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The Seattle Mariners appear to be well on their way to reaching the postseason in 2022. They currently are holding onto the top American League wild card spot in a vicious battle that still has seven teams competing for three spots.
With that in mind, there is still a lot of work to be done for the Mariners. Their successful 2022 MLB trade deadline dealings have helped cement them as one the frontrunners for a wild card spot, but there is a ton of competition in the AL wild card race currently. If they go cold at the wrong time, they could miss the playoffs entirely.
The Mariners could be World Series contenders, but they have to make it to the playoffs first. They could get a helping hand from some of their top prospects when rosters expand in September, which would be a great opportunity for both the players and the team. Let's take a look at three prospects in the Mariners farm system that could get called up in September to aid Seattle's playoff push.
3 prospects the Seattle Mariners need to call up
3. Taylor Dollard
The three prospects we will look at here are all pitchers, which would allow the Mariners to reinforce an already strong pitching staff. The first potential call up is Taylor Dollard, who has been stellar in Double-A with the Arkansas Travelers this season. Dollard has unexpectedly bounced back from a rough 2021 campaign to show his enormous potential, and it may be worth giving him a chance to pitch in the majors this season.
Dollard's numbers from Double-A this season are lights out (12-2, 1.93 ERA, 104 K, 0.95 WHIP). It's somewhat surprising that he hasn't been called up to Triple-A given how good he's looked this season, but that's besides the point; Dollard has been a stud in Double-A, and this may be the perfect time to get him some innings in the majors.
It remains to be seen whether Dollard could replicate this success at higher levels, but it's certainly worth finding out. He's clearly had good stuff all season long, so why not see if it will translate to the majors? Dollard would be used in low leverage situations and have a short leash if he struggles, but he could end up being a huge help for the Mariners if he were to pan out.
2. Bryce Miller
Bryce Miller may have finally put everything together in 2022. He's already been promoted twice this season, and it may be worth giving him a third promotion once September rolls around. Miller has been opening eyes all season long after struggling through the 2020 and 2021 campaigns, and it's no surprise he's been climbing the ladder pretty quickly this year.
Miller started in Low-A and has made his way up to Double-A recently. His numbers throughout the minors this season (5-3, 3.23 ERA, 128 K, 1.07 WHIP) have been very good, and his potential has been on display all year long.
Promoting Miller considering where he started the season may be a bit premature, but if he continues to succeed in Double-A, there's no reason to be shy about pulling the trigger on a promotion. Miller has had good stuff all season long, and similar to Dollard, it's worth seeing whether it's transferable to the majors. If not, no harm is done, but Miller has good enough stuff to make an immediate impact for Seattle if he's called up in September.
1. Emerson Hancock
Emerson Hancock is the Mariners second overall prospect, and he's been putting together a dominant season in Double-A showing why he's rated so highly. Hancock has made the transition to Double-A look pretty effortless, and he may be worth a promotion in September to help the front of the Mariners bullpen.
Hancock hasn't pitched as much as Dollard or Miller this season, but he has been just as effective. His stats on the season (5-3, 2.19 ERA, 64 K, 1.01 WHIP) have been spectacular, and it's clear that the Mariners have some pretty good pitching prospects in the minors waiting for their chance to shine in the majors. Giving all three of these guys a promotion doesn't make a ton of sense considering they are all pitchers who would fill similar roles, but if there's one guy to call up, it would be Hancock.
Hancock is already 23 years old, so he's going to have to make the jump to the majors at some point soon. He's spent the most time of the three names on this list at Double-A, and while having him (or any of the other guys, for that matter) jump over Triple-A is risky, it's a risk worth taking right now. It's all hands on deck in Seattle, and if any of these guys who have been superb in the minors this season can help, they need to be promoted to the majors once September rolls around.
