Player Profile: Luis Sardinas
By James Loss
Only 22 years old, Luis Sardinas is looking for his role in the Majors and thinks he’s found it with the Mariners.
Luis Sardinas came into the league in 2009 at the young age of 16. Since then, he has been traded twice and played winter ball in Venezuela. Now he’s battling for the utility role with Chris Taylor and Shawn O’Malley and he’s making a serious case for himself.
Luis Sardinas made his MLB debut in 2014 at the age of 20. He hit .261 in 43 games on the Rangers. After his short-lived Texas career, he was traded to the Brewers and then last November he found his way to Seattle in another trade. Sardinas has not been bothered by the trades.
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The speed and versatility of Sardinas makes him a valuable asset at all positions. The Seattle infield is pretty much set in place with Kyle seager at third, Ketel Marte at shortstop and Robinson Cano at second. Adam Lind is the obvious candidate for first base, but that position is still up for grabs. Luis Sardinas will be useful as a backup to Marte or Cano, as well as making an occasional appearance at third base.
Don’t expect to see this youngster at the start of the season. At this point, he’s still a developing player with much to improve on, mostly his bat. Look for Sardinas to be a pinch hitter/runner in a tight situation or to fill the shoes of an infielder who needs a game off.
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If Sardinas shows that his speed can translate into more hits during Spring Training, we could see him sooner rather than later.