Projecting future rosters is more of a fun exercise than one with real-world value, but it can provide some insight into where the Seattle Mariners are at eash position, and from where future solutions may come — at least the way I’m doing it here.

Below is my 2025 26-Man roster projection, assuming continued arbitration routes, but without making a single free agent addition or trade.

Also included are top in-house alternatives and free agents, plus possible trade targets.

(Age as of July 1, 2025, the official cutoff)

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INFIELDERS

1B: Ty France (30)
France will in his final year of arbitration in 2025, a number that likely crawls into the $10 million range. If France performs in 2024 more like he did in 2023 than 2020-2022, Seattle could decide to non-tender him instead. But a 115 or better wRC+ is worth a one-year commitment at the projected range.

Top In-House Alternative: The best in-house option is Tyler Locklear (24), or a position change for another potential regular. It’s also plausible a multi-player timeshare develops.

Top Free Agents: Paul Goldschmidt (37), Pete Alonso (30), Josh Bell (32), Christian Walker (34)

Possible Trade Targets: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27, FA after 2025), Andrew Vaughn (27, FA after 2026), Nathaniel Lowe (29, FA after 2026), Josh Naylor (28, FA after 2025), Yandy Diaz (33, FA after 2026).

2B: Cole Young (22)
He should be the shortstop, but it’s tough to see the Mariners moving their leader off his natural position for a 22-year-old kid. It would be somewhat surprising if Young isn’t in the opening-day lineup next season, however.

Top Free Agents: Gleyber Torres (28), Willy Adames (SS, 29)

Possible Trade Targets: Jeff McNeil (33, FA after 2026), Nico Hoerner (28, FA after 2026).

3B: Jorge Polanco (31)
Polanco could instead be part of a multi-player answer at first base, or play a lot of positions whole remaining an everyday bat in the lineup. This is assuming Polanco’s $12 million option is picked up for 2025, but I don’t believe Seattle incudes Gabriel Gonzalez in the deal if they felt there was a good chance it ended up a one-year rental.

Top In-House Alternative: Luis Urias is under club control through 2025, but the arb number is likely to crawl into the $7-8 million range, so it’s far from a no-brainer Urias is back. If he is healthy all year and performs, this increases the chances he’s the third baseman in 2025, or at least part of the club. He’s just 26.

The club’s farm probably doesn’t come into play before summer 2025 when it’s plausible Harry Ford or even Colt Emerson poke their heads into the picture at the position.

Top Free Agents: Alex Bregman (31), Matt Champman (32, opt-out)

Possible Trade Targets: This market looks as dry as any outside trading for 33-36 year-olds in the final years of their current contracts, such as Nolan Arenado and Chapman. One has to wonder if Bo Bichette (28, FA after 2025) is part of the third base conversation soon.

Other than Bichette, Isaac Paredes is the most interesting hitter at the position a club could target, but it’s probably going to cost you severals arms (and a leg).

SS: J.P. Crawford (30)
Crawford will be 30 before next season and due for a position change, but he’s signed through 2026 and almost certain to be on the roster as the club’s starting shortstop throughout. By the way, Crawford will make $31 million over the next three seasons. Carlos Correa will be paid $99.5 million over that span, Framcisco Lindor $96 million, Trea Turner just under $82 million, and Xander Bogaerts will make $75 million.

Crawford isn’t as dynamic and flashy as any of them, but he’s more reliable and consistent than all but Lindor and Turner. Crawford may be in line for a short extension under the right circumstances, and it may be something the club does right before or right after moving him to second base.

Top In-House Alternative: Young is a better glove right now than Crawford, but even the club’s No. 2 prospect is likely a better fit at second base. The difference between the two isn’t so great the Mariners should be shamed for not making the switch. *shrug*

Top Free Agents: Willy Adames (29)

Possible Trade Targets: Bichette’s current deal with Toronto is up after the 2025 season when he will be a few months shy of turning 28. If the Jays aren’t extending him, he’ll likely be traded, and it probably makes sense to start shopping Bichette as early as this summer, depending how long the club stays in a playoff race. He could also fit at second or third.

CATCHERS

C1: Cal Raleigh (28)
Raleigh, who will be 28 next season, will be three years years from free agency and enjoying his first of three arbitration seasons, barring a multi-year solution in the next 12 months.

Top In-House Alternative: The pickings are slim behind Raleigh from a No. 1 standpoint — as it is with most clubs — as we await the 2024 fate of Ford, whose bat may be ready in a year, but no one seems to be all that bullish on the glove.

