Though the Mariners have rarely used the Triple-A level as a hotbed for their top prospects under the Dipoto regime, the Rainiers serve as a fascinating ground for the grinders on the fringes of big league rosters. Whether you like it or not, many of the minor league signings that seem meaningless in February end up getting serious playing time for a variety of reasons (see: Connor Joe) and have a real impact on wins and losses over the course of the season. It may not be the flashiest selection
of names, but Tacoma’s crew put together a respectable 2026 season and deserves some time in the spotlight as we approach the end of our 2026 minor league coverage.
Team Performance
First Half Record: 33-42 (+36 Run Differential)
Second Half Record: 39-36 (-19 Run Differential)
Final Record: 72-78
Team ERA: 4.87 (fourth in Pacific Coast League)
Team OPS: .795 (fifth in Pacific Coast League)
Stat to Know: Led the Pacific Coast League with 197 home runs and walks allowed with 567
Season Stars
Patrick Wisdom
Wisdom, in his first season back stateside since 2024, was far and away the most impressive hitter in this Rainiers lineup all season. For as paltry as his performance was for the big league squad, the veteran slugger posted some truly absurd power output for Tacoma and was a big reason why the club led the PCL in homers this past year. Launching 35 homers in 348 plate appearances, Wisdom smashed his way to a 1.039 OPS on the year and was one of the most formidable bats in the entire league. Given his age and defensive limitations, it’s unclear what Wisdom’s role will be with the Mariners moving forward, but his 2026 season was assuredly one to remember.
Brock Rodden
A site favorite here at LL, Rodden has been a reliable contributor in this system for years now and was rewarded with a major league debut late last season. Though he went through some adjustments in his limited time, the switch-hitting Rodden has the ability to play all over the diamond defensively and brings some sneaky pop to the plate offensively. His year in Tacoma (which was shortened due to injury) saw him pop 19 homers and 22 doubles, good for an OPS of .841 across ~400 plate appearances. Rodden will try his hand at stealing a base here and there, but he’s probably a faster base runner than he is a base stealer at this point in his career and doesn’t project to be a major threat on the basepaths. Though it’s no guarantee Rodden locks down the utility role for the M’s heading into 2027, he’s an outstanding piece to have on the 40 man roster as depth and seems like a near lock to get playing time at some point next season.
Colt Emerson
The boy wonder that appears to have a major league spot secured for next season, Colt Emerson’s 2026 was a rollercoaster on many different levels. Starting the year off with a massive 8 year, $95 million dollar contract extension before he’d even debuted in the big leagues, Emerson struggled through injury for much of the year and had multiple stints on the IL. Even when he was on the field, it sounds as though Emerson may have downplayed the severity of his injuries over the course of the season and likely explains a lot of his relatively mundane output at the plate. Despite these warts, Emerson still managed an OPS of .816 on the season and played immaculate defense at shortstop, showing the M’s enough to commit to him long term and crown him as the incumbent shortstop for the next decade. Hopefully a fully healthy Emerson can show off his talents with more consistency next year and give him a fresh start as a major leaguer.
Name to Remember
Brennen Davis
It’s easy to forget just how good Brennen Davis was this past season. The oft-injured outfielder with immense talent posted an .887 OPS for the Rainiers when he was on the field, but unfortunately for both Davis and the Mariners, the outfielder found himself back on the injured list for most of the season and was unable to appear in a game after hitting the injured list on June 2nd. Despite his injuries, Davis is arguably the best right handed corner outfield option they presently have on the roster at this point in time, and though they can’t rely on him over the course of an entire season, to have him as a potential flyer towards the bottom of the roster could pay dividends come next season and makes him an interesting player to follow heading into 2027.
