Drayer’s Notebook: GM speaks on Mariners’ offseason paths

Count former MLB general managers Jim Duquette and Jim Bowden among those concerned for Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto’s well-being as he has yet to make a trade – or make any significant addition – to the 2025 roster this offseason.

“He’s alive. I spoke to him yesterday, he’s doing well,” Mariners general manager Justin Hollander answer with a laugh when he joined Duquette and Bowden on MLB Network Radio’s Front Office show this weekend.

Despite being out of character for “Trader Jerry,” the question of course was in jest. And if there is unease on the part of fans in seeing no significant moves to date, Hollander assured the hosts there is no cause for concern.

“There just hasn’t been the right set of circumstances yet to allow us to add, but I am confident we’ll get there,” Hollander said.

Mariners’ trade deadline pickup returns to former team

How they get there was of interest to the hosts, who asked if it more likely in the current environment that the Mariners will find the help they are looking for in trade or free agency.

“It’s probably evenly split,” Hollander responded. “It’s really hard to make trades, but if you keep grinding at it you can find matches with teams, especially if you are willing to be creative. Obviously, the free agent market comes with its own perils. You have to be willing to get a little uncomfortable on the free agent market. I think we are willing to do both those things. On the trade end, we are willing to be creative and try to find ways to make deals work for everyone, and on the free agent front, we will get a little irrational if we need to be. I think they are probably equally likely for us at this stage and we are continuing to make calls every day on both ends.”

What getting “irrational” on the free agent side remains to be seen, on the trade front, Hollander would not bite when asked which trade idea he liked better: Luis Castillo for Orioles No. 2 prospect Coby Mayo, or for Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas.

“I love Luis Castillo,” he answered. “Luis Castillo is an awesome pitcher, he’s an awesome teammate, he fits our environment really well. I’ll let you guys decide whether you like one of those better or you just like Luis Castillo pitching every five days for the Mariners.”

Morosi dives into idea of Mariners trading Castillo for Boston’s Casas

M’s notes

• It was a very Mariners day on Baseball America, with the publication naming Zach Vincej, manager of Seattle’s Class-A affiliate Modesto Nuts (that’s what they’re still called for now), its 2024 MiLB Manager of the Year.

In just his third year coaching in the organization, Vincej led the Nuts to their first back-to-back California League championship in a 77-year franchise history.

• Baseball America also revealed their preseason Mariners top 10 prospects list, with shortstop Colt Emerson once again in the top spot. The 19-year-old Emerson boosted an already strong case to be at the top of the list with a standout Arizona Fall League performance, turning in a league-high nine doubles while being the third youngest in the AZL.

Emerson leads a crew of eight Baseball America top 100 prospects on the list, the most of any organization. There was some movement between the eight Mariners but just one new entrant – right-handed pitcher Ryan Sloan, Seattle’s No. 2 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, took the place of Seattle’s most recent first-rounder, switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje.

• Picking up an established leverage reliever does not at this point appear to be in the Mariners’ offseason plans, but they have started to assemble the group where help tends to turn up with minor league signings of veterans. The latest additions are lefty Drew Pomeranz and righty Neftali Feliz, both of whom are 36 and last pitched in the majors in 2021.

• New tool alert: No, no reports of anyone adding a splitter this winter. Rather, baserunning stats!

We have a new set of Statcast baserunning leaderboards on Baseball Savant starting today: Basestealing, Extra Bases Taken, and overall Baserunning Value.

Here's a breakdown of the new stats, and which players stand out ➡️ https://t.co/p6CMMg3Kml pic.twitter.com/7uWe8LQmhZ

— David Adler (@_dadler) December 16, 2024

More Seattle Mariners offseason coverage

• Drayer: Mariners’ needs haven’t changed, but path to fill them is murky
• Here’s who Mariners could take at No. 3 overall in 2025 MLB Draft
• Lucky Mariners just unexpectedly landed very high MLB Draft pick
• The Mariners will have a strong pitch for Japanese star Roki Sasaki
• Dipoto: How Seattle Mariners are being ‘very aggressive’ on trade market

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