Will Dominic Canzone be the Seattle Mariners' breakout player of 2026?
In this story:
The holidays have been a bit of a grab bag for the Seattle Mariners in the offseason, as they attempt to stock their shelves with another division-winning roster in 2026. However, they may truly open a gift when the season starts, if outfielder Dominic Canzone develops into the player he's projected to be.
Mariners beat writer Daniel Kramer wrote about Canzone as the Seattle star who will be the team's breakout player in 2026, as the website picked one player per team who could take big steps forward. In his words, he described why team management, the coaching staff, and his fellow teammates view him as a rising star.
"Canzone is a player that the front office has always been bullish on, despite significant swing-and-miss and defensive lapses early in his Mariners tenure," Kramer wrote. "His attitude -- and rebound -- from a Minor League demotion for the early part of last year were big reasons why."
Dominic Canzone battled back from injury in 2025
Dominic Canzone had an impressive season with the Mariners in 2025, hitting .300 with 11 home runs, 32 RBIs, and an .840 OPS. This was a bounce-back from a rocky 2024 campaign, when his development was hindered by being placed on the injured list twice. Once, for a left shoulder sprain in April, where he missed about a month, and then for a right adductor strain in July, missing a month during another month-long stint on the IL.
CLICK FOR MORE: ESPN's Buster Olney says Seattle has faith in Cole Young at second base
At the same time, Canzone's no threat on the basepaths. He stole three bases last season and has a sprint speed of about 22.5 feet per second, while the MLB average is roughly 27 feet per second. He's not particularly fast on the basepaths. Overall, speed isn't a strength for him.
That won't matter to the Mariners. If Canzone can replicate his hitting numbers and provide a quality lefthanded bat as an outfielder? He could be set for the Summer of his life.
