Are There Any UNTOUCHABLE Seattle Mariners Prospects This Winter? | Mailbag Monday

Are There Any UNTOUCHABLE Seattle Mariners Prospects This Winter? | Mailbag Monday

Well, the off season has begun for all 30 teams. Let’s kick things off with a mailbag Monday. Colby hit it. [Music] You are Locked on Mariners, your daily Seattle Mariners podcast, part of the locked on podcast network. Your team every day. Ohoy sailors. It is Monday, November 3rd, 2025. This is Titan Gonzalez and Colby Panode for the Lockdown Ones podcast. Part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. This episode is brought to you by Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account, and use the promo code locked on MLB. That’s L O C K D O N MLB for $20 off your first purchase. And as always, if you want to hear from me and Colobby even more, and help support the show, we have a Patreon. It’s called Control the Zone. And on there, we talk Mariners, Seahawks, all that good stuff. For more information, go to patreon.com/controlzone. link in the description of this episode. Let’s open up the mailbag and answer some of your mayor’s questions like we do here every Monday. And by the way, at the end of the show, we’ll be spinning the uh Helm and Ed Helms for our top five Tuesday topic. So, if you want to know what’s coming your way tomorrow, be sure to stick around for that. Darren McCack and Enjoyer is going to kick us off here on Mailbag Monday. Wants to know with the World Series over, who on the 40man do you see stay on the 40man? who you see being non-tendered, outrighted, DFAD, etc. Anyone in the farm that needs to be added to protect from the rule five? If so, do you protect them or not? Love the show. We love Ty and Colby, not Darren McCacken. Ty and have a place. No, no, I like the orderer that it was. I mean, I guess we’ll start with the easy one, the the rule five protections, right? So, who’s eligible this year, Ty? So, everyone from the 2021 draft class. Uh that’s the easiest place to start here. Uh but obviously the biggest names from that draft class, Harry Ford, Bryce Miller, Brian Woo, they’re all on the roster already, so you don’t have to worry about them. Uh so from that class, it’s more like Michael Morales, uh Spencer Packard, Colin Davis, Jimmy Joyce, guys like that. Uh Morales and Packard I could see potentially. Uh there’s also some stragglers like Tyler Cleveland who had a pretty good year this year. He’s uh he’s rule five eligible. Victor Labrada. He’s had a you know solid uh last couple years down in the minors and he seems pretty close to getting a cup of coffee in the majors. He seems like you know a fourth fifth outfield type. He’s someone that I could definitely see get drafted in the rule five by someone. Yeah. Um like you know a Rockies or a White Socks or someone like that. I could definitely see them taking a flyer on Labrada. Uh so I I think that’s it. I might be missing someone, but that’s all that I found uh researching for this question. Uh so is there anyone that I mentioned that you would add to the roster? I thought uh Labrada maybe. By the way, the Mariners right now they’re 40man is only at 37 and that’s uh including the the two 60man guys getting added. So they don’t actually have to DFA anybody. Uh, and that also does include not or that also doesn’t include Garber. That accounts for them declining his options. So, um, they’ll be at 37. Right now, they’re technically at 35 while they decide on the option for Munoz. Obviously, they’ll pick that up. And the Polo, uh, thing obviously they will decline that or well, Polo will decline that, we think. Um, so they could be at 37, they could be at 36, but they don’t have to DFA anybody. Uh right now they’re in fine shape that way. Uh as for the uh you know, as for the rule five or whatever, um I think Morales is an interesting one. I could see a team try and snag him and use him as a number five starter or at least see what he looks like uh in spring training because you could always just give the player back. You don’t have to keep him. Uh but I don’t think I would add him if I were the Mariners. He had a very mediocre year last year. His ceiling is probably a number five starter. I I it’s not the worst idea in the world if they add him. It’s not something I I think they have to do though. Uh Victor Labrada, fourth outfield type, maybe like you said, I think you could see a team maybe snag him and try and sneak him through. Like he’s pretty good base runner, started to develop a little bit of power. And then there’s always a couple relievers that are interesting. Um Tyler Cleveland, uh also Steven Wraith is pretty interesting as well. uh both kind of side armors uh you know decent performers in double A somebody might take a shot on them Michael Hobbs somebody uh that might also be of interest but yeah I think really