The Mariners made their first move of the offseason on Friday, and for once I can point at it on a map: they claimed first baseman/outfielder Michael Toglia off waivers from the Reds. Toglia is from Gig Harbor. Gig Harbor High School, class of 2016, then three seasons at UCLA. As far as I can tell, he’s the most local Mariner in recent memory — the kid grew up in my town.
The details, per MLB Trade Rumors (Steve Adams, Oct 2, via team announcement): Toglia is 28, 6'5", about 225 pounds, a switch-hitter, and a former first-round pick — 23rd overall in 2019, drafted out of UCLA by Colorado, who’d also taken him in the 35th round back in high school. Cincinnati signed him to a minor-league deal in January after the Rockies non-tendered him, and he spent 2026 raking at Triple-A Louisville: .273/.373/.547 with 22 homers in 402 plate appearances. The Reds called him up August 11. He played ten games. He went 3-for-26. Then he dove for a ball at Chase Field on August 21, dislocated his right shoulder, tore his labrum, and had season-ending surgery. That was the whole Reds tenure: three hits, one labrum.
Here’s the honest part, and you knew it was coming: the bat has never really worked up here. In 290 big-league games across Colorado and Cincinnati, Toglia has hit .198/.275/.384 with 42 homers. His best season was 2024 with the Rockies — 25 homers in 116 games, a barrel rate in the 98th percentile per SI — but even that came with a 32.1% strikeout rate and a 98 wRC+, and the next year the contact completely collapsed: .190/.258/.353 with the K rate north of 39%. That’s why Colorado cut him loose.
So why claim him? Because of the catch that actually matters: Toglia is out of minor-league options. That means Seattle either carries him on the 40-man all winter or designates him the moment they need the spot — and since he can sit on the 60-day IL while the shoulder heals and the roster sits at 39, the claim costs literally nothing. He has to break camp in March or he’s gone. It’s a free lottery ticket with an expiration date.
One Lookout Landing writer likened his prospect athleticism to Evan White, and I will treat that the way I’ll treat this front office’s promises — as one person’s opinion until proven otherwise. But the power is real, the price was zero, and the kid grew up fifteen minutes from T-Mobile Park’s ferry line.
Welcome home, Michael. Hope the shoulder heals faster than this rebuild.