The Mariners announced that they have selected the contract of third baseman Ben Williamson. In corresponding moves, outfielder Dominic Canzone was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma, and Ryan Bliss was moved to the 60-day injured list to create space on the 40-man roster.
Since multiple injuries up and down the roster have left the Mariners in need of infield reinforcements, the door was opened for Williamson to earn the first call-up of his three-year career as a professional. Williamson only made his Triple-A debut this season and has hit a modest .281/.317/.333 in 60 plate appearances in Tacoma, but the M’s can’t afford to be too picky given their lack of depth at the big league level.
Williamson was a second-round pick for the Mariners in the 2023 draft, and he has a total career slash line of .281/.366/.389 over 645 PA, with four home runs and 22 steals (in 29 attempts). MLB Pipeline ranks him 13th on their list of Seattle prospects and Baseball America has him 14th, with BA’s scouting report describing Williamson as “a pest at the plate” due to his high contact rates and on-base skills. While Williamson makes a lot of contact, he has lacked in hard contact and in overall power, as evidenced by his uninspiring slugging percentages even at the minor league level.
This may not be the ideal profile for a Mariners team in sore need of consistent hitting, but Williamson does offer immediate defensive help at third base. He is regarded as an excellent fielder who can also chip in at second or shortstop, but the hot corner seems like his natural spot since regular third baseman Jorge Polanco has been limited to DH duty. Williamson is a right-handed hitter that could pair with the lefty-swinging Miles Mastrobuoni in a platoon situation until Polanco is healthy enough to return to the field.
Since the Mariners are reportedly scanning the trade market for other infielders, Williamson might just be in line for a cup of coffee in the majors if Seattle can land some more experienced help elsewhere. Beyond Polanco’s ongoing knee and side discomfort, Luke Raley has now moved from first base to the outfield in the wake of Victor Robles’ shoulder fracture, and Bliss will miss the next 4-5 months after undergoing surgery to fix a torn left biceps. It was just a matter of time before the Mariners moved Bliss from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL in order to free up a 40-man roster spot.