it comes down to it’s uh it’s Morales and it’s Labrada and maybe the Mariners protect one of their relievers uh like you know I think I think Cleveland is someone that a team might take a shot on I agree uh and Seattle I think they like him so I I they do add anybody to protect them from the rule five, it’ll probably be a reliever. Um, you know, I think they’re okay losing Morales. Uh, I think they’re okay losing uh losing Victor Labrada, but um, yeah, there are some interesting calls here. Morales, that would be that would be an interest that’s going to be an interesting one, I think. But yeah, it’s probably the biggest name that you have to worry about in terms of like rule fives is Morales. looking at the uh Mariners AR eligible players. You asked about guys that could potentially get non-tender. We already kind of talked about this uh when we looked at the AR projections what two weeks ago. Um but yeah, Trent Thornton like obviously he’s going to get non-tendered uh coming off of his Achilles injury. I think they want to bring him back though and you know oversee his his recovery and all that. And obviously he’s meant a lot to the to the clubhouse and all that. So I think they would want to keep uh Thorny in uh involved um in some way. uh but just not at 2.5 million which is what he’s projected to make. Um Taylor Sedo at 1.1 million probably going to get nendered. Uh Jackson Coar at 800K maybe but I think they just pay that. I mean that’s what like 20,000 over the league minimum. So I think they just they just pay him that. Um, so two guys at maximum I think get non-tendered sauce and and Thornton. And then uh looking at the 40man uh just you know looking at like who are the easiest lovers to pull here. We do this every year. It’s kind of like you know if you once the 40man gets filled like Go ahead. I just I have a question. Go ahead. Who the heck is Domingo Gonzalez? Uh they picked him up from Atlanta in like September off wherever it is. Okay. Cuz yeah, I saw his picture on the floor. I was like, who is this? Well, there you go. He’s he’s one of the guys here that once the 40man is filled. Um and you know, you’re looking at like who who’s going to be a corresponding move here to make room for this guy that we just traded for, we just signed. Domingo Gonzalez is one of those guys. Blas Castano is another one of those guys. Jonathan Diaz. Yep. Um Troy Taylor obviously with the way that his year went and then after hitting Domcan zone in the scrimmage game uh before the ALDS. Um SAT Taylor. Yeah. Yeah. Ryland Thomas. Yeah. Yeah. I don’t see too many like obvious obvious guys uh on the on the position player front, but there also there also really aren’t a lot of guys on the position player front on the 40man in general. No, I mean Jackson Kar Casey Legamina also throw them on there like Yeah. They’re kind of second tier guys. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The Mariners aren’t in any danger of running out of room on the 40man so don’t worry about it. Even like Ryan Bliss they have they’ll add Ryan Bliss back. they’ll add um well Santos we assume. I can’t imagine they’re not going to tender Gregory Santos when he’s basically going to get league minimum. So yeah, but uh there’s probably six or seven guys right there that they could just cut and nobody would blink an eye or you know bat an eye twice at. So there’s no real danger of of somebody being squeezed off the 40man that you’re worried about. All right, we will answer more of your questions here in just a moment, but first a reminder, this episode of the Locked Ones podcast is brought to you by FanDuel and Doer. The NBA is back and there’s no better place to get in on the action than FanDuel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Even if you miss the start of the game or want to ride the hot hand, FanDuel has live bets on everything from who will score next to fourth quarter comebacks. Plus, you can even combine your live bets into a same game parlay for a shot at a bigger payout. It keeps every game exciting, especially when your team is making that late push. Right now, FanDuel is giving new customers $300 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins. So, head to fanduel.com to sign up and play your game with FanDuel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Man, I am super stoked about the new jeans I have arriving soon from Der. I’ve heard the most amazing things about these jeans. I mean, I just I can’t wait to wear them. Let me tell you why. Derer jeans have five times the stretch of traditional denim. They’re antibacterial, meaning your jeans stay fresh longer, so you can wear more and wash less. And it’s made with CoolMax, which keeps you cool and comfortable as temperatures change. Der also combines the classic jeans wear style with the kind of comfort and performance