Team Fantasy Preview - Seattle Mariners
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Throughout the preseason, we will be previewing all 30 teams and what their rosters bring to the fantasy baseball table. This edition covers the Seattle Mariners.
Projected Lineup
| ORDER | POSITION | NAME | BATS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | LF | Jarrod Dyson | L |
| 2. | SS | Jean Segura | R |
| 3. | 2B | Robinson Cano | L |
| 4. | DH | Nelson Cruz | R |
| 5. | 3B | Kyle Seager | L |
| 6. | C | Mike Zunino | R |
| 7. | 1B | Dan Vogelbach | L |
| 8. | RF | Mitch Haniger | R |
| 9. | CF | Leonys Martin | L |
| BENCH | 1B/3B | Danny Valencia | R |
| BENCH | OF | Guillermo Heredia | R |
Projected Rotation
| ORDER | NAME | THROWS |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Felix Hernandez | R |
| 2. | Hisashi Iwakuma | R |
| 3. | James Paxton | L |
| 4. | Yovani Gallardo | R |
| 5. | Drew Smyly | L |
Bullpen Hierarchy
| ROLE | NAME | THROWS |
|---|---|---|
| Closer | Edwin Diaz | R |
| Set-Up | Steve Cishek (injured) | R |
| RP | Evan Scribner | R |
Top Prospect to Watch in 2017
OF Tyler O'Neill. He hit .293/.374/.508 with 24 homers, 102 RBIs and 12 steals in Double-A last season. He is still just 21, but if he starts the year strong in Triple-A, he could get a promotion to the big leagues given the uncertainty in Seattle's OF. He will get to showcase his skills on the national stage for Team Canada at the World Baseball Classic.
Who Will Drive You Crazy?
Leaving the high elevation of Arizona should lead to regression for Segura. His stolen base numbers could decrease; Arizona ranked fourth in steal attempts, whereas Seattle was 24th. Whether this stems from managerial philosophy or personnel is unclear, but he could see the red light more often than not with big boppers like Cano, Cruz and Seager hitting behind him.
The One to Own
Cruz and Cano both come with concerns regarding their age. The latter also led baseball with 16 "just enough" home runs, according to ESPN. But it's Seager, who is projected to hit fifth in this lineup and should be able to record his first 100 RBI season. Unlike Cruz and Cano, he doesn't need to be drafted in the early rounds.
Top Sleeper
Had Paxton pitched enough innings to qualify, his average fastball velocity of 96.7 mph would have been second among starters behind Noah Syndergaard. The lefty dropped his arm angle to his natural slot last year the results showed. A 3.79 ERA and an impressive 4.88 K/BB ratio across 20 starts. With an improved defense behind him he should make greater strides.
(Photos courtesy Action Images)