3 position battles to watch in Mariners camp

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Clarity can be a comforting feeling at this time of year, and the Mariners believed that they had quite a bit within their roster construction upon arriving at Spring Training.

While a legitimate question can be posed to whether the club could¡¯ve added more this winter, Seattle is bullish on returning virtually the entire nucleus that it ended 2024 with.

It¡¯s left few, if any, roster battles over the next five weeks -- yet there are a handful positions whose makeup hasn¡¯t yet taken the clearest shape.

2B: The in-house incumbents
The Mariners haven¡¯t settled on Dylan Moore as the second-base starter, but he¡¯s the front-runner, with Leo Rivas and Ryan Bliss also in the mix.

Moore played in a career-high 135 games last season, a year that featured a breakout at times but also significant scuffles, too. He had an .867 OPS through his first 40 games, when he stepped in as the everyday shortstop while J.P. Crawford was on the injured list, then a .602 OPS the rest of the way. The dropoff could be a correlation to coming out of his utility/backup role, and with it, being more exposed.

Bliss had two stints in the Majors for 33 games and had a few nice moments but was also overwhelmed at times, with a .687 OPS and 31% strikeout rate. Among this group, his defense is the most suspect.

Rivas went from being a great story as an injury fill-in -- a nine-year Minor League journeyman finally reaching The Show -- to being a regular against righties when Crawford was sidelined for his second IL stint in the second half.

Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said that the club will also deploy a ¡°move-around¡± infielder, a backup who can play multiple positions, which will likely come from this group. Rivas might have the edge over Bliss here because he can play shortstop and switch-hits.

Dipoto also reiterated that Cole Young -- MLB Pipeline¡¯s No. 49 overall prospect -- could play his way into the mix with a strong spring.

¡°We are open to the idea that if any of our young players -- if we feel like they have the ability to impact us in a meaningful way -- show us that this is their time, we're just going to let them run,¡± Dipoto said.

DH: How the Mitches fit
Mitch Garver has clearer roster value as backup catcher, but he could also play his way into more designated hitter duties with a strong spring. If so, the Mariners would be forced to consider carrying another catcher for protection should Garver and Cal Raleigh be in the lineup together regularly.

Mitch Haniger, who became the odd man out in an outfield logjam after the Mariners acquired Randy Arozarena at the Trade Deadline, has a far less clear path to playing time, with DH seemingly as the only real avenue. The 34-year-old is earning $15.5 million this year, a costly enough figure that the Mariners will keep him on the roster.

Asked specifically about Haniger¡¯s fit, Mariners manager Dan Wilson said: ¡°There are a lot of question marks. We haven't even gotten to a game yet, so it's hard to know how it's all going to play out. But certainly, his ability to swing the bat, his experience in the league, all that plays.¡±

Dipoto also suggested that the DH spot could be used as a hybrid day for everyday players, pointing to Raleigh, Arozarena, Luke Raley and Donovan Solano to get them off their feet but still keep them in the lineup.

Bullpen: The finite few spots
With Gregory Santos and Gabe Speier healthy and among the most impressive in the early stages of camp, and with many other arms returning, the only hole within Seattle¡¯s bullpen might be the placeholder for Matt Brash, who could return in late April.

Andr¨¦s Mu?oz is their All-Star closer. Collin Snider had a huge second half and is also out of Minor League options; so, too, is Trent Thornton. Tayler Saucedo has one option remaining but has been their lefty specialist. Rookie Troy Taylor became a legitimate leverage option late in the year and, if healthy from a right lat strain that he¡¯s been cleared to begin throwing from, he¡¯ll be included.

That¡¯d leave just one fill-in spot for Brash.

No. 16 prospect Brandyn Garcia is shifting from a starter role and will be in consideration. But there are also veterans like Shintaro Fujinami, Casey Legumina and Hagen Danner. The latter two are on the 40-man roster.