Ketel Marte looks like the ultimate trade prize in Major League Baseball this winter, and he fits the Seattle Mariners as well as anyone.
Now that ex-Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco has signed with the New York Mets, Marte’s position is wide open with the team he debuted with back in 2015. Plus, Seattle’s farm system is as deep as any team’s, while matching up well with the Arizona Diamondbacks’ current needs.
Arizona wants starting pitching; that much is clear. It appears the Mariners are willing to part ways with a highly intriguing arm, but would he be sufficient to headline a package for the three-time All-Star?
Mariners ready to move Jurrangelo Cijntje?
According to a Monday report from Adam Jude of the Seattle Times, Seattle stands willing to part ways with last year’s first-round pick, switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje, in a potential Marte trade with Arizona.
“The Mariners would be reluctant to trade from their major league rotation, but they have three high-end starting pitching prospects — Ryan Sloan, Kade Anderson and Jurrangelo Cijntje — who could be attractive headliners in any deal,” wrote Jude.
“Of those three, industry source say the Mariners have expressed a willingness to consider trading Cijntje, the switch-pitcher drafted in the first round in 2024.”
Cijntje, 22, has a talent shared by virtually no one else on the planet — the ability to throw well over 90 mph with both arms. He is considered a surer thing from the right side, but the ability to go after tough lefties with stuff that breaks away from them is an obvious advantage.
Unfortunately for Seattle, Cijntje only has seven Double-A games under his belt, and likely won’t be ready to debut in the majors until late 2026 at the earliest. That goes against Arizona’s supposed desire for big-league readiness.
Ultimately, this willingness on the Mariners’ part to move Cijntje likely isn’t the straw that would break the camel’s back. They’d probably have to concede more talent, whether it’s a higher-ranked prospect or a current major league starter, to facilitate a Marte deal.