you get from athletic wear. So, it really is the best of both worlds. And Doer are absolute pioneers of blending technical innovation with everyday clothing. They invented the original performance denim. So, simply put, Doer makes the world’s most comfortable pants without having to sacrifice style. Get a pair for yourself or as an amazing holiday gift. Go now to shopd.com/lockedon Seattle. You’ll get 15% off your first order. That’s shopd.com/lockedoncattle for 15% off. Shopd.com/lockedon seattle. And you’re listening to the locked podcast. This mailbag Monday. Let’s get back into your questions. Switch wants to know, who are your untouchable prospects in a realistic trade sense? Just uh Colt Emerson and Kate Anderson? Yeah, I mean like obviously it depends on, you know, what trade target we’re talking about, but like uh yeah, if we’re talking about for one year of Terk Scooel, for example, I’m not entertaining Anderson or Emerson in that deal. I’m willing to talk about anyone else, just not those two guys. Uh now, if it’s for like a certifiable perennial Yeah. Yeah. If it’s for a perennial all-star like MVP candidate type of player for like you know a couple years at least of that guy then sure I’ll talk about Cole Emerson and Kate Anderson. Yeah it’s all relative. Um but I think you know just in the spirit of the question like who do we think might be available via trade this winter and and all that like who’s realistic? I wish I wish I could say Jose Ramirez is on that list, but he’s kind of a pipe dream, but it is Cleveland, so you know, you can’t rule it out entirely, but probably not. Um, yeah. So, yeah, short of of like that type of player. Yeah, I think it’s Emerson. That might be it. Uh, you know, and I Yeah. What What if though it’s like we say you wouldn’t even trade them for like one year of Terk Scubble. But if it’s Scooble and you know Spencer Torqulson or whatever and then it’s like okay well that kind of changes things you know but I think just in general just playing somewhat in the realm of reality I would say Emerson is definitely untouchable. Anderson pretty likely untouchable. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And then I would really like to not trade Sloan or for Melo but I will. So, I guess the answer is one one and a half. Like I I guess I’d say Anderson is firmly in the same category as Emerson. I don’t think he’s in the same cate. He’s close. So, like yeah, like no more than two though. Like those are that’s it. Those two guys. Everybody else I’m willing to entertain. As much as I would like to not trade FarmLo or Sloan for the right player, I’ll do it. Seattle Surge wants to know if Harry Ford stays put on the MLB roster, how will the Mariners actually utilize him? I would love to hear at some point over the course of this off seasonason or maybe it’s once you know everyone gets his spring training that Harry Ford spent this winter working on his outfield defense or maybe he works somewhere in the infield or something like that because like right now he’s probably the backup catcher but with his elite on base skills that he put on display in the miners that’s potentially a bat that I’m going to want in the lineup pretty consistently and not just on a backup catcher basis. especially when he’s going to be behind the best catcher in all of baseball. So, the more you can do, right, the better. And so, if it winds up like, hey, like Harry Ford actually we feel comfortable that he can play multiple positions and now we’ve we brought Mitch Garver back or we’ve traded for some backup catcher to kind of fill that role more traditionally. Uh, that would be ideal to me. Yeah. He’s not going to be as good as this guy, but Dalton Vo was a catcher. Yeah. Who turned himself into a premier defensive outfielder. Now, it’s ridiculous to think like Harry Ford’s a good enough athlete to do that. But like you shouldn’t expect that. I’m just saying like the idea that you can’t play catcher and play in the outfield, that’s not true. Like a very good example is Varo. And to be fair, Vario wasn’t really that good of a defensive catcher anyways. like Harry’s a better defensive catcher than Bartow was, but whatever. Uh I would I would be shocked honestly if we don’t get video at some point this winter. Uh Harry Ford in a facility or or Harry Ford in a you know just I mean he I think he lives in Georgia in the offseason just out at a high school field shagging fly balls. Uh working on that. I’d be pretty surprised if we don’t get that. So, his primary role is going to be the backup catcher, but if he can hit a little bit, then I think the Mariners will want to move him around, try and get the bat in the lineup more than they try to get Mitch Garver. They’re not going to want to do it via the DH. Um, so I think you’re going to see Harry learn how to play some corner