Why Colin Moran could be a sneaky good addition for Seattle
We all know Jerry Dipoto loves former first round picks. Believing in former blue chip talent is a good idea, but it hasn't always worked out for him. I believe Colin Moran will change this.
Colin Moran was a darling of the 2013 MLB Draft, vying to become the next great University of North Carolina prospect. Kyle Seager and Dustin Ackley were high selections as left-handed hitters in previous years, and Moran's hopes were high.
After being selected by the Marlins, Moran was promptly flipped to the Astros following his first full professional season. He spent several years in the organization before eventually being dealt to Pittsburgh in the Gerrit Cole deal.
After playing four seasons for the Pirates Moran was non-tendered following the 2021 season and signed by the Cincinnati Reds. While his seasons in Pittsburgh were an overall success, last year was a disaster with the Reds.
Playing in 42 games Moran put up 0 WAR and an 86 WRC+, while piecing together a slash line of .211/.305/.376. He has a career WRC+ of 98 according to Fangraphs, mostly because he offers little in the power department.
His average home runs have hovered around 10 his entire career, with 2019 being his career high at 13. So why would we be excited about a player who seems to be a failed former top prospect?
First of all, a minor league deal offers absolutely zero risk to the team. The deals give players a chance to get back on their feet with an invitation to spring training, and a chance to make the team.
Signing Moran has little or no risk to the Mariners, but with a nice benefit. Moran can play both first and third base at around an average level, something Seattle covets. The Mariners could use a player to hold down the first and third base positions to give a day off to Eugenio Suárez and Ty France.
France has struggled to stay healthy, and the only other back up plan for an injury is Evan White or Dylan Moore. Having a player who can back up France if he lands on the injured list is valuable to this team.
Moran has a career BB% of 8.4 percent and a K% of 22.4 percent. These are both at league average marks, and he also has an on base percentage above league average. His career slash line is .263/.327/.415 which makes him an average bat, even though you would like to see a higher slugging percentage.
As a left handed bat, this team would add more balance if Moran makes the team. This group is already very right handed, and adding another left handed bat should be a priority.
Moran is a league average bat at a position of need for the Mariners. While Seattle still may go out and get a player who can play first base, having the 30 year old left handed swinger removes the need for someone like a Brian Anderson.
There is at least some chance that Moran can make this team out of Spring Training, and if anything were to happen to Suárez or France, Moran could be a capable MLB experienced backup.
I love this deal for Seattle because it offers zero risk of any kind. Moran is a low risk, medium reward bat with plenty of MLB experience at an average level. Having a capable MLB average backup is actually extremely valuable, especially with how often Ty France has struggled to stay healthy.
I expect Seattle to add a few more interesting players on NRI deals, as well as adding a bigger name through trade before Spring Training starts. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Colin Moran play a role in Seattle’s 2023 season, and this is exactly the type of depth move I wanted the Mariners to make.
Having MLB capable backups is one thing they haven’t done in the last few years, so the more they can add the more comfortable you can become with the length of this roster and organization.