Jean Segura provides Mariners with skill, stability at shortstop
SEATTLE – There are just certain positions that some teams struggle to fill. The Mariners’ struggles to find a competent starting catcher since the retirement of Dan Wilson have already been covered here. There have been countless stories written in past years about their difficulty in finding a good left fielder, particularly when the Mariners were experiencing their highest levels of success.
But in looking at the Mariners’ shortstops over the years, that spot hasn’t been a source of great production or consistency since the days of Alex Rodriguez.
The Mariners have been unsuccessfully searching for even an adequate replacement for a long time.
But this will be the first time since the 2014 season where the Mariners won’t trot out an inexperienced youngster as their opening-day shortstop, hoping that player would somehow blossom.
No, general manager Jerry Dipoto went out and acquired veteran Jean Segura this offseason. Will the Mariners finally get a full season of legitimate production from that position? Segura is coming off the best season of his career and seems to have matured into a competent and consistent performer at the plate.
On the night before Thanksgiving, Dipoto completed perhaps his biggest trade of the offseason, acquiring Segura, outfielder Mitch Haniger and lefty Zac Curtis in exchange for pitcher Taijuan Walker and Ketel Marte.
Segura, who turns 27 on March 17, was coming off the best season of his career after being traded to the Diamondbacks before the 2016 season. He hit .319 with 203 hits, an .867 on-base plus slugging percentage, 41 doubles, seven triples, 20 home runs, 64 RBI and 33 steals in 153 games.
Why the success?
“He made real changes in his swing, first off,” Dipoto said. “How much of this is real I’m not entirely sure. Jean Segura had a very good 2013 season. He was not very good in 2014 and 2015. There were reasons I think that you can attribute to some of that struggle. In 2016, he was dynamic, not just good, he was fantastic, and he was fantastic for six months.”
Much of the struggles in 2014 and 2015 could be attributed to Segura getting hit in the face with a bat by accident by teammate Ryan Braun and then the tragic loss of his infant son, Janniel, on July 11, 2014 and the aftermath that followed.
“I think you guys know what I’ve been through my last couple years,” he said. “I lost my son. I got hit in the face by Ryan Braun. There were a lot of problems, a lot of family issues. But last year I was a new player. It was a new me.”
The swing changes came at the urging of Robinson Cano. The two worked out in the Dominican Republic before the 2016 season, and Cano helped Segura with some adjustments. It’s something that they’ve continued this season on a daily basis.
There is the obvious possibility of some regression for Segura. Those gaudy numbers would be hard to replicate for any player. And yet, it would still be better than what the Mariners have been getting from the position.
Segura will return to his natural position at shortstop after starting just 17 games there last season. He’s never been considered an elite defender, with issues to his backhand side. But he’s solid on ground balls up the middle, and the Mariners believe that consistent work with Cano this offseason and a comfort level will help him. They just want the routine plays made – something that hasn’t been done consistently for the last three seasons in Seattle.
As for a potential backup, the Mariners will have one of their few positional battles for the utility spot. Shawn O’Malley, Mike Freeman and Taylor Motter will battle for the spot. There is a scenario where the Mariners keep O’Malley and Motter on the roster since both can play outfield.
Segura was second-year arbitration eligible this season and agreed to a $6.2 million contract. The Mariners have one more year of club control for 2018 before he becomes a free agent. The two years of club control is a reason the Mariners were willing to give up a promising young pitcher like Walker.
Beyond Segura, the Mariners’ depth chart at shortstop is a little thin. Freeman is on the 40-man roster and is a capable fill-in, but he’s projected more as a utility infielder.
Tyler Smith will also fill a similar role with Freeman at Tacoma and seems to be on a similar career path, per scouts.
Drew Jackson is perhaps the most ballyhooed of the Mariners’ young shortstop prospects. After a monster 2015 season where he dominated the Northwest League with Everett, Jackson had a decent year for Class A Bakersfield.
Jackson hit .258 (135 for 524) with 87 runs scored, 24 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 47 RBI, 50 walks, 10 HBP and 16 stolen bases in 124 games in his first full season in the minor leagues. He posted 39 multi-hit games, including 11 three-hit games.
Jackson was invited to the Arizona Fall League, where he struggled, hitting .149 in 17 games. But he was also working on some significant swing changes.
Jackson has plus speed and a huge arm. There are concerns about his consistency in fielding ground balls and footwork, leading to some opposing scouts to mention a future as a corner outfielder. But the Mariners won’t make any such move quickly without exhausting all of Jackson’s potential at shortstop. He’s simply too good of an athlete.