Two potential Mariners infield trade targets to watch

Nov 13, 2024, 6:08 PM

Nico Hoerner of the Chicago Cubs bats during a 2024 game. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

(Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

BY ZAC HERETH

Seattle Sports

The MLB offseason is underway, but it’s been rather quiet so far for the Seattle Mariners and the rest of the league.

4 Takes: Big Seattle Mariners questions about offseason and 2025

That should change at some point in the coming weeks, and the Mariners are expected to be actively looking for ways to upgrade their lineup for the 2025 season and beyond.

They have a clear need for bats in the infield, but the free agent market is rather thin in that area. So the trade market could very well be the best avenue for the team to upgrade on the diamond.

On Wednesday’s edition of Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk, co-host Mike Salk delved in to a pair of infield trade targets who could help fill the Mariners’ needs.

LaMonte Wade Jr.

The first player Salk discussed was San Francisco Giants first baseman Lamonte Wade Jr., who was a name that popped up as a potential target for Seattle before the 2024 trade deadline.

MLB insider Jeff Passan reported Tuesday that the Giants are open to dealing Wade this offseason.

Wade carries a career 113 wRC+ and has posted a mark of 118 or better in three of the past four seasons. He’s coming off a season where he slashed .260/.380/.381 with 16 doubles, eight home runs, 34 RBIs, 62 walks, 90 strikeouts and a 1.3 fWAR.

Wade is a patient hitter and an on-base machine, sporting a .351 on-base percentage over six seasons. His 15.5% walk rate ranked in the 99th percentile and 20.2% chase rate in the 94th percentile during 2024, according to Baseball Savant.

However, Wade is a poor baserunner and fielder. He was seventh percentile sprint speed at 25.2 feet per second last season, which was about even with former Mariners first baseman Ty France. And he posted minus-three outs above average as a defender.

Wade, who turns 31 in June, will be in his final year of contract arbitration in 2025.

“We talked about him a lot last year as a first baseman from the Giants,” Salk said. “… He is now on the trade market. He wasn’t really (before). They didn’t want to deal him last season. I’m just not sure he’s as sexy as he was last year, because now you’re talking about the last year of his deal before free agency.”

Salk also believes the left-handed-hitting Wade doesn’t fit the Mariners’ roster as well now as he did before their 2024 trade deadline deals.

The acquisition of left fielder Randy Arozarena paired with the emergence of outfielder Victor Robles resulted in left-handed-hitting Luke Raley playing more at first base than in the outfield.

Wade has been a platoon hitter throughout his career, hitting .251 with a .790 OPS versus right-handers compared to .207 with a .564 OPS against left-handers. But he did show improved numbers against lefties while hitting .324 with an .840 OPS in a limited sample size of 43 plate appearances in 2024.

“I would have loved him at the trade deadline last year, but once you kind of move things the way you did, I’m just not sure he’s a great option the way he was,” Salk said. “But I also don’t think that Luke Raley should block you from doing whatever it is you wanna do. If that’s something that you think matters, you can find another home for Luke Raley. You can trade Raley.”

Nico Hoerner

The other player Salk suggested was Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner.

Hoerner is a player Passan reported could be available in a trade due to Cubs infield prospect Matt Shaw, the No. 1 prospect in their organization, being ready to play in the majors this coming season.

Hoerner has a career 102 wRC+ with a mark of 103 or higher in each of the four seasons. In 151 games last season, he slashed .273/.335/.373 with 35 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 48 RBIs, 44 walks, 66 strikeouts, 31 stolen bases and a 3.9 fWAR.

The former first-round draft pick is an aggressive, high-contact hitter from the right side. His 11.9% whiff rate and 10.3% strikeout rate each ranked in the 99th percentile last season, but he was just 27th percentile in chase rate.

Hoerner’s best attributes, though, come in the field and on the basepaths. He was the National League Gold Glove winner at second base in 2023 and holds the third-highest outs above average (36) at second base in the majors since becoming a full-time player in 2020. He’s also stolen 94 bases over the past three seasons, including a career-high 43 in 2023.

“A league-average bat at second base who can really run and play defense would be an enormous upgrade for the Mariners,” Salk said. “That would be absolutely something they should be thinking about.”

The Cubs and Mariners also make sense as trade partners in a deal for Hoerner. He fills a clear need at second base and has the capability of playing shortstop, will be 29 next season and is signed through 2026 with an $11.5 million salary in 2025 and $12 million in 2026.

Additionally, Passan reported the Cubs are looking for starting pitching, which is the one area the Mariners could likely best afford to trade from.

“Do I think that I’m gonna give up any of my young four starting pitchers (Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo) for him? No,” Salk said. “But would you consider (Emerson) Hancock for him? Would you consider (prospect Logan) Evans? Could you try to get them to take (Luis) Castillo and pay his salary and maybe use that money elsewhere so that you’re not spending a lot here and maybe it does allow you then to cut Haniger and do something else? I mean, there are some ways that you could make something like that work and he’s a pretty intriguing guy.”

Listen to the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Tune in to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.