Jerry Dipoto trades have become a common occurrence in an MLB season. He’s made so many, that an entire roster can be constructed with the players he’s dealt. This is that roster.
In case you haven’t noticed, Jerry Dipoto likes to make trades.
He’s made 63 of them since taking over as the general manager of the Seattle Mariners. He’s also routinely among the most active general managers in the league in terms of transactions.
Many of Dipoto’s deals focus on depth in and around the Major League level. He’s sacrificed prospect depth in the lower minors to keep his 40-man roster and Triple-A locker room stashed with useful players who could fill in if necessary.
Sometimes, this tactic pays off.
It’s how the Mariners were able to snag Nick Vincent from the Padres and Ben Gamel from the Yankees.
What’s more, the occasional trade has paid significant dividends for Dipoto. His deal to flip Ketel Marte and Taijuan Walker for Jean Segura and Mitch Haniger looks particularly smart after the fact.
However, some of the trades, at the end of the day, don’t move the needle much and cost the M’s prospect capital.
Dealing prospects, as well as some other Major League assets, has come back to bite Seattle.
Hindsight is obviously 20/20, but Seattle could have used some of the pieces sent out in various trades down the years.
In fact, considering all the trades Dipoto has made, you could build a Major League roster with the players shipped out of Seattle since the general manager took over.
The roster wouldn’t contend for the playoffs if they were an actual Major League franchise, but there’s plenty of exciting upside and potential to be had.
Position Players
C: Jesus Sucre (Traded for a PTBNL or cash on February 8, 2017)
It’s probably safe to say that the Seattle Mariners could use Jesus Sucre right about now.
A useful backup in his six seasons in the majors, Sucre collected seven home runs, six doubles, a .699 OPS and a couple of steals in 192 plate appearances for the Rays last season.
He obviously wouldn’t unseat Mike Zunino as the starter, but he’d at least provide a more experienced option than David Freitas or Mike Marjama.
1B: Logan Morrison (Traded with Danny Farquhar and Brad Miller for Nate Karns, Boog Powell and C.J. Riefenhauser on November, 5, 2015)
Morrison has played for the Rays and Twins since departing Seattle. After never quite putting it all together, the first baseman had a career year in Tampa Bay in 2017.
The 30-year-old finished 11th in the league in ISO with a .270 metric while also posting a .353 on-base percentage, a .363 wOBA and a 130 wRC+.
Those stats, and a 3.2 fWAR, made Morrison one of the offseason’ s more shrewd signings as he joined the Twins on a one-year deal.
He hasn’t hit replicated his 2017 production yet, but there’s still time in 2018 for him to turn things around.
2B: Chris Taylor (Traded for Zach Lee on June 19, 2016)
Arguably—no, it’s the worst. Ok, the worst trade Jerry Dipoto has made so far has been to flip Taylor to the Dodgers for Zach Lee.
Taylor won NLCS MVP honors last season en route to the Dodgers making the World Series. He also notched an .850 OPS to go along with 60 extra-base hits (including 21 home runs) and a 4.8 fWAR.
For reference, that’s a higher fWAR than George Springer, Buster Posey, Christian Yelich and Anthony Rizzo.
And the Dodgers acquired him for a pitcher who never pitched in the Majors for the Mariners and was since claimed off waivers, and then released, by the San Diego Padres.
SS: Ketel Marte (Traded with Taijuan Walker for Zac Curtis, Mitch Haniger and Jean Segura on November 23, 2016)
Long considered to be a part of Seattle’s infield for the foreseeable future, Marte was flipped to Arizona in the Jean Segura trade.
Despite a .345 on-base percentage last year from the current Diamondback, Segura is a definite upgrade in the present, and perhaps the future.
Still, Marte earns a place on this list given his potential.
3B: Brad Miller (Traded with Farquhar and Morrison for Karns, Powell and Riefenhauser on November, 5, 2015)
Miller has appeared in just seven games as a third baseman in the Majors, but gets the nod at the position due to his ability to play multiple positions.
The 28-year-old has started games at every position except pitcher and catcher in his career.
He mashed 30 home runs in 2016 and has accumulated a .725 OPS so far this season for Tampa Bay.
LF: Mallex Smith (traded with Carlos Vargas and Ryan Yarbrough for Drew Smyly)
Smith was a Mariner for all of a part of a day as he was acquired with Shae Simmons from Atlanta for a pair of hurlers in Thomas Burrows and Luiz Gohara.
Dipoto seemingly acquired the speedy outfielder in part to bring in Smyly.
