FINAL GRADES: Ryan Bliss Showed Great Potential in 2024 That Might Pay Dividends
The Seattle Mariners are going to need to figure out several positions by Opening Day in 2025.
The Mariners have pressing needs at first base, second base and third base in addition to several spots in the bullpen that need to be filled.
There's multiple players in free agency and potential trade targets that could fulfill Seattle's needs. There's also players in-house that could help.
The Mariners had several infielders get limited looks in the big leagues in 2024. Among those players were Tyler Locklear, Leo Rivas and Ryan Bliss.
Bliss might be the more likely of the three to make earn a starting role in 2025.
Bliss was a part of the trade package that sent fan-favorite reliever Paul Sewald to the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 31, 2023. That same deal also netted Seattle its eventual starting third baseman Josh Rojas.
Bliss has spent most of the last 15 months with the club's Triple-A affiliate Tacoma Rainiers, but he got his first-ever look in the big leagues in 2024.
The former Auburn Tiger showed enough flashes to be considered in the mix as the starting second baseman for 2025, barring a big-name acquisition from the Mariners.
Even so, there's a lot of questions that need to be answered in spring training before the organization commits to putting Bliss in the lineup on Opening Day.
Ryan Bliss by the numbers
Games played: 33
Hitting stats: .222 BA, 2 HRs, 9 RBIs, 10 Runs, 3 Doubles, 1 Triple, 5 BB, 22 SOs, .290 OBP, .397 SLG, .687 OPS, 0.4 WAR
Defensive stats: 79 TC, 1 Error, .987 Fielding
Base running stats: 5 SB, 3 CS, 28.5 MPH Sprint Speed
Advanced hitting stats: 101 wRC+, 0.1 BRAA, 9.3% Barrel, 46.5% Hard-Hit, 21% Chase, 32.1% Whiff
Advanced defensive stats: 2 Range (OAA), 77.2 MPH Arm Strength
What I liked
Off the bat, it's easy to see Bliss' physical tools when he's on the field. Despite being listed at just 5-foot-7, 165 pounds, Bliss possesses blazing speed. That combined with a high power-profile for someone of his stature is practically asking for extra-base hits.
Bliss has an average exit velocity of 88.5 MPH despite a hard-hit rate of 46.5% according to Baseball Savant. Those metrics imply boom-or-bust potential with Bliss' contact. Weak grounders through the gap are going to be common. But Bliss' hard-hit rate showed his ability to hit for power. And in a field like T-Mobile Park, that power potential could lead to a lot of extra-base hits to opposite field.
Extra-base hits like Bliss' 410-foot home run he hit against the San Francisco Giants on Aug. 9, which was his last game played of the year.
Ryan Bliss' first homerun at T Mobile Park pic.twitter.com/b5W6mGq5Tb
— Steve (@MarinersSteve) August 10, 2024
Bliss was also a plus defender despite his limited arm strength. His recorded arm strength of 77.2 MPH ranks in just the 11th percentile in the league. He still registered two outs above average.
The underlying theme to all these stats is that Bliss is sound mechanically and has the potential to be an effective hitter. If he cuts down on his whiff rate (32.1% overall, 57.1% against off-speed pitches), then he'll be a solid major league hitter.
Best game
Bliss' stop-and-go opportunities didn't leave room for consistency. But despite that, he managed to put together an incredible three-game stretch during a series against the Miami Marlins.
Bliss went 6-for-10 with two doubles, a triple, three RBIs and scored once during the three-game intraleague set from June 21-23. His batting average jumped from .179 entering the series to .265 by the end of it.
Ryan Bliss, have a series.
— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) June 22, 2024
He rips an RBI single and is now 5-for-5 this weekend in Miami, then scores all the way from first base after a chopper from J.P. Crawford gets by Josh Bell. pic.twitter.com/FbimzwaE8W
Future prospects
As mentioned before, Bliss has to factor into Seattle's future plans at second base. His limited arm strength might prevent him from being tried out at third, one of the team's other positions of need.
And it's unlikely that Bliss will get a look at first due to the power the team has available with Luke Raley.
Those limited options for Bliss might make it harder for him to contend for a starting role.
In the Mariners organization alone, Leo Rivas and No. 2 prospect Cole Young are both options to take over second base.
And that's not even considering potential players the team can acquire in the offseason.
But there's a lot of potential with Bliss in the starting lineup. The speed, the potential opposite field power. If Bliss can get consistent time in the lineup, he could be the spark plug that was missing from the bottom third of the Seattle's lineup for most of 2024.
Bliss isn't up for pre-arbitration until 2026. That gives the Mariners several years to find Bliss' place on the team.
But if Bliss can continue to build on the good he showed, then there will likely be a spot for him in 2025.
Final grade: C
C: Bliss' short time in the big leagues makes it hard to determine his final grade. But the flashes shown on offense and defense bumps up his marks, even if he played just over 30 games.
The long and short of Bliss' 2024 was that he was a player that was needed in the face of several injuries who didn't get a chance to show what he could do long-term. Not an uncommon story.
Bliss will get a lengthier look in spring training. As will Rivas and Young.
There's a good chance that Bliss gets caught in no man's land depending on whether or not the team prefers to call-up Young or reward Rivas for his solid play in place of JP Crawford.
But if Bliss shows up to spring training improved and consistent, then the Auburn product will play a more significant role on the team going forward.
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