The main question surrounding the Seattle Mariners upcoming season remains unanswered as opening day nears: who will man third base for the 2026 campaign?
As rumors swirl about a reunion with Eugenio Suarez or a potential trades involving Brenden Donovan or Ketel Marte, there’s also an in-house option that the Mariners have turned to in the past, prospect Ben Williamson.
The decision ties into a broader theme shaping Seattle’s roster. How do the rookies fit alongside key veteran players? The same question applies across the diamond, including how Cole Young may factor in and wether Colt Emerson is ready for his major league debut.
Ben Williamson at Play
An upside to Williamson is familiarity, he has seen Major League play before. Last season the Mariners promoted him to cover third base amid injuries and a lack of depth. While he showed promise defensively, the rookie struggled offensively.
Williamson finished with a .253 batting average, but his .294 on-base percentage and limited power left room for improvement. He hit just one home run, posted a 76 wRC+, and logged 295 plate appearances.
However, Williamson didn’t have a lot of time to show his true potential. He played just 85 games before the Mariners acquired Eugenio Suarez ahead of the trade deadline. He took over the hot corner and Williamson finished out the season with Triple-A Tacoma.
While there, he made notable swing adjustments. The results were encouraging. According to FanGraphs, Williamson hit .327 with five homers and and an even 23-to-23 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 157 plate appearances.
What a Reunion with Geno Would Mean
If the Mariners bring Suárez back to the Pacific Northwest, it wouldn’t necessarily remove Williamson from the conversation at third base.
Instead, a rotation could emerge. Suárez could see more time as the designated hitter, allowing Williamson to continue developing while getting regular reps. Seattle Sports’ co-host Dave Wyman and producer Mike Lefko shared their thoughts on a Suarez reunion.
“I’ve still been along the lines of there doesn’t seem to be a downside, at least early on, to bringing Geno Suárez back and letting Williamson still develop,” Lefko said. “There’s not a downside to having your bench be better than what it was last year, where some of these guys you put them in (and) you weren’t sure what you getting.”
Other Alternatives
A potential trade for Brendan Donovan or Ketel Marte could also benefit Williamson’s long-term development.
Both players provide offensive production Williamson isn’t quite ready to deliver consistently. Meanwhile, Williamson’s defense could be supported by experienced infielders such as J.P. Crawford at shortstop and Josh Naylor at first, creating balance without sacrificing competitiveness.
“Ben Williamson did a lot of good things in the big leagues,” General Manager Justin Hollander said of Williamson. “He’s a uniquely good defender, someone who we believe has a chance to be an impact defender who separates himself from the rest of the impact defenders at his position, with contact skills, with the ability to hit the ball hard. He made some adjustments in Triple-A and did big things after we sent him down. We really believe in Ben.”
President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto echoed the sentiment in a broader way.
“We will always remain rooted in being an organization that relies on player development,” Dipoto said. “And right now, we have so many (prospects) who are so close to helping, and some of them have a chance to be real impact players. And along the way, you have to create space for those guys to get their reps.”
Mariners Face Tough Decision at Third Base Ahead of Season Opener