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Lazaro Montes Offers Unique Power Upside For Young Prospect
Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes is having a great minor-league season between Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Tacoma, hitting for massive power, with 28 homers combined between the two levels to go with 74 RBI and 78 runs scored. He is hitting .238 between both clubs but has been better at Tacoma with a .253 average. He was called up to Tacoma on July 7 and has three homers and eight RBI in 83 at-bats since. Montes is the No. 4 prospect in the Mariners' system and has 65-grade power, which is a massive power upside for a prospect. At age 21, Montes might still need a bit of time to develop in the minors, and we are seeing that right now with him at Triple-A. A dynasty league asset, Montes could be left on the waiver wire in redraft leagues unless a fantasy manager wants to take a big gamble on a stash.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Mariners Land Taylor Ward in Trade With the Orioles
The Seattle Mariners are acquiring outfielder Taylor Ward from the Baltimore Orioles on Monday in exchange for right-handers Alex Hoppe, Harrison Kreiling, and Brock Moore, a source told Jake Rill of MLB.com. Ward will return to the American League West and give the Mariners some much-needed pop from the right side of the plate as they seek a return to the postseason in 2026. The 32-year-old veteran outfielder hit .246/.383/.346 with a .730 OPS, only seven home runs, 30 RBI, 64 runs scored, four stolen bases, and a league-high 87 walks in 111 games and a league-high 506 plate appearances in his lone season in Baltimore before being dealt. Ward is as patient as they come at the dish (perhaps too patient), and he's been a massive bust for fantasy managers this year after clubbing a career-high 36 home runs and driving in 103 runs in 157 games with the Los Angeles Angels in 2025. The M's are banking on positive regression in the slugging department for Ward in his return to the AL West. Ward's fantasy baseball value shouldn't change all that much with the move to Seattle and pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park.
Source: MLB.com - Jake Rill
Source: MLB.com - Jake Rill
Mariners Acquire Catching Prospect Boston Smith From the White Sox
The Seattle Mariners acquired catching prospect Boston Smith, right-handed reliever Seranthony Dominguez, and outfielder Nolan Jones from the Chicago White Sox on Saturday in exchange for veteran right-hander Luis Castillo, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. The 23-year-old Smith will immediately become Seattle's No. 14 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. He heads to the American League West after slashing .291/.450/.589 with a 1.038 OPS, 22 home runs, 58 RBI, 10 stolen bases, and 68 runs scored in 79 games across 347 plate appearances with Single-A Kannapolis, High-A Winston-Salem, and Double-A Birmingham this year. Smith was originally drafted in the sixth round by the Washington Nationals out of Wright State University before they sent him to Chicago in the Curtis Mead trade in March. The 5-foot-10, 195-pounder can also play the outfield, and he has an uppercut left-handed swing that takes full advantage of his power to the pull side. Smith is an above-average athlete, but he still needs work on defense, and strikeouts could be an issue as he works his way closer to the big leagues.
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
Mariners Listening to Offers on Randy Arozarena
The Seattle Mariners are listening to offers for outfielder Randy Arozarena, according to Adam Jude and Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. Arozarena is set to be a free agent at the end of the season, and trade talks are expected to "intensify" leading up to the MLB trade deadline on August 3. Seattle is also listening to offers for pitchers George Kirby, Emerson Hancock, and Luis Castillo. The Mariners are sellers and are expected to move Arozarena by the deadline. He has been hitting well over his last 12 games, slashing .277/.358/.426 with three home runs, five RBI, eight runs, and a stolen base. Overall, the 31-year-old is slashing .280/.375/.447 with 13 homers and 20 steals over 440 plate appearances this season. Arozarena's fantasy value could take a bump if he gets moved to a better offense. Still, regardless of where the veteran is traded to, he should continue to be a multi-category contributor for fantasy managers.
