Mariners preview: Infield could be best in AL in 2016

For all the roster altering Jerry Dipoto carried out in his first offseason as general manager, the Mariners executive was content to leave the infield be.

OK, that's not entirely true.

But with six-time American League All-Star Robinson Cano locked in at second base, AL Gold Glove winner Kyle Seager (2014) at third base and the emergence of rookie Ketel Marte at shortstop late last season, the need for tinkering was minimal.

Granted, Dipoto, through trades and signing free-agents, was still active in adding depth and removing a few pieces that failed to fit with his vision.

Let's take an early look at what to expect in the infield when the Mariners' full squad reports to spring training Feb. 25.

Who is gone?

Lock: Third baseman Kyle Seager

Lock: Third baseman Kyle Seager Photo: Otto Greule Jr, Getty Images Photo: Otto Greule Jr, Getty Images Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close Mariners preview: Infield could be best in AL in 2016 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

Under former general manager Jack Zduriencik, the Mariners never seemed quite sure where to play Brad Miller.

He was a shortstop coming up through the system, but his unorthodox mechanics led to defensive struggles at the big-league level. Last season, the Mariners tried to morph him into a super-utility player in the same vein as Ben Zobrist.

The experiment somehow wasn't a colossal disaster, but Miller never looked quite comfortable as an outfielder. He maintained that he still thought of himself as a shortstop, but the emergence of Marte after the All-Star break ensured that Miller would never return there in Seattle.

Dipoto saw that Miller, despite his offensive upside, didn't fit, dealing him along with first baseman Logan Morrison and reliever Danny Farquhar to the Tampa Rays in November for center fielder Boog Powell, right-hander Nate Karns and lefty reliever C.J. Riefenhauser.

That obviously marked the end of Morrison's time in Seattle. After showing promise in his first season with the Mariners in 2014 (.262/.315/.420 line), Morrison batted just .225 with 17 homers and 54 RBIs in 146 games last season.

Impact additions

In Dipoto's shrewdest move of the offseason, he traded three low-level prospects to the Milwaukee Brewers on Dec. 9 for first baseman Adam Lind.

Lind, 32, is a career .274 hitter who's averaged 24 homers and 89 RBIs per season over his 10-year MLB career (measured out over 162 games). In other words, if Lind even approaches his career averages, he'll be a substantial upgrade over what the Mariners have trotted out at first base since Russell Branyan hit 31 homers in 2009.

It's also worth noting that Lind is good at getting on base (career .332 on-base percentage) -- an area that the Mariners struggled with consistently during Zduriencik's tenure.

Biggest question mark(s)

There are a few position battles that will hold intrigue entering spring training, most notably who will serve as Lind's right-handed backup/platoon partner off the bench in 2016.

It appears to be a four-horse race, with former top prospect Jesus Montero, former Pirate Gaby Sanchez, slugger Dae-Ho Lee and Stefen Romero all vying for playing time.

The Mariners announced they'd signed Sanchez to a minor-league deal with an invite to big-league camp during their spring training luncheon. To be blunt, it would be a major surprise if Sanchez made the 25-man roster. The former National League All-Star (2011) played last season in Japan, hitting .226 for the Rakuten Eagles with seven homers and 18 RBIs in 66 games. The 32-year-old last played in the big leagues in 2014, when he posted a .229 batting average and .679 OPS in 123 games with Pittsburgh.

For Montero, spring training will be pivotal for his future in Seattle. The slimmed-down first baseman is out of options, so either he makes the 25-man roster or gets exposed to waivers. That means he'll need to improve after struggling in his limited big-league playing time last season.

Romero, meanwhile, is the most versatile of the group, but he has yet to prove that he can hit big-league pitching despite performing well in Triple-A.

Who knows what to expect with Lee? The 33-year-old spent his past four seasons playing in Japan, combining to hit .293 with 98 homers and 348 RBIs in 570 games. He spent the previous 11 seasons in South Korea, putting up prolific power numbers, but he is listed at 6-foot-4, 286 pounds(!). He's supposedly lost weight recently in hopes of breaking into the big leagues, so it will be interesting to see if he's in shape come spring training.

Outlook

Cano is fully recovered from offseason hernia surgery after he played through injury after getting hurt in late July. Bank on him returning to All-Star form after a huge second half of 2015.

Few have been as consistent or durable as Seager over the past four seasons. Expect him to remain in the 25-homer/.265 batting average range while he attains his first 100-RBI season thanks to more traffic on the basepaths.

If Marte shows last year's potential wasn't an aberration, and Lind stays on par with his career averages, the Mariners will have one of the best infields in the AL.

For more info on how the infield will shake out in spring training, check out the gallery above.

Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle Mariners news. Contact sports reporter Adam Lewis at adam lewis@seattlepi.com or @AdamLewisPI.