This story was excerpted from Daniel Kramer’s Mariners Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Baseball is back, and for a Mariners team coming off their first American League West title in 24 years, they embark on one of their most anticipated seasons in franchise history.
Pitchers and catchers are slated to descend upon the desert by Wednesday, but many throughout the roster -- including key position players -- are already on hand at the Peoria Sports Complex.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the leading storylines in Seattle’s camp:
No. 1 prospect Colt Emerson
It's not often that a prospect headlines a team with World Series aspirations, but that's just how bullish the club is on Emerson, who has as much upside as any homegrown position player since Julio Rodríguez played his way onto the Opening Day roster in 2022.
Emerson, who's just 20 years old, will be given that same opportunity, but there’s also less pressure on him to perform right away after the club’s splashy trade for Brendan Donovan, who will be used primarily at second and third base, the positions that Emerson has the cleanest path to play.
COMPLETE MARINERS PROSPECT COVERAGE
For all these reasons -- and how much fans and organizations love to dream on the next wave -- there’s a good chance that Emerson is Seattle’s most talked-about player for the next month-plus.
Donovan’s arrival
Speaking of Donovan, he’s among those who’ve arrived to Peoria early, and he’s expected to meet reporters shortly after manager Dan Wilson on Wednesday -- because that’s how much folks are eager to get to know the new utility man.
Donovan will enter camp atop third base on the depth chart and is expected to be their everyday leadoff hitter. But his ability to play all over could open the door for Wilson to get creative with how to deploy Emerson and Cole Young, who will enter camp with the advantage for the second-base job.
Don’t forget Ryan Bliss, who’s coming back from significant biceps and knee injuries last season, and Miles Mastrobuoni, who was a key lefty bench bat last year, but who’s also out of Minor League options. There aren’t a ton of roster spots to go around, but those players will still get good looks.
The WBC exodus
The Mariners are expected to be among the most well-represented teams at the premier international event, with 17 players from the organization taking part, featuring a whopping 10 from the big league roster and another seven from the Minors. WBC pool play begins on March 5, and the championship game will take place on March 17 in Miami.
With so many proven players departing camp, and for a potentially extended stretch, there could be even more runway for youngsters to see more reps and at-bats -- and with them, the chance to make a strong impression.
Cal’s curtain call
How Cal Raleigh follows up a season as unprecedented as it was historic will be one of the most intriguing storylines all season, and probably one that won’t be answered until October. That said, it all starts in Spring Training, and Raleigh will have a busy one given that he’ll also be ramping up to be Team USA’s starting catcher in the WBC.
Raleigh departed for Arizona immediately after FanFest on Feb. 1, but he then left the desert for a pit stop in Northern California to root on the Seahawks en route to their Super Bowl victory. There, he was flanked by teammates Bryan Woo, George Kirby and Josh Naylor.
The army of bullpen arms
Left-hander Jose A. Ferrer was the prized acquisition -- via a trade with the Nationals before the Winter Meetings that sent Harry Ford to Washington.
But Seattle’s front office has quietly added a surplus of relievers from outside the organization that will take center stage for what will likely amount to roster battles for two spots. Among players added to the 40-man roster this offseason, six were relievers brought in via trade or waiver claim: Ferrer, Alex Hoppe, Ryan Loutos, Robinson Ortiz, Cole Wilcox and Yosver Zulueta.