Source: Seattle Times
Source: Seattle Times
Dominic Canzone Gaining More Waiver Traction After Two-Homer Game
Seattle Mariners outfielder Dominic Canzone kept up his hot hitting of late by going 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in the team's 7-6 win over the hosting Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night. Canzone is now hitting .263/.333/.530 on the season with an .863 OPS, 18 home runs, 49 RBI, 37 runs scored, and a stolen base in his 266 at-bats. The 28-year-old left-handed hitter has already set career highs across the board in most offensive categories, and he's homered three times with seven RBI and three runs scored in his last three games. In 18 games and 78 plate appearances in the month of July, Canzone has gone 17-for-72 (.236) with a .767 OPS, five homers, two doubles, 15 RBI, and seven runs scored. In a strong side of a platoon in Seattle's outfield against righties, Canzone has mixed-league appeal for his power the rest of the way in 2026. He's also hitting .286 (10-for-35) in a limited sample size with four home runs against southpaws. Canzone is rostered in only 15% of Yahoo leagues at the moment.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Lazaro Montes Goes Deep Again as MLB Debut is in Reach
Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes continues to flash high-end power at the Triple-A level and is making a strong case to earn the call to the big leagues. Since joining the top club in the system (14 games), the young slugger has looked quite comfortable, carrying a .254/.338/.525 line with a .863 OPS. During Saturday's contest, Montes went 2-for-5 with his third Triple-A long ball. This was also his third straight game tallying at least two hits. Earlier in the season, the outfielder spent 79 games at the Double-A level, where he posted a .234/.369/.550 line with a .919 OPS and 25 home runs. Montes is solidifying himself as one of the top power bats in the minor leagues and is in prime position to earn the call as Seattle looks to secure its spot in the postseason.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Michael Arroyo Heating Up in Quest to Make Big-League Debut
Seattle Mariners second base/outfield prospect Michael Arroyo was recently promoted from Double-A Arkansas to Triple-A Tacoma and is producing with two homers and 13 RBI in just 12 games with Tacoma. Altogether in the month of July, between the two levels, Arroyo is hitting .395 with four homers, 19 RBI, and 19 runs scored. Arroyo, the No. 5 prospect in the Mariners' system, can play second base or outfield, so he offers some positional flexibility for a potential call-up to Seattle. The Mariners are well stocked at the big league level with Cole Young manning second base and boast a loaded outfield. But Arroyo, the talented right-handed hitter out of Colombia, is producing in his age-21 season, and fantasy managers would be wise to add the talented youngster whose 55-power and 55-hit tool could be on display before the end of the season.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Randy Arozarena Could be a Sell Candidate to Close Out the Year
Seattle Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena has hit a strong .281 (97-for-345) in his second year with the team on his way to his third All-Star appearance, but his power has been down in 2026, and his underlying metrics don't exactly project a strong finish. The 31-year-old Cuban finished the first half on a good note and went into the All-Star break with a .286/.380/.458 slash line and an .838 OPS in 89 games and 379 plate appearances. He hit only two home runs in June, though, and he's currently batting .273 (15-for-55) with an .883 OPS, three homers, a double, eight RBI, and 12 runs scored in 16 games in the month of July. Under the hood, Arozarena has a .264 expected batting average and .352 xwOBA (.365 current wOBA), suggesting regression to close out his eighth year in the big leagues. He also has a hard-hit rate in the 54th percentile and ranks in the 47th percentile in barrel rate, the 40th percentile in chase rate, and the 58th percentile in expected slugging. Arozarena can get hot in an instant, but he can also be streaky, and although he's making more contact this year, his quality of contact is down.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Michael Arroyo Flashing Upside at Triple-A
Seattle Mariners infield/outfield prospect Michael Arroyo earned a promotion to Triple-A back on July 7 and has looked like he belongs there, collecting a hit in eight of the 10 games he's played in, going 17-for-45 (.378) with three doubles, a triple, two home runs, and a pair of stolen bases. He's struck out eight times in 51 plate appearances, which is just a 15.7 percent rate (84th percentile), so the 21-year-old does not appear overmatched in that regard either. The Mariners' fourth-ranked prospect offers a solid hit tool with some power to go along with it and some speed to boot, making him an intriguing fantasy asset in both redraft and dynasty formats. At this rate, a late-season debut in the majors looks possible, so managers in deeper leagues could consider stashing him, but if that doesn't happen, look for a productive 2027 in the majors from the 5-foot-10 Colombian.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Julio Rodriguez Returns to Mariners Lineup on Wednesday
Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez (leg) is serving as the designated hitter and will bat second for the team's game on Wednesday at home against the visiting Cincinnati Reds and right-hander Brady Singer, per MLB.com. Rodriguez was hit in the leg by a throw while running to first base on Monday night in the series opener against the Reds and was held out on Tuesday as a precaution, although he eventually entered the game and homered last night. The 25-year-old Dominican outfielder should be returned to starting fantasy lineups in all leagues now that he's recovered from his minor leg injury. The three-time All-Star and former American League Rookie of the Year in 2022 is currently hitting .258/.321/.426 with a .746 OPS, 15 home runs, 43 RBI, 48 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases in 91 games across 393 plate appearances in 2026. A third 30-30 season might not be in the cards for J-Rod this year due to injuries, but he is still a no-brainer must-start in all leagues when he's active. Rodriguez has struggled so far in July, going 3-for-13 with a homer, three RBI, two runs, two walks, and four strikeouts in just five games played after missing some time while on the concussion injured list.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jonny Farmelo Earns the Call to Double-A
Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Jonny Farmelo earned a promotion to Double-A Arkansas and logged his first game there on Tuesday, collecting a hit and drawing a walk while also stealing a base in the contest. The promotion comes after a solid first half at High-A Everett, where the Mariners' fifth-ranked prospect hit .267 with a .387 on-base percentage thanks to a 15.5 percent walk rate, along with 13 home runs and 26 stolen bases in 83 games. The former first-round draft pick was limited to 75 games total over the last two seasons because of injuries, but now fully healthy, his full tool set has been on display in 2026. The left-handed slugger has a solid hit tool, along with plus power and speed that make him a strong dynasty asset in fantasy so long as he can stay on the field. The 21-year-old could be knocking on the door to the majors sometime next year.
