Though Bliss reassigned, surprising power makes impression

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Ryan Bliss understands his standing within the Mariners’ depth chart, and at the end of his first big league Spring Training after joining the organization at last year’s Trade Deadline, he quite literally left a powerful impression.

Bliss lasered a massive homer during the seventh inning of Thursday’s 7-6 win over the Reds that left his bat at 106 mph with a 34-degree launch angle, according to Trackman data at the Peoria Sports Complex. It was among the most towering homers from any Seattle hitter this spring, landing at the very back of the left-field berm near the concourse.

The shock value had more than just the ball’s trajectory, given that it came from a middle infielder listed at 5-foot-6 and 165 pounds.

“For not a big guy, he can whistle the bat through the zone,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “And when he squares it, it jumps.”

The morning after, on Friday, Bliss was reassigned to Minor League camp -- an expected move given the Mariners’ depth up the middle. Shortstop J.P. Crawford is firmly established as the leadoff man, second baseman Jorge Polanco will bat in the middle of the order with his switch-hit ability and utilityman Dylan Moore is slated to be each’s first backup while seeing significant playing time against lefties.

Bliss is probably also lower on the depth chart than Sam Haggerty, who is on the outside looking in for an Opening Day roster spot.

So, Bliss will report to Triple-A Tacoma when its season opens, with marching orders to stick with the swing adjustments he installed late last year and regularly recount the work he did with infield coach Perry Hill this spring.

“I'm very happy about where I'm at,” Seattle’s No. 12 prospect by MLB Pipeline said. “Coming into this spring, I knew exactly what I wanted my swing to be like. But really, [learning] the approach and learning how to go about each at-bat.”

Bliss, who’s yet to make his MLB debut, is expected to contribute at some point in 2024, having cleared most of the Minor League hurdles. After joining the Mariners in the Paul Sewald trade with Arizona last July, Bliss slashed .251/.356/.466 (.822 OPS) with 10 homers, 35 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, a 23% strikeout rate and 12.8% walk rate in 226 plate appearances in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

A second-round Draft pick in 2021, Bliss made 41 of his 47 starts at Tacoma at shortstop after coming up mostly as a second baseman, an effort to test his positional versatility.

“I think trying to find out kind of where he's at on the shortstop curve, what that has looked like -- how comfortable is he there?” Servais said. “I think he's much more comfortable at second base. But we've seen him play short, and he's handled it OK. I think there's room for improvement there, but I like him. I think eventually he could probably play a lot of different positions.”

Specifically, there are questions of how Bliss’ arm strength would correlate to the premium position, though he’s seen his biggest progress elsewhere.

“My footwork,” Bliss said. “How I’m able to slow the game down, take everything and see everything. I think my footwork, sometimes I can be a little quick-twitch, I can get a little fast. I think working with [Hill] and seeing other guys, the way J.P. goes about it and how slow and how his feet work, I think that’s been the biggest thing for me.”

How Bliss fits will likely hinge on the Mariners’ situation down the road; injuries happen, as do other circumstances. But as it stands, he’d be on a shortlist of reinforcements.

“It definitely feels closer,” Bliss said. “I just want to be as ready as I can for whenever I get the call. I don't know when it's going to be. Not thinking about it, not doing any of that. I just know I want to be ready for whenever I get a call to help this team.”