Smyly never pitched for the M’s, as he missed 2017 due to injury. That makes the loss of Smith even harder to swallow considering he could make an impact in left field and on the bases for the M’s.
The former Atlanta outfielder had a 0.9 fWAR last year, with a 3.2 BsR. He’s posted an identical fWAR this year, to go with a 2.2 BsR, a 112 wRC+ and a .362 on-base percentage.
CF: Leonys Martin (Traded with cash for a PTBNL or cash on August 31, 2017)
Jerry Dipoto and the M’s were probably right to move on from Martin down the stretch in 2017 after he managed just a .508 OPS in 122 plate appearances for Seattle in 2017.
Still, it doesn’t help that the center fielder has registered a .753 OPS and a 1.0 fWAR as a sparkplug for the Tigers so far in 2018.
RF: Tyler O’Neill (Traded for Marco Gonzales on July 21, 2017)
While the Taylor trade has been Dipoto’s worst to date, the O’Neil/Gonzales swap could overtake it in the long run.
O’Neil has serious upside at the plate thanks to some legitimate power.
He smashed 13 home runs in 120 Triple-A plate appearances this season, and already has three Major League bombs in 30 plate appearances in his debut with the Cardinals.
He still swings and misses a fair amount, but the 22-year-old could be a prominent run-producers for the Cardinals for the next decade.
Gonzales has been a useful rotation option (3.65 FIP in 90 innings) for Seattle. However, O’Neill’s offensive value has the potential to outpace Gonzales’ value in the long run.
DH: Mark Trumbo (Traded with Riefenhauser for Steve Clevenger on December 2, 2015)
Trumbo had a solid year at the plate in 2016, pairing a .358 wOBA with a 125 wRC+. It also didn’t hurt that he slugged 47 home runs.
The outfielder had a .278 BABIP that year.
He had the same BABIP in 2017, but his offense cratered significantly.
Trumbo’s wOBA fell to .295 while his wRC+ plummeted to 80.
Seattle certainly could have used his bat in 2016, but his 2017 production certainly wouldn’t have helped much in 2017.
Still, he gets the nod here over the likes of Smith and Powell thanks to his track record and the tendency to mash 30+ home runs in a season every few years.
Bench: Seth Smith, Boog Powell and Luis Sardinas.
The Starting Rotation
SP: Taijuan Walker (Traded with Marte for Curtis, Haniger and Segura on November 23, 2016)
Currently on the shelf following Tommy John surgery, Walker was limited to three starts last season.
Long one of Seattle’ premier pitching prospects, the 25-year-old hurler flashed quality stuff for Arizona last season, striking out 8.35 batters per nine innings to go along with a 3.49 ERA, a 4.04 FIP and a 2.5 fWAR in 157.1 innings for the Diamondbacks last season.
SP: Luiz Gohara (Traded with Thomas Burrows for Shae Simmons and Mallex Smith)
Gohara, one of the two starters on this list who was dealt in separate deals in order to bring in Drew Smyly, has exciting potential. Just 21-years-old, Gohara has already thrown 40.1 Major League innings, which included five starts in 2017.
SP: Ryan Yarbrough (Traded with Carlos Vargas and Mallex Smith for Drew Smyly on January 2011, 2017)
Yarbrough made quick work of the minors, needing parts of four seasons to reach the Majors. He’s been a dependable part of Tampa Bay’s pitching staff so far, racking up 40.2 innings spread over 11 outings.
Those 11 appearances have included three starts and a game finished.
All told, Yarbrough owns a 3.54 ERA, a 3.93 FIP and a 1.107 WHIP. The 26-year-old has struck out 35 compared to just 14 walks.
SP: Paul Blackburn (Traded for Danny Valencia on November 12, 2016)
If there’s one consistent theme on this list, it’s that Dipoto has traded away a number of promising young arms.
Like Gohara and Yarbrough, Blackburn was shipped out by the current Mariners’ general manager.
Traded for a season’s worth of Danny Valencia, Blackburn turned in a quality 3.22 ERA and a 4.39 FIP despite striking gout just 22 in 58.2 frames for the A’s as a rookie.
He’s currently on the 60-day disabled list and hindsight is obviously 20/20, as stated above, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Dipoto flipped a controllable young starter for one year of a first baseman who supplied a -0.4 fWAR and a .311 wOBA in 500 plate appearances.
SP: Nate Karns (Traded for Jarrod Dyson on January 6, 2017)
Acquired in the six-player trade that netted the Rays Logan Morrison, Brad Miller and Danny Farquhar, Karns initially looked like a shrewd addition for the M’s.