Source: MiLB Central
Source: MiLB Central
Julio Rodriguez Sitting Out With Leg Injury Against Reds
Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez (leg) is being held out of the starting lineup for Tuesday's contest against the visiting Cincinnati Reds at T-Mobile Park, according to MLB.com. Victor Robles is making the start in center field and will bat seventh against Reds right-hander Chase Burns on Tuesday. Rodriguez will be held out as a precaution after being hit by a throw from the shortstop on his leg during Monday's game. The good news is that manager Dan Wilson said after Monday's game that he's not really worried about J-Rod's health, so there's a good chance he'll be right back in the starting lineup on Wednesday. Still, it's annoying for fantasy managers after the 25-year-old Dominican recently returned from a stay on the seven-day concussion injured list. The three-time All-Star and former American League Rookie of the Year has been a 20-20 man in all four of his big-league seasons, and he's reached the hallowed 30-30 mark twice. Rodriguez is a must-start when active and is currently slashing .256/.320/.417 with a .737 OPS, 14 home runs, 42 RBI, 47 runs, and 12 stolen bases in 90 games across 391 plate appearances in 2026.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Lazaro Montes Showing Off Power at Triple-A Despite Slow Start
Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Lazaro Montes is hitting just .179 (7-for-39) in his first nine games at Triple-A, but he could be getting more comfortable at the plate, now with an extra-base hit in three consecutive games (three doubles, one home run). In fact, six of his seven hits at that level have gone for extra bases, so the 6-foot-5 Cuban's trademark power is still very evident. Unfortunately, the jump to the new level has seen the left-handed slugger's strikeout rate spike even higher than it was at Double-A (30.4 percent), currently at 38.6 percent, while whiff rate, swinging-strike rate, and zone-contact rate are all some of the worst readings at Triple-A. Granted, it is a small sample, but he'll need to show some improvements if a 2026 debut is going to happen. There's no need to stash the 21-year-old yet, but that could change if he gets hot, and the home run potential alone would make him stashworthy in deeper leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Dominic Canzone a High-Upside Power Bat to Prioritize on the Waiver Wire
Across 267 plate appearances in 2026, Seattle Mariners outfielder Dominic Canzone is hitting .261/.333/.513 with 15 home runs, 40 RBI, 34 runs scored, and one stolen base. The lefty-swinger opened the year in a big-side platoon role, but he's logged a .910 OPS so far this season against southpaws and has begun to move into more of a true everyday role. Canzone's underlying batted-ball metrics are elite, as he's logged a 14.6% barrel rate and a 48.6% hard-hit rate. The 28-year-old also owns a solid plate approach, limiting his strikeout rate to a manageable 20.6% while drawing walks in 9.0% of his plate appearances. In leagues where he remains available, Canzone profiles as a must-add power bat to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Julio Rodriguez Removed as Precaution With Hamstring Injury
Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez (hamstring) was removed from Monday night's game early against the Cincinnati Reds as a precaution after he was hit by the ball and the jarring from hitting first base while running full speed, according to Tim Booth of The Seattle Times. Manager Dan Wilson said there wasn't concern about a strain. Rodriguez went 1-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and a strikeout before Victor Robles replaced him in center field. The 25-year-old Dominican All-Star just returned from the concussion injured list over the weekend, so fantasy managers have to be pretty frustrated to see him pulled from the game just a few days later with another injury. The good news is that it doesn't appear to be a serious injury, and he could be back in the starting lineup as early as Tuesday in Seattle. The three-time All-Star is batting .256/.320/.417 with a .737 OPS, 14 home runs, 42 RBI, 12 steals, and 47 runs scored in 90 games across 391 plate appearances. J-Rod is a must-start when he's in Seattle's starting nine.
Source: The Seattle Times - Tim Booth
Source: The Seattle Times - Tim Booth
