As trade rumors surrounding Brendan Donovan and Ketel Marte continue to swirl, the Seattle Mariners remain optimistic that their 22-year old infielder Cole Young can take over second base by the start of the 2026 season.
That optimism, however, hasn’t stopped Seattle from staying active as the offseason unfolds. The Mariners could still pursue Marte or Donovan, but if the organization truly believes Young is the current answer at second base, Donovan makes the most sense as an addition to the team. His defensive versatility would allow Seattle to strengthen their roster immediately, without blocking the path the Mariners’ seem be laying for Young.
The recent addition of Rob Refsnyder helps address some of the Mariners’ outfield needs while adding a reliable bat. It doesn’t, however, solve the second base vacancy created when Jorge Polanco left for the Mets. With several Seattle position-player prospects nearing the majors, versatility is becoming increasingly valuable to the team.
While Marte might make sense at second-base, Seattle seems set on trying out Young at the position, with hopes of a long-term fit for the player.
Cole Young’s Strengths
Young was selected in the 1st round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of North Allegheny High School in Pennsylvania. For his 2025 major-league debut, he batted .211 with .607 OPS across 257 plate appearances.
While the numbers are nothing crazy, Young is only 22, and facing big-league pitching for the first time. His timing and confidence appear to be headed in the right direction. The potential is there. It’s just a matter of how long it takes for him to tap into it.
In 2025, Young also showed solid plate discipline, with a 10.9% walk rate and an 18.3% strikeout rate. Again, potential, even if the results aren’t quite there yet.
League evaluators have also taken notice of Young. Described by some as the current “league model darling,” Young’s metrics continue to highlight that untapped side. Especially in the power department. Earlier in the season, his pull-air rate (the percentage of batted balls that are both pulled and hit in the air) sat at 30.6%. Second on the team behind power hitter Cal Raleigh.
While not a top stat, this measurement matters. The majority of home runs are pulled fly balls, and when a hitter is able to pull it off, it may signal improvement in their timing and pitch recognition. Young isn’t quite there yet, but he certainly seems on his way.
Some Potential Negatives
Defensively, Young has struggled. Young’s -7 Outs Above Average (OAA) ranks him among the worst defensive second basemen in the league. The majority of his errors have come from throwing blunders due to rushing throws or hesitating on transfers. His struggles are understandable given his inexperience at the major-league level.
The conversations surrounding Young can be viewed in two ways.
Either the Mariners truly believe in his long-term play and are able to balance out any immediate weaknesses in hopes that he lives up to that buried potential, or they’re thinking further down the road while considering the costs.
While building for the future is important, winning now matters too. Relying too heavily on Young before he’s ready could slow the momentum Seattle built during its postseason run last season.
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