A controllable starting pitcher, the ex-National and Ray posted a 4.05 FIP and 101 strikeouts in 94.1 innings (15 starts) in his first campaign in Seattle.
It would end up being his last, as the 30-year-old was flipped for a season of Jarrod Dyson and his 2.1 2017 fWAR.
He’s been sidelined due to injury in Kansas City, having thrown just 45.1 frames for the American League Central club.
Still, it’s another instance of Dipoto and company sacrificing long-term control of a player for a rental who eventually departs.
The Bullpen
CL: Steve Cishek (Traded with cash for Erasmo Ramirez on July 28, 2017)
Cishek has the most closing experience of anyone in this group, having racked up 122 career saves in his time with both the Marlins and Mariners. After his trade to the Rays, he latched on with the Cubs last offeason.
In Chicago, Cishek is the owner of a sparkling 1.71 ERA, a 3.36 FIP and 20 strikeouts in 21 innings.
Walks are a bit of a concern early for the right-hander, with nine in his first 12.1 frames. Since then, though, the veteran has surrendered just three in his last 8.2 innings for Joe Maddon and company.
RP: Mike Montgomery (Traded with Jordan Pries for Dan Vogelbach and Paul Blackburn on July 20, 2016)
Montgomery has pitched exclusively in relief this season for the Cubs, but made 14 starts in 2017, seven in 2016 and 16 in 2015.
He’s been a useful bullpen piece in the Windy City, notching a 3.52 ERA and a 4.22 FIP in Chicago. He registered a 1.3 fWAR last season.
RP: Carson Smith (Traded for with Roenis Elias for Jonathan Aro and Wade Miley on December 7, 2015)
Smith has been slowed by injuries since joining the Boston Red Sox, but when healthy it’s hard to deny his talent on the mound.
The right-hander owns a lifetime 2.21 ERA and a 2.32 FIP in 102 innings split between Seattle and Boston. He’s struck out 27 of the 102 batters he’s faced in a Red Sox jersey.
RP: Jose Ramirez (Traded for a PTBNL on December 4, 2015)
Ramirez is currently on the disabled list and has struggled mightily in 6.1 innings this season with Atlanta.
However, Ramirez has worked to a 3.33 ERA, a 4.56 FIP, a 1.246 WHIP and 89 strikeouts in 94.2 innings from 2016 to 2017.
RP: Emilio Pagan (Traded with Alexander Campos for Ryon Healy on November 15, 2017)
Pagan hasn’t exactly hit the ground running in Oakland, allowing 21 hits, nine runs, five walks and four home runs compared to just eight strikeouts in 15.2 frames.
Still, the reliever has shown well in Triple-A, facing 24 batters and striking out 11 of them. If he can continue to pitch like that, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him rediscover his 2017 form with Oakland.
In 50.1 innings, Pagan pitched to a 3.22 ERA, a 3.28 FIP and a 0.934 WHIP. He struck out 56 batters compared to just eight walks.
RP: Tyler Olson (Traded to the Dodgers for a PTBNL or cash on December 18, 2015)
A breakout member of Cleveland’s bullpen in the past two years, Olson didn’t allow a run in 30 appearances (20 innings) last season.
He’s back at again this year, with a 3.05 FIP and 12.2 punch outs per nine frames in 13.1 innings this season.
RP: Danny Farquhar (Traded with Miller and Morrison for Karns, Powell and C.J. Riefenhauser on November 5, 2015)
On the 60-day disabled list due to a brain hemorrhage, Farquhar has been a dependable reliver since departing Seattle, with 100 strikeouts and a 3.88 ERA in 92.2 frames of work for the Rays and White Sox.
RP: Freddy Peralta (Traded with Carlos Herrera and Daniel Missaki for Adam Lind on December 9, 2015)
Peralta is a starter with Milwaukee. However, he’d fit into this team’s bullpen as a long-man. Has had plenty of success in 2018, striking out 18 while allowing eight walks, four hits and four runs in 9.2 innings (two starts) for the Brewers this season.
The 21-year-old has also turned in some strong showings for Milwaukee’s Triple-A affiliate, as evidenced by a 3.63 ERA, 11.9 strikeouts per nine frames and a 1.356 WHIP in 34.2 minor league innings spread over seven starts.
Honorable mention: Relievers Joaquin Benoit, Pat Venditte and Andrew Kittredge, starter/reliever Wade LeBlanc, infielder Patrick Kivlehan, outfielder Ramon Flores,
Notable prospects who have yet to reach the Majors that Dipoto has so far dealt: Enyel De Los Santos, Zack Littell, Alex Jackson, Thyago Vieira and Juan Then.
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