By Paul L. Taylor Posted on

Mariners utility player Miles Mastrobuoni making some early noise

Considered a long-shot to make the opening day roster, Miles Mastrobuoni is at least giving the Seattle Mariners something to think about.

Despite being on the Seattle Mariners 40-man roster, Miles Mastrobuoni is currently on the outside looking in when it comes to projecting the opening day squad. However, a lot can change between now and when the M’s face the Cleveland Guardians on Mar. 26 and he’s at least making people sit up and take notice early on in Cactus League play.

Mastrobuoni got things going in Friday’s spring training opener at the Peoria Sports Complex, by hitting a double in the 7-4 win versus the San Diego Padres. However, it was the following day when he really drew attention to himself, with a grand slam in the opening inning against the San Francisco Giants.

The Mariners went on to lose 10-5, but as much as baseball is a team game, Mastrobuoni gave a good account of himself by also getting a hustle double in his second at-bat. He did go hitless during Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, but overall in three games to begin Cactus League play he’s 3-for-6 at the plate with each hit going for extra bases.

Mariners depth will be the main obstacle

It’s way too early to be going out on a limb and predicting the 30-year-old is going to force his way onto the opening day 26-man roster, but his start can’t hurt. For some context, last year he lit it up for the Mariners in spring training by hitting .429 with a 1.059 OPS in 35 at-bat, with him going on to play in a career-high 76 regular season games in the majors.

Also helping to improve Mastrobuoni’s chances of having an impact for the Mariners in 2026 is the fact he’s a utility player, and we all know how much management loves those. Through his first four years in the majors he’s played at all four infield positions, the corner outfield spots, DH and even 1.1 innings as a pitcher.

Along these lines, the Mariners have already been testing the former Chicago Cubs’ versatility in Arizona, with him playing in left field on Saturday and starting at third base on Monday. He also saw time at second base during Friday’s game, and went on to make two excellent defensive plays.

WBC calling for Miles Mastrobuoni

Mastrobuoni will be representing Team Italy at the World Baseball Classic for a second time next month, so his opportunities to make a positive impression with the Mariners are limited. All players taking part in the international tournament needing to report to their respective teams by the end of this month.

However, if anything will help the 2016 14th round draft pick succeed, it’s his positive attitude and mental fortitude. As per Chris Murray last month in an interview with Nevada Sportsnet he said:

“I preach a lot about just being where your feet are and taking it one level at a time and conquering it. And the next thing you know you kind of find yourself knocking at the door and you’re trying to find those other things that will get you through there and hopefully be able to break through and have a full season in the majors this year.”

There were points during last season when Mastrobuoni showed what he is capable of, particularly during June and July when he batted .308 in 27 games. Now though, it’s about getting more opportunities in the majors this coming year and then proving he can be even more consistent and stick, especially against the background and added pressure of now being out of options.

Photos court​‌esy of Tim Rogers Photography

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