With spring training just around the corner, the Seattle Mariners are checking off boxes on their offseason to-do list-and while there’s still one major move potentially looming, general manager Justin Hollander has already made some meaningful strides in shaping the 2026 roster.
One of the more under-the-radar but savvy additions? Veteran outfielder Rob Refsnyder.
He’s not a household name, but make no mistake-Refsnyder brings real value to Seattle’s lineup, especially when it comes to hitting left-handed pitching. Over the last three seasons, he’s posted a .909 OPS and a 152 wRC+ against lefties-numbers that place him among the league’s elite in that role.
Hollander didn’t hold back when describing the fit.
“He’s not just a platoon guy,” Hollander said on The Hot Stove this week. “He’s like the best platoon guy.”
That’s not just front office spin. Refsnyder’s consistency against southpaws makes him an ideal complement to Seattle’s lefty-heavy outfield mix, which includes Luke Raley, Dominic Canzone, and Victor Robles. With Julio Rodríguez and newly acquired Randy Arozarena locked into everyday roles, the rest of the outfield is shaping up to be a rotating cast based on matchups.
“Luke and Dom would play a ton against right-handed pitching,” Hollander explained. “Victor and Rob Refsnyder would play a lot against left-handed pitching. Those four guys together, in sort of pairs of two and two, I think make a ton of sense on our roster.”
It’s all about balance-something Hollander emphasized repeatedly. He’s not interested in boxing players into rigid roles, especially when the nature of a 162-game season demands flexibility.
Injuries, hot streaks, slumps-they all factor into how playing time shakes out. And having options like Refsnyder and Robles gives manager Dan Wilson the depth to adjust on the fly.
“If Victor’s more like 2024 Victor and someone has an injury, Victor is fully capable of going out there and playing every day,” Hollander said. “Same thing for Dom.
Luke has played some against left-handed pitching. We want to make sure the options we provide are deep enough that we’re not caught shorthanded.”
That approach-building a roster with both floor and ceiling-extends beyond the outfield. In fact, the infield might be where the biggest question mark still hangs.
Right now, there’s no clear-cut everyday answer at second or third base. Instead, the Mariners appear ready to give a group of young players a real shot at earning their place.
Cole Young, Leo Rivas, and Ben Williamson are in the mix, with Colt Emerson, Miles Mastrobuoni, and top prospect Michael Arroyo also in the conversation. It’s a youth movement, but it’s not without purpose.
“We want to provide runway for our young players to show us what they can do,” Hollander said. “That’s really important for our roster.
It’s how you figure out how good Cal Raleigh can be. It’s how you figure out how good J.P.
Crawford can be.”
That “runway” concept is critical. The Mariners aren’t just handing out jobs-they’re creating space for growth.
But they’re also trying to win now. Coming off a season that ended just one win shy of the World Series, expectations are high.
That’s where the balancing act gets tricky.
“You’re not going to introduce five young position players into the big leagues on a team that has division title expectations all at once,” Hollander acknowledged. “But you also can’t box those players out. And you can’t give them such a short leash that the first 0-for-15 has you pulling the plug.”
It’s a fine line to walk-developing talent while staying competitive-but it’s one the Mariners are committed to navigating. And this isn’t a one-year experiment. Hollander made it clear that this blend of proven veterans and emerging talent is part of the organization’s long-term identity.
“I think we’re always going to have a mix of Randy Arozarenas and Cole Youngs,” he said. “Players in the prime of their careers who we have real certainty about, and players who’ve done everything they can in the minors and are ready for the next step.”
That’s the vision: a team with enough established talent to contend and enough upside to grow into something even more dangerous by season’s end. And sometimes, that upside comes from giving a young player some runway in April and May-because you never know who might become the next foundational piece.
For now, the Mariners’ roster may not be fully set. But the framework is there: balance, depth, and a willingness to trust both the veterans and the kids. If the pieces come together, Seattle could be right back in the thick of things come October.