SEATTLE -- Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said in late September that Seattle¡¯s roster won¡¯t see significant turnover this offseason, pointing to the club¡¯s foundation of position players and noting that most among that group are under club control for not just next year, but also 2026.

Payroll will increase, Mariners chairman and managing general partner John Stanton told MLB.com, but sources within the organization have suggested that it won¡¯t be substantial.

That could leave ample opportunity for a few within the farm system, ranked No. 9 by MLB Pipeline and likely to climb by spring, to take a leap forward.

Here are three prospects to watch for in 2025, specifically those who could contribute at the MLB level:

1B Tyler Locklear (Mariners' No. 6 prospect)

Why he could contribute: He was already up and made a decent impression over 16 games last year, albeit in spurts. Locklear initially came up as an injury replacement for Ty France in early June then remained for a short stint after France returned. Ultimately, the Mariners determined that his bat still needed seasoning at Triple-A Tacoma, where he played from June 22, sans five games in late July when France was designated for assignment. The Mariners were pleasantly surprised by the defensive strides that Locklear made, which were among the areas for improvement that the club expressed to him in Spring Training. If the Mariners are comfortable with Locklear¡¯s development, he could be in consideration for a platoon with Luke Raley entering ¡®25.

Why he might not: First base, on paper, would seem like the clearest option for an offseason upgrade to the big league roster. Justin Turner manned that spot after the Trade Deadline, and despite mutual interest in a reunion, he¡¯s a free agent. That essentially puts Raley atop the depth chart, and first base is not the slugger¡¯s primary position.

RHP Logan Evans (No. 10)

Why he could contribute: The Mariners strongly considered Evans for their big league bullpen last summer, less than one year after the club drafted him in the 12th round in 2023, before ultimately transitioning him back to the rotation at Double-A Arkansas. Evans carried a 2.73 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP, with 102 strikeouts and 40 walks in 24 starts, compared to a 6.10 ERA, a 1.45 WHIP and a .716 OPS against in 10 outings as a reliever. The Mariners have marveled at his command of the strike zone and ability to effectively install new pitches.

Why he might not: It¡¯s clear now that the Mariners view the 23-year-old as a starter, and while he¡¯s probably next in line among pitchers within the Mariners¡¯ farm system, Seattle already has one of the best rotations in the Majors, and when it did dip into its depth, it turned to Emerson Hancock as the de facto No. 6. Obviously, though, much can change this winter if they were to trade from that group -- though Dipoto adamantly indicated that the club doesn¡¯t intend to deal Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller or Bryan Woo.

2B Cole Young (Mariners' No. 2 prospect/ MLB No. 38)

Why he could contribute: There were murmurs that the Mariners entered ¡®24 with an open mind to Young ascending his way to The Show by season¡¯s end, though that was before the club acquired veteran Jorge Polanco in January. But after a disappointing debut season in Seattle, it¡¯s unlikely that the Mariners will exercise the $12 million club option on Polanco for ¡®25 and instead look at second base as an area to seek other options. Young made a strong impression in his first big league camp last spring.

Why he might not: Young is still only 21 years old and experienced a few highs and lows in ¡®24, though he finished the season on a hugely high note, hitting .359 with a .974 OPS over his final month¡¯s worth of games. The Mariners have been trying to sort out second base since Robinson Cano left the organization after 2018 -- their 4.0 wins above replacement at the position, per FanGraphs, are seventh-fewest in MLB -- but they might want a more experienced player at that spot entering spring. That¡¯s not to say, however, that Young couldn¡¯t make an impact at some point in ¡®25.