outfield. And, you know, right field is is kind of a natural choice. Uh, you know, you need a good athlete out there in right field in Seattle. Harry’s got a really good arm. Uh so yeah, I think where if he does survive, I think he’ll be the primary backup, but he’ll also get time in a corner outfield spot. Um I don’t want to say regularly, but I think he probably plays three, four times a week and maybe only one of those starts as a catcher. Yeah. But yeah, his primary focus will be as a backup catcher. Dustin wants to know, is it weird thinking right field is more of a need than bullpen? The thing I like, well I don’t want to say like the thing we should remind ourselves is that when you get into July Mhm. right and you get to the trade deadline, there are always outfielders available. There are always corner outfielders available and they’re always pretty cheap. Relievers, if you need like a premier high leverage reliever like the Mariners kind of did this deadline, it’s going to cost you a lot. Even if you only get them for two months, like two months of an average right fielder is going to cost you Michael Morales. Two months of a, you know, seventh, eighth, ninth inning guy is going to cost you Tai Pete and Teddy McGrath. You know, it’s just one of those things where it’s more expensive. So, I think for that reason, I would still prioritize the bullpen over the outfield. But, they absolutely need help in both. There’s there’s no question about it. They should they should set out to try and do both. But if I had to pick big time bullpin upgrade, big-time right field upgrade, I’d rather take the bullpin arm because if the probable platoon of Canzone or uh and Robas should fail in right field, I’m going to be able to go out and get a you know, whatever I, you know, um trying to think of a corner out. Harrison Bader. I’ll be able to go get that guy at the deadline because Harrison Bader types are available every year. Cedric Mullen’s, you know, another one. So, yeah, I think for that reason, I’d still prioritize, but I think you’re right to point out that rightfield is in need because I think it is. Yeah, it is. It is because right now uh with how the roster is set just like today and obviously this might very well change but today like Dom Kenzone who is by far your best hitting right fielder in 2025 he’s your DH. All right we have a few more of your questions to answer here in just a moment but first a reminder this episode of the lockdown errors podcast is brought to you by Game Time. NFL season is back and there’s nothing better than being in the stadium surrounded by fans cheering on your team. But let’s be honest, getting tickets can be a hassle between cues, login screens, and prices jumping at checkout. It’s frustrating. That’s why I use Game Time, the app that gives the advantage back to fans. Game time is fast, easy, and backed by the Game Time guarantee. You’ll always get 100% authentic tickets delivered on time and at the best price. Plus, all fees are included, so the price you see is the price you pay. I pulled up Game Time and in just a couple taps, I saw amazing deals. I’m talking about your favorite NFL games as low as $100. It’s faster, cheaper, and less stressful than any other way I bought tickets. Download the Game Time app, create an account, and use the promo code locked on MLB for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Again, that’s promo code Loc K D O N MLB for $20 off. Swipe, tap, ticket, go download Game Time today. And you’re listening to the Locked Time Errors podcast. It’s Mailbag Monday. Let’s get back into your questions. fan wants to know who is most likely to have a big bounceback year out of all the injured Mariners from this past season. Well, considering your name, I assume that you’re hoping that we say Luke. Um, which is very possible considering that was Yeah, that that’s what I was about to say. Thanks, Colobby. I was, you know, get in there, you know, let’s just cut the BS. Let’s just answer the question. Bryce Miller is the answer. Yeah, Bryce Miller. It’s so It’s so easy cuz he has the lowest bar to clear and we already kind of saw the bounce back start to happen in the postseason. Uh but yeah, it could be really it could also be really cuz cuz uh Braley was awesome in 2023 and 2024 and he had to deal with oblique and back issues all year long like yeah of course. Uh so it’s very easy to point to that and go like that’s just a you know a lost year. He also has a whole like off season to get his eyesight fixed. remember the whole thing about wearing glasses and he was picking up too much spin then and he felt like that hurt him actually which weird but whatever. So yeah, it does feel like is a pretty good bet to bounce back to some degree but also the Mariners might move on from him. So we’ll see. I hope I kind of hope not but