HOUSTON -- After dealing Mike Leake, Roenis Elias and Hunter Strickland at Wednesday’s Trade Deadline, the Mariners have just 10 players remaining on their current active roster who were on the 28-man roster that opened the season in Tokyo.

They’re left with a starting rotation consisting of four left-handers, a bullpen without an experienced closer and only one reliever who started the season with the club. Seattle’s new look doesn’t seem to bother general manager Jerry Dipoto, which speaks volumes about the transitional period the Mariners have embarked upon in 2019.

“We’re happy with the way our day went,” Dipoto said after acquiring four more prospects for his revamped Minor League system.

Dipoto has been crystal clear about this season since determining last October that the best way for the Mariners to proceed was to clear the decks of aging veterans and long-term contracts and start building around a younger core that can mature together and make a legitimate playoff push in 2021 and beyond.

Which is why players like Leake, Elias and Strickland -- who could have helped win a few more games this year -- joined the likes of Robinson Canó, Jean Segura, Edwin Díaz, James Paxton and Mike Zunino as trade chips to bolster future hopes.

“I think we’ve done what we said we’re going to do,” Dipoto said. “We identified young players and I can’t overstate enough how much we’ve improved our farm system, both through the Draft and international signings and obviously a lot of these trades. We’ve refocused what we’re doing, and I think it’s making a difference.”

While the Mariners are 47-64 and 23 games out of first place as they head into a three-game series against the American League West-leading Astros, the final two months of this season will be about continuing to develop young additions like shortstop J.P. Crawford, catchers Omar Narvaez and Tom Murphy, outfielder Mallex Smith and eventually top prospects Justus Sheffield, Justin Dunn, Kyle Lewis, Jake Fraley and others when they’re called up in September.

“Obviously it hasn’t been a great year for us on the field in the big leagues,” Dipoto said. “But we do feel we’re starting to get younger and more exciting with guys like J.P., the breakouts from our catchers, another steady year for Marco [Gonzales]. We’re very excited to see what happens when the clock turns to September and we get our first look at some of the younger players that will start to permeate our roster in 2020 and beyond.”

A Minor League system that was consistently ranked at or near the bottom of MLB is now pushing into top 10 territory. Youngsters like Jarred Kelenic, Julio Rodriguez, Logan Gilbert and Evan White remain a year or two away, but along with those expected to be added late this year, they form a promising nucleus rising through the ranks.

Left-handers Taylor Guilbeau and Aaron Fletcher, who were ranked as the Nationals’ No. 15 and 21 prospects per MLB Pipeline, slotted into the Mariners’ Top 30 prospect list at No. 22 and 27 after being acquired as part of Wednesday’s trades.

Dipoto is also intrigued by the other two Trade Deadline acquisitions: 20-year-old right-hander Elvis Alvarado, a converted outfielder with a fastball approaching 100 mph, and infielder Jose Caballero, who stole 28 bases in 43 games for Class A Advanced Visalia before injuring his hand this season.

“There are guys right now we’d consider 15-20 on our prospect list that just a year ago would have been in our top 5-6,” Dipoto said. “That’s how far we’ve come system-wide and trades like this are a big part of that. … Three pitchers who have fastballs in the mid-90s and a multi-skilled middle infielder who can do a lot of things on the field and has played well at the three levels he’s been challenged with.”

These forward-looking trades do little to help fans frustrated with the current win-loss record, but Dipoto has been true to his plan and believes patience will pay off.

“We knew what we were getting into,” he said. “We knew there would be some pain to tolerate at the Major League level. We don’t expect we’ll go into this offseason and be out there scouring the free-agent market at the top of the food chain. We understood this was going to be a two-year process.

“We’re almost halfway home and we feel we’ve made great progress in laying a foundation. And now we have a lot of work to do in continuing to develop these guys and identify where our needs are as we move forward. But we’re really happy with where it’s gone so far.”