Spring Training One Week Away

Spring Training  begins next Wednesday  

February 12th when the pitchers and

catchers report to Peoria  Arizona. 

Some players  are already working out

Peoria.  One of the players reported

throwing  is reliever  Gregory Santos 

who the Mariners  acquired last year

before training  camp  from the White

Sox.

Gregory  missed most of last year

with an injury. Reports are that he

is healthy  heading into spring 

training. Gregory  is  only 25 years

old so could be with the Mariners 

for a long time.  

With the White Sox in 2023 his

first full season  in the majors

Gregory pitched in 60 games

with an era of 3.39 and had 

five saves. He was primarily 

a setup man. 

The Mariners  are expecting Gregory 

to be the guy they go to  in the 8th

inning. Mariners though often use

there relievers a little differently 

than most teams. Andre Munoz 

the Mariners  closer usually pitches

against the middle  of  the opposing 

teams lineup. Depending on the

score we could see him in the 7th,

8th or 9th inning. Gregory will likely 

face the top of the batting order

and be seen the same way. 

Gregory  likely  will  pitch to  when

Munoz needs a day off as well. This

is important  since the Mariners didn’t 

really have anyone in that role last

year with any real success. 

The Mariners  will have 71 players

reporting to training camp with

16 pitchers and 15 position players

that were non-roster invitees. 

Most of the 31 non-roster invitees

will start in triple-A  or double-A. 

Among the non-roster  invitees  will

be the position  players recognized

in top 100 prospects  in baseball.

We will see top prospect Colt Emerson 

and Cole Young  in camp. 

Emerson likely  will  start the season 

at single-A Everett. Consider a hot

prospect in baseball  he might be the

Mariners  shortstop  in 2027. The

likelihood  he won't  be there beforehand. 

Cole Young may get a good shot at

being the Mariners  second baseman 

this year after being at double-A  last

season.  This is true since the Mariners 

didn't  acquire a starting  second baseman 

and Jorge Polanco  recently  signed

is expected to play third base this time 

around.

We will see whether the Mariners sign 

or acquire another infielder before

training camp. We will keep you up to

date here throughout spring training 

and the regular season.  Who we see

looks good and those who do not.

May you enjoy your spring  training 

experience  and we hope so for the

regular season too. Go M's. 

In other local sports the Washington 

Huskies  men's  basketball team play

Nebraska  Wednesday  night.  We will

let you know how things went. Go Dawgs.