Will the Mariners re-sign Jorge Polanco?
Published 8:30 am Wednesday, November 19, 2025
The beauty of the Seattle Mariners is that they need not rely solely on free agents such as first baseman Josh Naylor, whom they re-signed Monday to a five-year, $92.5 million deal, or second baseman Jorge Polanco, who remains on their wish list.
In the winter, The Athletic’s Keith Law rated the Mariners’ farm system as the best in baseball, including six of their position prospects among his top 100. Two of those players, second baseman Cole Young and catcher Harry Ford, reached the majors last season. Two more, infielder Colt Emerson and second baseman Michael Arroyo, could enter the picture in 2026, Emerson as soon as Opening Day.
Polanco, 32, still would fit nicely, serving mostly as a designated hitter to protect his health but also playing second on days the Mariners want to use Cal Raleigh at DH. But Polanco, according to major-league sources, wants to play out the market. The Boston Red Sox might want him if they lose third baseman Alex Bregman, the Toronto Blue Jays might if they lose Bo Bichette. And those are just two possibilities.
Whatever happens with Polanco, the Mariners still must figure out third base.
Ben Williamson is an excellent defender who hit only one home run in 277 at-bats with a .604 OPS. His offensive struggles prompted the Mariners to acquire Eugenio Suárez at the deadline. Now, with Suárez on the open market, the Mariners are again weighing their options.
An expensive free agent such as Munetaka Murakami would appear a long shot after the commitment to Naylor — and with Emerson, 20, coming quickly.
Emerson, the 22nd overall pick out of John Glenn High (New Concord, Ohio) in 2023, has played shortstop almost exclusively in the minors. He ultimately could replace the Mariners’ incumbent at short, J.P. Crawford, who is entering his free-agent year. But third base next season is not out of the question. The Mariners view Emerson the same way they did Julio Rodríguez entering 2022 — the kind of talent they won’t hold down if he shows he is ready in spring training.
Rodríguez went on to win Rookie of the Year, netting the Mariners the 29th pick in the 2023 draft under the collectively bargained Prospect Promotion Incentive program. With that selection, the Mariners took outfielder Jonny Farmelo out of Westfield High (Chantilly, Va.). Farmelo tore his right ACL in June 2024, but returned last season to produce a .778 OPS in 29 games at High A.
Other prospects are getting closer as well. Arroyo, listed at 5-foot-10, 160 pounds, draws comparisons to Howie Kendrick with his compact build. Outfielder Lazaro Montes, 6-foot-5 and 210, possesses monster power. Those two were part of the same international class in 2022, Arroyo from Colombia, Montes from Cuba. A wave of pitching, from lefty Kade Anderson to switch pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje to righty Ryan Sloan, also is in development.
Some of those players will succeed. Some might not. Regardless, the Mariners are well-positioned, both in the short and long term.