Top Free Agents: Danny Jansen (30), Elias Diaz (34)

Possible Trade Targets: Tyler Stephenson (28, FA after 2026)
Clubs don’t trade good catchers very often and there are few-to-none that appear remotely plausible beyond the backup types. One thing that could change that is Toronto keeping Jansen over Alejandro Kirk (26, FA after 2026), or the Texas Rangers prefering to trade Jonah Heim than extending him (FA after 2026). None of the above seem like scenarios Seattle will be involved in, however.

OUTFIELDERS/DH

OF: Luke Raley (30)
The corner outfield spots are the most fluid situations on the roster — even more than third base — but Raley has a shot to secure at least a strong-side platoon role with a solid 2024.

OF: Julio Rodriguez (24)
I hear this guy is OK. Trust me, bro.

OF: Dominic Canzone (27)
Canzone and Mitch Haniger (34) are both under club control for next season — assuming Haniger doesn’t manage to play 140 games and decline his player option at age 34.

Top In-House Alternatives: None of the club’s better prospects will be ready in the next few years outside Jonatan Clase (23), who has a lot to prove at the plate before he’s a legitimate option for the roster, let alone a significant role. Cade Marlowe (27)samad seems to fit best as a part-time player, as does Samad Taylor (26).

Top Free Agents: Juan Soto (26), Kyle Tucker (28, FA after 2025), Cody Bellinger (29, opt-out), Michael Conforto, (32), Anthony Santander (30), Alex Verdugo (29), Max Kepler (32), Tyler O’Neill (30).

Possible Trade Targets: Luis Robert Jr. (27, FA after 2029), Austin Hays (29, FA after 2025), Cedric Mullins (30, FA after 2025), Randy Arozarena (30, FA after 2026).

DH: Mitch Garver (34)

Garver’s the DH unless he’s needed to play first base.

Top In-House Alternatives: Canzone, Haniger.

Top Free Agents: Eloy Jimenez, (28)

Possible Trade Targets: Ryan Mountcastle (28, FA after 2026), Harold Ramirez (30, FA after 2026).

BENCH

C2: Seby Zavala (31)
Blake Hunt (25) could be a significant factor here, and Harry Ford (22) may start to become a legitimate option in a year, too, and that’s the ideal scenario at catcher.

OF: Mitch Haniger
UT: Samad Taylor
UT: Dylan Moore (32)

ROTATION

SP1: Luis Castillo (32)
SP2: George Kirby (27)
SP3: Logan Gilbert (28)
SP4: Bryce Miller (26)
SP5: Bryan Woo (25)

Until one of them is hurt, traded, or comes up short in development (Miller, Woo), this is the rotation for the foreseeable future.

The nearest free agent of the group is Gilbert (four arb years, FA after the 2027 season), then Castillo and Kirby (will also have four arb years) after 2028.

Top In-House Alternatives: Right now I don’t feel comfortable projecting a single in-house starting pitching alternative for 2025, but Emerson Hancock (26) and the likes of Logan Evans (24) are headed in opposite directions. It’s conceivable, however, a healthy Evans splits 2024 between High-A and Double-A, which puts him in range by 2025.

Hopefully Taylor Dollard (26) gets back on the mound and can help.

Top Free Agents: Corbin Burnes (30), Max Fried (31), Jack Flaherty (29), Shane Bieber (29), Nick Pivetta (32), John Means (32),

Possible Trade Targets: Zach Eflin (31, FA after 2025), Zac Gallen (29, FA after 2025), Freddy Peralta (29, FA after 2026), Patrick Sandoval (28, FA after 2026), Tarik Skubal (28, FA after 2026).

BULLPEN

RP: Andres Munoz (26)
RP: Matt Brash (27)
RP: Gregory Santos (25)
RP: Gabe Speier (29)
RP: Carlos Vargas (25)
RP: Levi Stoudt (27)
RP: Cody Bolton (27)
RP: Tayler Saucedo (32)

Top In-House Alternatives: There are numerous internal options — including several who are in 2024 camp as NRIs. But these types of arms come and go via DFAs and minor league free agency so often, so I’ll stick to those on my Top 50 prospect rankings.

That limts our 2025 options beyond the above eight to the likes of Hancock, Evans, Travis Kuhn (27), Ty Adcock (28), Eduard Bazardo (29), Marcelo Perez (25), and Dollard.

Jackson Kowar (28) may return in 2025, and it’s not out of the question Teddy McGraw (23) and Brody Hopkins (23), if deployed as relievers, could both be in the mix next season, too.

Top Free Agents: Paul Sewald (34), Carlos Estevez (32), A.J. Minter (31), Tanner Scott (30), Ryne Stanek (33).

Possible Trade Targets: Anyone with any potential not making any significant money.