SEATTLE -- The next wave of talent within the Mariners’ promising pipeline arrived on Sunday morning, when third baseman Ben Williamson had his contract selected from Triple-A Tacoma and arrived in The Show for the first time in his career.
To clear a 40-man roster spot for him, Ryan Bliss was transferred to the 60-day injured list, and to clear an active roster spot for him, outfielder Dominic Canzone was optioned to Tacoma.
Williamson, who’s ranked the Mariners’ No. 13 prospect by MLB Pipeline, was not in Sunday’s lineup vs. Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, but he’s expected to contribute at the hot corner -- a position that has been the Mariners’ most in flux early this season.
“This is a kid that we see a lot of promise in,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said.
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Williamson is the best defensive player in Seattle’s entire farm system. His instincts and first step have allowed him to gobble balls up, while his elite arm strength and quick exchange have helped him finish plays. Some have suggested that he could easily profile as a shortstop, too.
“My coaches growing up,” Williamson said, “they always taught me how to be fundamentally sound. ... Just having them, like, hammer the fundamentals, hammer the fundamentals, it just really stuck.”
Williamson began the season with a promotion from Double-A Arkansas to Tacoma, where he slashed .281/.317/.333 (.650 OPS) with three doubles, no homers, eight RBIs, six runs scored and two stolen bases in 14 games.
He doesn’t have the prototypical power of a corner infielder, with only four homers and a career .389 slugging percentage in the Minors. But the Mariners don’t necessarily expect that out of him. He carried just a 15 percent strikeout rate and an 88.5 percent contract rate with the Rainiers.
“We're excited about where we're at and getting ready to take on that road trip coming up,” Wilson said of Seattle’s upcoming three-city trek through Cincinnati, Toronto and Boston.
Williamson was the Mariners’ second-round pick in that loaded 2023 Draft class, selected out of the College of William & Mary. Because he’s 24 years old and played four college seasons, he’s obviously been on a far faster trajectory than the group of Colt Emerson, Tai Peete and Jonny Farmelo, who were drafted directly before him.
COMPLETE MARINERS PROSPECT COVERAGE
The Mariners got a long look at Williamson in Spring Training, as he logged more innings at third base (55) than any other player -- including Jorge Polanco, who the club entered camp with intending for him to be the everyday player there.
“I just took care of everything like I was supposed to take care of, did everything they asked me,” Williamson said of Spring Training.
The switch-hitting Polanco has been limited to designated hitter duties over his past five games -- including Sunday’s series finale vs. the Rangers -- while nursing a sore side, which has also precluded him from batting right-handed. But from the left side Polanco has also been swinging the Mariners’ best bat, with a 1.036 OPS for the young season entering Sunday while single-handedly lifting the Mariners to two of their seven wins so far.
The Mariners are also monitoring Polanco’s surgically repaired left knee. The veteran began taking ground balls at second base on Saturday, the position that he primarily played last year before a transition this spring after re-signing with Seattle on a one-year deal in January. Polanco potentially returning to second base could be a situation worth monitoring moving forward.
Meanwhile, Miles Mastrobuoni has made three straight starts at third base, with Dylan Moore starting the five games before that. But Williamson will get his shot soon.