Seattle Mariners Insider Gives Disappointing Update on Top Prospect Heading into 2025
On Friday, the Seattle Mariners declined their $12 million team option on second baseman Jorge Polanco. It was a move that was expected by Mariners media members. For a team that is reportedly going to act budget-conscious again this offseason, they can't afford to carry an aging infielder with a bulky knee and a .213 batting average for that price.
Now, the Mariners do have options after jettisoning Polanco. First, they could try to bring him back at a lower number. Second, they have Ryan Bliss in the system, who made his debut a season ago and brings some nice things to the table like speed and a little power. Third, they could go out and acquire a stopgap option like Ha-Seong Kim in free agency or they could trade for a guy like Brandon Lowe of the Tampa Bay Rays ($10.5 million deal in 2025).
However, it appears that there is one option not on the table, and that's top prospect Cole Young. According to Adam Jude of the Seattle Times, Young is not seen as a guy ready for the Opening Day job in 2025. Jude also says he might not be ready until 2026.
Cole Young, the Mariners’ first-round pick in 2022, is the club’s second baseman of the future. He spent all of the 2024 season in Class AA Arkansas and is not projected to be big-league ready until 2026.
The Mariners are officially on the hunt for another new second baseman this offseason. https://t.co/JAL6Vgxdtz
— Seattle Times Sports (@SeaTimesSports) November 1, 2024
That's a disappointing development for M's fans who were hoping to see Young contribute in 2025. Since the organization is budget conscious, having Young play in the majors would have meant they didn't have to allocate resources to second base, which means they could have allocated resources to other positions of need, like first base or third base.
Young helped the Travelers win the Southern League championship this year. In 124 games, he hit .271 with a .369 on-base percentage. He had nine homers, 57 RBI, drew 67 walks and stole 23 bases. The Mariners, who have struggled to make contact in each of the last two seasons because of soaring strikeout rates, could certainly use this version of Young at the big-league level.
It just apparently won't be early on in 2025.
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