MLB Writer Has Positive Observation on Seattle Mariners Outfielder Victor Robles
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One of the biggest bright spots for the Seattle Mariners in 2024 was the career revitalization of outfielder Victor Robles.
Robles was, at one point, thought to be a better prospect than Juan Soto. He was even with the Washington Nationals at the same time as Soto and won a World Series with him in 2019. Various injuries, inconsistencies and stop-and-go major league stints led to Robles being released by the Nationals on June 1 of last season. He was signed by the Mariners three days later.
Robles was an instant boost of energy and effectiveness in Seattle's lineup. He took over as the team's lead-off hitter in place for the injured JP Crawford and filled in in center field when Julio Rodriguez was out with his own injury.
When Rodriguez and Crawford returned from the injured list, Robles was still No. 1 in the order and earned a starting role in right field. He also signed a two-year extension with the Mariners. He hit .328 with four home runs, 26 RBIs and 30 steals in 77 games played with Seattle.
HOLY VICTOR ROBLES.
— Seattle Mariners ON Tap (@MarinersONTap) July 27, 2024
8-0 MARINERS pic.twitter.com/90tWxFEtz7
There's a lot that went into Robles' resurgence. A new batting stance and a change in scenery chief among them. But with how great he was, there's been reasonable questions about whether or not he can replicate the same level of performance across an entire season.
CBS Sports MLB writer Matt Snyder recently appeared on the Bob & Wyman show on Seattle Sports 710 and offered his opinion on the current state of the Mariners' lineup. And while Snyder said he didn't believe Robles would replicate his .328 batting average from a year ago, he did have a unique and positive spin on Robles' career resurgence. Instead of viewing 2024 as a peak, Snyder posed that Robles could be realizing the potential that made him a top prospect to begin with.
The following quote from Snyder's appearance was excerpted in a Seattle Sports article written by Zac Hereth:
“If he was that highly touted when he was a kid, the talent was always in there,” Snyder said. “The scouts saw that he had that kind of talent, and sometimes it doesn’t come out for a few years, and sometimes you need the right situation. He was only 27 years old last year. It’s perfectly reasonable for a player to finally break out at age 27.
“It seemed like everything had clicked last year. While it was a small sample, that talent’s always been in there. There was a reason he was rated higher than Juan Soto.”
If the top third of the order looks similar to what it did in 2024, then Robles will be leading off in front of Rodriguez in the two spot, catcher Cal Raleigh in the No. 3 spot and left fielder Randy Arozarena batting cleanup. If all four players are at their best, it has the potential to be one of the most potent top-half orders in the American League in 2025.
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