Mariners Spring Training: Three Players to Watch
By Ben Renner
3. Dan Vogelbach
Stuck behind star first baseman Anthony Rizzo, the World Champion Chicago Cubs flipped Vogelbach, a well-regarded prospect, for the Mariners’ Mike Montgomery last season. Montgomery, of course, went on to record the final out of the first Cubs’ World Series win in over a century. Vogelbach became another intriguing prospect in the Mariners’ system.
Now, entering Spring Training, Vogelbach is part of a first base platoon with newcomer Danny Valencia. Valencia had a solid season for Oakland last year, slashing .287/.346/.446 while playing first base (only 18 games), third base, and various outfield positions.
Reports have started coming out in the lead-up to Spring Training that Valencia will be used as a utility man, possibly filling in for Seager at third (Valencia’s natural position), and the corner outfield spots. He’s also expressed a love for the city of Seattle and a willingness to play any position that will get him in the game.
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Servais allowing Valencia to roam and play positions he likes playing, however, depends on Vogelbach.
Vogelbach played in only eight Major League games last season, starting three of them at first base. His minor league numbers last year for Iowa and Tacoma were impressive: 25 doubles, 23 home runs, 96 RBIs, and 97 walks, slashing .292/.417/.505 over 563 at-bats. He’ll have to show that combination of power and patience–and Dipoto’s coveted strikezone discipline–against Spring Training competition to be the prominent half of the first base platoon.
In 101 games at first base last year in the minors, Vogelbach committed six errors, an encouraging sign defensively.
Spring Training Position Battles
Spring Training will also be crucial for Guillermo Heredia and Ben Gamel, two young players battling for the fourth outfielder roster spot on the Big League club. Both saw action last year and both flashed some leather running down line drives, but both also struggled at the plate. I suspect whoever gets hot with the bat in Spring Training will beat out the other for the Opening Day roster, and oscillate between Tacoma and Seattle all year.
Drew Smyly is another starting pitcher who can’t be as bad as he was last year. He’ll have to prove that on the mound this Spring Training, too.
Meaningful baseball is still almost five weeks away, but we can start getting excited now for this born-again… again team.
Next: Steven Hauschka Receives Wake-Up Call
Who did I miss on this list? Give me a few more players who need big Spring Training performances in the comments section below.