Fantasy baseball: 2020 Seattle Mariners fantasy preview

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SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 28: Kyle Seager #15 of the Seattle Mariners takes a swing during an at-bat in a game against the Oakland Athletics at T-Mobile Park on September 28, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. The Athletics won 1-0. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) /

2020 Seattle Mariners projected starting lineup:

Shed Long, 2B (.263, 5 HR, 15 RBI, 3 SB in 152 AB)
J.P. Crawford, SS (.226, 7 HR, 46 RBI, 5 SB in 345 AB)
Kyle Seager, 3B (.239, 23 HR, 63 RBI, 2 SB in 393 AB)
Tom Murphy, C (.273, 18 HR, 40 RBI, 2 SB in 260 AB)
Dan Vogelbach, DH (.208, 30 HR, 76 RBI, 0 SB in 462 AB)
Kyle Lewis, LF (.268, 6 HR, 13 RBI, 0 SB in 71 AB)
Evan White, 1B (.293, 18 HR, 55 RBI, 2 SB in 365 AB with AA Arkansas)
Jake Fraley, RF (.150, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB in 40 AB)
Mallex Smith, CF (.227, 6 HR, 37 RBI, 46 SB in 510 AB)

A terrible spring by Long could open the door for Mallex Smith or Jake Fraley to move to the top of the order. Veteran speedster Dee Gordon is still on the roster as well. Smith is going to be a popular middle round target since he is one of the better base stealers still around. It’s a dying art. Smith’s value gets a huge lift if he can find his way back to the leadoff slot.

There are three guys that are still rookies in this starting lineup and Long isn’t far removed from rookie status. Kyle Lewis made headlines with a strong spring. His power developed in the minors last year and carried over into his callup. He also smacked three homers in the truncated spring.

White just inked a six-year deal without ever having taken an at-bat above AA. He had a solid spring and will be a popular pick, but I’m not sure he’s going to give you the power you want from 1B as a rookie. Lewis and White are both solid picks, but don’t reach for either of them.

The same is true for Fraley. He can run with the best of them but has little upside so long as he remains at the bottom of the order. Also, the Mariners signed veteran outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, so Fraley’s leash is short. CarGo isn’t worth a pick unless he locks down a job somewhere.

If you don’t want to gamble on rookies, there is some power to be found elsewhere. Seager’s 2019 season was disappointing when he was able to stay healthy. I like Seager as a bit of a value pick this year. Vogelbach has a lot of power, but we know the story. He’s going to seriously hurt your average. Probably not as bad as last season, but those homers come at a price. Vogelbach is worth a late round pick if you find yourself in need of power.

Tom Murphy is the intriguing guy here. He wasn’t just hitting for power because he was in Colorado. 18 homers in 260 at bats means Murphy could flirt with 30 this year at catcher. That’s a huge return depending on how many games MLB is able to play this season.

Prospects to watch:

Most of the offensive future has arrived in Seattle already. Braden Bishop did well at AAA Tacoma last year but was awful in his September callup. A poor spring means he is going to need struggles for the incumbents and CarGo to make a jump to the majors. He’s likely not worth wasting a bench slot on.

Donovan Walton’s arrival is likely a ways off. Seattle called him up after the AA season ended because of his great season there, but he didn’t have any success in his first taste. Walton looked a little more comfortable this spring but will likely still begin the season in Tacoma. Still, Gordon and Long aren’t playing well either. If that continues and Walton gets hot, he could be up in the majors by summer.

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