The Mariners’ latest roster cut wasn’t shocking, but a few moves caught attention. Seattle trimmed camp to 55 players, optioning Troy Taylor and Josh Simpson to Tacoma, while Casey Lawrence and Carson Taylor were reassigned to minor league camp. According to Mariners PR, the club now has 35 players on the 40-man roster, one on the 60-day injured list, and 19 non-roster invitees still in camp.
Top stars demotion stings a bit. He wasn’t guaranteed a spot, but the Mariners clearly haven’t given up on him. Taylor remains a player fans are eager to see impact the team sooner rather than later. His relief profile is compelling on paper—and even more exciting when executed: a big fastball, sharp breaking ball, late-inning energy, and enough upside to keep scouts and fans intrigued. MLB Pipeline has long pegged him as a closer-type arm, relying on a mid-90s fastball and a hard sweeping breaking ball.
It wasn’t long ago that Taylor felt like one of the organization’s most promising bullpen stories. He moved quickly through the minors, debuted in the majors on August 11, 2024, and forced the Mariners to take notice after dominating with a 1.27 ERA and 21 saves across High-A and Double-A. At that point, he looked like the kind of homegrown late-inning reliever every team dreams of developing.
But 2025 was messy. Taylor’s MLB stats ballooned to a 12.15 ERA with a 2.55 WHIP in eight appearances, and his Triple-A season wasn’t smooth either. His raw stuff hasn’t disappeared, but consistency did. A lat strain interrupted his progress, and for relievers like Taylor, there’s little margin for error—any lapse in command or rhythm can quickly derail performance.
This move to Tacoma makes sense. Seattle can let him rack up clean innings, regain consistency, and remain a top call-up candidate as bullpen needs arise. Taylor still has options, and he’s still on the Mariners’ radar. The most intriguing spring decisions are the ones that leave the door open just enough to hint at the potential still waiting to emerge.