seattle is wise to give him a chance in a controlled situation to see how he can improve.
If he could reach his ceiling or become an above-average MLB player, he is more impactful to this team than anybody they could acquire. Ultimately this is why the Mariners are choosing to try Kelenic as a platoon bat because his development is still very important to their success.
If he were to fail, the Mariners have plenty of options to try behind him. Taylor Trammell has tantalizing skills and physical ability but hasn’t put it all together yet.
He has dealt with injuries over the last two years that have sapped some of his speed and ability in the outfield, but still projects as an above-average defender. Trammell has also been a more productive hitter than many people think.
Last season the 25-year-old put up a 125 WRC+ against right-handers, and a 99 WRC+ on the season as a whole. He struggled tremendously with lefties, batting just a smidge over .100 for the season.
We may be overlooking Trammell when talking about left field for 2023, and he may just be ready to play already. His ability to get on base has been consistent over the last few seasons, so if he can start to make contact more often the Mariners could have something.
Most people assume that Kelenic has this job coming into the year, but Trammell was a highly touted prospect that has seen more tangible production than Kelenic. The 25-year-old also has to stay healthy, but don’t be surprised if Trammell is ready for his opportunity and takes the left field job at some point in 2023.
Cade Marlowe is the wildcard of this situation, but his bat is very interesting. Dipoto called Marlowe a “five tool player” in the interview, and says his tools and production in the minor leagues are very rare and hard to ignore.
I wouldn’t bet on Marlowe doing much this season in Seattle, as his sky-high strikeout rates will need to be addressed in a long stay in Tacoma. He is interesting long-term as a potential everyday player, especially with his gaudy minor league numbers at the plate.
These young outfielders have the potential to help maximally improve this team over the next six years, so giving them the chance to play and develop is the right choice. I am excited to keep track of their development and what kinds of adjustments they show up in Arizona with.