also it makes sense so whatever. Uh but yeah, the answer is Bryce. Like I I suppose technically could we pick Kirby and Gilbert? Yes, of course. because like they didn’t end the year hurt, but I guess neither did Bryce technically. So neither did did Bryce and Bryce isn’t getting surgery either. So yeah, the answer is Bryce. Yeah, it’s very easily Bryce. But yeah, like you could easily say Logan, you could easily say George. Uh you could say Luke. Uh there are quite a few good options for this. Let me throw you a dark horse for this one. Okay. Matt Brash. Sure. A full year removed from Tommy John is typically when guys get all the way back. Sure. Yeah. Just Brash was good this year. Certainly had some moments though. Uh but yeah, I still I think the answer is Bryce Miller. Erid wants to know uh does Logan need to ditch the splitter at least throw it less? Seemed to me that his inability to consistently locate that pitch led to the long at bats and inefficiency or I could be completely wrong because it is nasty. Uh no, I think the issue is pretty clearly the slider. Yeah, it’s a pitch that that got smoked. Uh I think opponents hit over or they slugged over 500 against it this year and that’s because he just can’t locate it. Well, um the splitter generated a 50% whiff rate this year. Yeah, you’re not ditching that. Yeah. No. Could you rework the pitch mix a little bit to throw it a little bit less? Because we do know splitters are well, it’s believed that splitters are really tough on the elbow. Uh, and we know that Logan has an elbow issue. So, could he throw it less? Sure. But then he needs to have another secondary pitch because really that’s the only one he had cuz the slider was terrible. So, yeah, either he needs to fix the slider or he needs to come up with a a curve ball or something. He needs to, you know, rework the knuckle curve back into his arsenal, whatever it is. But, uh, yeah, I think it’s the breaking balls that are the problem here. And also, fastball command could be a little bit better. But I I am willing to attribute some of his command. It’s funny to say a guy had command issues when he had like a sub two baseball ball for nine, but he did. He did. He didn’t always put the ball where he wanted it. Um well, command issues go both ways, right? It could lead to walks or it could just lead to pitches getting, you know, left left over the heart of the play like he did often with the slider, which again led to the 500 plus slugging percentage against it. Yeah, I don’t think he needs to ditch the splitter. I think he needs to find a breaking ball. A good one. I think that’s the problem. Agreed. All right. So, before we get out of here, we’re gonna spin the uh the Helm and the Ed Helms for our top five Tuesday topics for tomorrow’s episode. Um last week, obviously, Colby tackled the Helm topic, which was the top five storylines for the Mars heading into the offseason. I tackled the Ed Helms uh topic, which was top five Maris hats. So, we’re going to switch roles this week. I’m going to tackle the helm. So, let’s see uh what I’ll be doing tomorrow. Spin that wheel. Easy say, Jack. Reasons for optimism in 2026. That’s definitely a topic that I should tackle rather than Colby. I think that’s pretty fitting. I think that’s disrespectful, boy. But you sure got a hard list, didn’t you? Yeah. Reasons for optimism for a team that just went to game seven of the ALCS and is scheduled to bring back all of its key players. Well, most of its key players. Well, yeah, Naylor and Polo are coming back. I’m not worried about it. All right. So, now let’s spin the Ed Helms for Col’s topic tomorrow. See what you get. Looking like Oh, this one. Uh, you came up with home run props. So things like the Trident, the Blue Jay’s jacket, all that stuff, for example. Boy, I wonder what number one will be. I kind of feel like you should do a list where the Trident is excluded. But what my number one I mean, the Trident is like unequivocally number one. Spoiler alert. Yeah, there you go. Maybe I’ll do a top six. So you get the sure six through two and then the Trident will definitely be one. And that’s going to do it for our show. Uh again, we’ll see you guys tomorrow on Top Five Tuesdays. Top five reasons to be optimistic heading into 2026 for the Mars and the top five home run props coming from Colby. Thank you so much for joining us here on the Lockdown Mars podcast for Colobby Patode. I’m Ted Gonzalez. Be sure to give us a follow on Twitter at l_mmers. You can follow me at Tang Gonzalez and Colby at CPA1. That’s CPAT11. We’re also on Blue Sky. You can follow me at TDG. Colby at MLB Colby and the show at Lockdown Mariners. You can also find us on Instagram at Lockdown Mariners. Have yourself a beautiful baseball day and we’ll see you next time. Peace.

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