2015 Seattle Mariners: Five Bold Predictions

Jun 8, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder

(13) at bat against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

3) Dustin Ackley Makes His First All-Star Team

Perhaps I am being overly optimistic, but I have this image in my mind of the 2015 Dustin Ackley being to the Seattle Mariners what Alex Gordon is to the Kansas City Royals. Ackley shattered records at North Carolina, posting a career .412 average in three seasons, becoming the only three-time All-American in Tar Heel history and holding the school records for career average, hits, runs and total bases. Keep in mind that Ackley also played centerfield during his early days in North Carolina before injuries struck, so I look for his defense in left field to continue to improve. 

The number two overall pick by the Mariners in the 2009 draft seemed to come of age in 2014, finishing off arguably his most productive MLB season yet with a .245 average, 14 home runs and 65 RBI. Ackley really came alive after the All-Star break, with a .318 average, .352 OBP and 33 RBI in July and August before fizzling out a bit in September.

While Ackley’s 2014 stats weren’t mind blowing by any means–in fact he has posted a better batting average in two of his other three seasons–he showed a maturity in his approach that I had not seen before from the 27 year-old. With the Mariners’ season hanging on the ropes in late August, they completed a miraculous two-out comeback on the Red Sox with a two-run single off the bat of Ackley, giving the M’s a 4-3 lead. To me, this was a defining moment in Dustin Ackley’s career. While number 13 appears to be facing a platoon with Rickie Weeks in left field, I see him excelling in 2015 and earning most of the playing time out there by June.

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