ESPN insider Jeff Passan’s 3 takeaways from Mariners camp

Mar 7, 2025, 3:03 PM | Updated: 3:04 pm

Editor, Seattle Sports

ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan recently visited the Seattle Mariners’ spring training camp in Peoria, Ariz., and he came out of it with a pretty positive outlook.

“I think there’s a pretty good vibe with this team right now,” Passan told Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Friday morning.

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What’s behind that opinion? Passan shared his top three takeaways from M’s camp during the conversation. Here’s a look at what he had to say.

1. Division champs in 2025?

“No. 1, it made me think more about picking the Mariners to win the American League West,” Passan said.

Got your attention now?

Passan had good things to say about how the team is operating under Dan Wilson, who is in his first spring training as Seattle’s manager after taking over the role late last season. Wilson already had a rapport with most Mariners players prior to becoming the skipper, having long served as an instructor for the organization.

“I think they really like Dan Wilson and like playing for him and have a pretty deep respect for him,” Passan said. “And for him to have engendered that over less than a year in his seat is impressive, and I think he’s an impressive guy.”

2. Could be a big year for Julio

“I think Julio Rodríguez is ready to take the leap,” Passan said as he continued down his list.

That would certainly be welcome.

Rodríguez had a good showing in 2024, his third MLB season, but he scuffled throughout the first half of the year and finished with career-low offensive numbers almost across the board. His 4.3 fWAR made him one of just 37 hitters with at least a four-win WAR total, and while that’s a very good mark, it’s not a truly great one like what another third-year pro had last year.

Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. vaulted into baseball’s upper echelon with a 9.4 fWAR that was higher than Shohei Ohtani and only trailed Aaron Judge. Passan said he mentioned Witt while talking to Rodríguez.

“I think he understands that the difference between being a four-win player, which he’s been through the course of his career, and being like a seven- or eight-win player, which puts him firmly into the conversation for American League MVP and has the chance to be the difference between the Mariners winning the division and not winning the division,” Passan said.

“I pointed out, hey, Bobby Witt Jr. took the leap last year and the Royals made the postseason. Do you think that you are capable of doing the same? And what would that mean to the team? I think he understands his position right now for this organization and how much is riding on him.”

Passan further emphasized how important a big season for Rodríguez could be for Seattle.

“Julio’s the one who has the largest delta there between what he is and what he can be. And because of that, that’s opportunity cost, right? That’s the ability to go and capture value from one person, and that extra value that he can bring if he has the type of year we know he’s capable of having, it’s game-changing for this organization. So I think it is a huge year for him.”

3. Seattle Mariners know the draft

Passan focused on the Mariners’ top-ranked farm system for his final takeaway.

“They just draft so freaking well,” he said. “I just missed (seeing 2024 first-round pick) Jurrangelo Cijntje (throw) his bullpen, but I did see (2025 second-round pick) Ryan Sloan. And knowing that they have gotten in recent years the two of them – both of whom I think are going to be very good – and Colt Emerson, and Cole Young, and Logan Evans, and we can keep going back to Harry Ford and on and on.

“I don’t know that the Mariners draft the best out of everyone in baseball, but they’re a top-three team, and it is going to fund that pipeline going forward and make this team potentially dangerous for a while.”

With all that talent in the pipeline, however, brings to mind something else for Passan.

“It aligns with my question about the offseason – if you don’t have any money, why don’t you trade for someone? Why not take advantage of your ability to draft and develop and just say, you know what, at some point maybe we’re going to overpay a little bit in prospects, but considering the core that we’ve got right now, the guys in that clubhouse deserve for us to complement it with good major league players.”

You can hear the full Brock and Salk conversation with ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post. Catch Brock and Salk from 6-10 a.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.