PEORIA, Ariz. -- The equipment truck has already departed for Seattle, the few roster battles that were in the works have mostly been decided and the final cuts are in the works.
The Mariners still had one more Cactus League game -- they lost, 10-3, on Monday to the Padres at Peoria Stadium -- but they’ve mostly put a bow on their 2026 Spring Training.
With that in mind -- and before looking ahead to Opening Day -- here’s a recap of Seattle’s spring:
Best development
That a team with legitimate World Series aspirations has been headlined by the farm system.
The high-upside trio of infielder Colt Emerson (MLB Pipeline’s No. 9 overall prospect) and starting pitchers Kade Anderson (No. 21) and Ryan Sloan (No. 33) shined enough to where they’ve boosted their chances of being part of Seattle’s plans in 2026.
Emerson will be their shortstop of the future, Anderson will be among their next wave of homegrown starters and the 20-year-old Sloan has all the makings of an arm that might record consequential outs in October.
It’s rare that you see an organization with this much big league talent potentially leaning on prospects in an anticipated playoff run. And that’s what has made this camp, especially in the early stages, so fascinating.
“Being in big league camp was awesome,” Sloan said after a dominant performance in the Spring Breakout prospect showcase. “Just being around those guys, seeing how they work, seeing how they go about their business, kind of just allowed me to realize that I belong there -- like, my stuff is good enough.”
Unfortunate events
Bryce Miller (left oblique inflammation) is expected to open the season on the injured list, which is disappointing given how strong he finished last postseason. But the good news is that he’s progressing through a throwing program to the point where the Mariners are already targeting how a possible return in April could look.
“We want to get him back as quickly as we can,” manager Dan Wilson said. “But at the same time, we want it to make sense. So I think the way he's been progressing has been outstanding.”
Elsewhere on the injury front, J.P. Crawford (sore throwing shoulder) might not be ready by Opening Day either, though that decision might not come until the final hour. However, a possible IL stint is not expected to be lengthy, and he’d be eligible to return as early as April 1.
Who opened eyes
Brendan Donovan has been as advertised on all fronts -- for how hard he plays, how productive his at-bats are and how he has meshed within a clubhouse where he knew virtually no one upon arrival.
Through Sunday’s 4-2 win over the White Sox, Donovan has gone 19-for-45 (.422) with one homer, three doubles and three stolen bases. More tellingly, he has just six strikeouts over 54 plate appearances for an 11.1% K rate. Spring stats are murky to assess value, but it has been the process that Donovan has exhibited that could elevate an already deep lineup.
“Your effort, your mentality, all that -- those are things that you can control in this crazy game,” Donovan said. “I just try to play like my hair is on fire, and that's something that I think makes the game more fun, too.”
Wow moment
Seattle’s home run leader in Cactus League play was ... Cole Young?
Yes, the 22-year-old second baseman paced the Mariners’ homer leaderboard with six. And he did so with some prodigious power, with no showing highlighting that more than his two-homer night on Friday against the Guardians, who the Mariners face on Opening Day.
For all the firepower within Seattle’s lineup, Young has been its most impressive player this spring. He took his offseason seriously, with a focus on adding more strength and improving his defense, and he looks much more confident in the batter’s box. There might not be a player who could raise the club’s floor more in 2026.
“He’s going to hit 20 to 25 homers this year,” one Mariners veteran said.
In case you missed it
Spring Training is a grind, but it also lends itself to far more fun content. Here were a few favorites:
• In a roundabout way, Donovan spent his entire career learning from Mariners infield coach Perry Hill -- before ever meeting him.
• Crawford has always thrived in high-stakes moments, but that didn’t compare to the pressure of officiating Ryan Bliss’ wedding.
• Josh Naylor plays with a fierce intensity, but there’s also a gentler side -- evoked perfectly by his relationship with the clubhouse dog, Tucker.