The Mariners who stood out in spring training play

The Seattle Mariners have wrapped up Cactus League play, which can only mean one thing: next stop, opening day.

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Before we completely turn our attention to Thursday’s Game 1 of 162, it’s worth taking one last look at what happened in Arizona. Who could be bringing a hot bat into the regular season? Who’s looking good to bounce back after a not so good 2024? And which prospects turned heads?

There are definitely some names worth mentioning, though full disclosure, they’re all on the offensive side of things. It’s tougher to get a good gauge on pitching in spring play, which is also something you should take into account as we go through these impressive hitting stats. Rule of thumb for Cactus League numbers: if they’re good, it’s definitely not a bad thing. And if they’re bad, well… spring training doesn’t really count for a reason.

Here are the Mariners standouts from 2025 Cactus League play.

Ready to go

• Julio Rodríguez, CF

Pretty nice to see the young superstar’s name first, isn’t it?

Rodríguez wasn’t necessarily the best performer at the plate for the Mariners this spring, hitting just .239 with a .288 on-base percentage. But the 24 year old’s contact was mostly of the loud variety, with eight of his 11 hits going for extra bases, including five home runs that tied Cal Raleigh for the team lead. His 20 RBIs also led the M’s.

Julio ended the spring with a .630 slugging clip and .918 OPS, and the best part? He got hot towards the end of camp, hitting two homers over the weekend including a grand slam on Sunday.

• Victor Robles, RF

Moving over one outfield spot from Julio, the 27-year-old Robles is aiming to show his breakout 2024 season with the Mariners was no fluke. He certainly acquitted himself well this spring, slashing .291/.350/.491 for an .841 OPS with three homers, two doubles and 10 RBIs in 18 games.

Robles survived an injury scare, too, as he was able to play Monday after taking an 87.2 mph slider to the right hand Saturday against the White Sox.

• Randy Arozarena, LF

Why not just complete the entire starting outfield?

Arozarena, 30, was actually the most impressive regular Mariners player statistically speaking in Cactus League action, hitting .350 with three homers, four doubles, four stolen bases (on four attempts) and a .948 OPS. His 21 hits tied for fourth in all of baseball this spring, which includes both the Cactus League in Arizona and the Grapefruit League in Florida.

MLB Network’s Greg Amsinger told Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob last week he thinks Arozarena is more comfortable now with the Mariners than he was last year after coming over in a trade deadline move from Tampa Bay – “He’s all smiles, he’s excited to play again” – and it sure seems like it based on his play this spring.

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Primed to bounce back?

• Jorge Polanco, IF

The Mariners and Polanco were a surprise offseason reunion considering how much he struggled in 2024 after he came to Seattle from Minnesota in a trade. Now penciled in to play third base and coming off knee surgery, the 31-year-old switch-hitter had no issues at the plate this spring.

In 13 games, Polanco slashed .308/.325/.615 for a .940 OPS with three homers, three doubles and eight RBIs. He was equally as good from either side of the plate, hitting .333 with a homer in 12 at-bats as a righty and .320 with two homers in 25 at-bats as a lefty.

• Mitch Garver, C

Seattle’s other big acquisition prior to the 2024 season, Garver had a really tough time last season. This spring, however, he was swinging the big bat the Mariners were counting on last year.

The 34-year-old backstop slashed .333/.419/.649 for a 1.058 OPS with three homers, and he hit all the way through the final game, checking in with a pair of doubles Monday.

Made the stats matter

• Rowdy Tellez, 1B

Tellez joined Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk last Friday and mentioned how spring training stats mean a lot more for certain people, and as a spring training invite on a minor league deal, he fell into that class.

Rowdy Tellez making a decision tough on Seattle Mariners

The big lefty’s stats make a great case to break camp with the M’s, as he hit three homers and four doubles in 16 games while slashing .298/.320/.574 for an .894 OPS. It’s a promising thing to see from a 30-year-old player who’s only a few years removed from a 35-homer season.

The 6-foot-4, 270-pounder flashed some leather at first on Sunday, too.

• Miles Mastrobuoni, UT

Another player who made a strong push to make the Mariners’ 26-man roster is Mastrobuoni, a 29-year-old University of Nevada product who swings from the left side.

Mastrobuoni tied with Raleigh for the team lead with appearances in 20 games this spring, and he hit the entire time, slashing .429/.488/.571 for a 1.059 OPS with two doubles, a triple, seven RBIs and five walks to just three strikeouts.

The Mariners picked up Mastrobuoni this offseason from the Cubs, who he played 111 games for over the past two years. He’s a true utility player, having played every position except first base and catcher as a pro.

Best prospects

• Lazaro Montes, OF

Nicknamed “Baby Yordan” for his similarities to perennial Houston Astros All-Star Yordan Alvarez, the 6-foot-5 Montes has been rising up the prospect rankings and is a player worth watching in the minors this season. He flashed the power he’s known for – plus patience – in 12 Cactus League games, going 5 for 18 with two homers, a double and five walks to eight strikeouts for a .278/.435/.667 slash and 1.102 OPS.

The 20-year-old Montes is the No. 42 overall prospect in baseball as ranked by MLB.com. He finished last season with the High-A Everett AquaSox.

• Harry Ford, C

The No. 64 overall prospect per MLB.com, Ford had an impressive spring by going 8 for 19 with a homer, a double, three steals (on three attempts), and five walks to just three strikeouts. It worked out to a .421/.538/.632 slash and 1.170 OPS.

Ford, 22, was Seattle’s first-round MLB Draft pick out of high school in 2021 and spent the entire 2024 season with Double-A Arkansas.

• Hogan Windish, IF

Windish is a lesser known Mariners prospect, having been drafted in the seventh round in 2022 out of UNC Greensboro. The 5-foot-11, 222-pound corner infielder has always had pop, and he showed it with a pair of homers and a double in his 15 Cactus League at-bats. He posted a .333/.412/.800 slash for a 1.212 OPS this spring.

The 25-year-old Windish was Ford’s teammate with Arkansas last year.

Seattle Mariners news and analysis

• Seattle Mariners Notebook: Hyphen, Buhner excited for new roles
• ‘I got so much better’: Touted M’s prospect relishes spring experience
• ‘I just want to play’: Prospect Jonny Farmelo eager to make return
• Seattle Mariners release veteran OF Mitch Haniger
• Insider: How Seattle Mariners stack up in wide-open AL West

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