Neither Jarred Kelenic nor Julio Rodríguez have ever played this many games in a season. Each began their 2019 campaigns in Charleston, West Virginia with the Low-A affiliate of the Mariners, their paths diverging as the season progressed but ultimately intersecting again in the Arizona Fall League.

It’s a tall task for two young players to continue on another six weeks against the advanced competition the prospect-laden AFL presents. That’s especially true as neither had yet to play a full professional season before 2019 — Kelenic, before his offseason trade to the Mariners, being drafted sixth overall out of high school by the Mets last June and Rodríguez heading north after earning MVP honors for his 59 games last year in Dominican Summer League.

But for Julio Rodríguez, this is exactly what he asked for.

The first time we really got to know Julio was about a year ago, following that first pro season, down in Peoria capturing video profiles of a few prospects and highlight the organization’s offseason High Performance Camp, in which he was participating.

At the time just 17 years old, with a whole lot of prospect shine yet to be lathered on — he glowed as he conducted his first ever full interview in English and at the idea of playing a complete season stateside.

“I feel ready to play like two months more,” he said before leaning back on the bleachers behind Practice Field 1, bringing his hands to his head as if spending a few months in Appalachia or rural California were a dream come true for a teenager from the Dominican Republic.

“This is my world.”

That video profile shot before Rodríguez’s 2019 season.

While Rodríguez, in a way, is making up for some lost time — having missed eight weeks this summer when a wayward pitch fractured his hand — Jarred Kelenic will build upon 117 games played across three levels.

“Is it a lot? Absolutely. But at the same time, the Mariners are planning for it to be a lot when I get to the big leagues, whenever that may be,” he said with the measured tone of someone about to deliver a simple bit of practicality and not the fever dream of millions of sports fans across the Pacific Northwest.

“They’re planning on going to the World Series. The World Series goes into October.”

If the Mariners are to pull this off, not just end a playoff drought that’s almost as old as their two best prospects, but be there competing for a title with the sport’s elite, it’ll likely be thanks in no small part to this duo.

And they’re not shying away from it.

“That’s probably the biggest dream in my life, to bring a championship to the Mariners and the Mariners fans,” Rodríguez said when asked what his message would be to a contingent of fanatics that has grown increasingly obsessed with him. “They just need to wait — be patient. We’re going to accomplish that dream for everybody.”