Michael Toglia had been on the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds.
The Seattle Mariners made a minor, but interesting, move on Friday by claiming first baseman Michael Toglia off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds.
Toglia ended year on the injured list with a dislocated shoulder, so it's unclear when exactly he'll be able to play again, but he does offer some upside to the Mariners.
Here's what you need to know.
About Toglia
Still just 28 years old, Toglia was the No. 23 pick of the Colorado Rockies in the 2019 MLB Draft out of UCLA. A Washington high school product (Gig Harbor), he's spent five years in the big leagues with the Rockies and Reds.
In those five years, he's played 290 games, hitting .198 with a .275 on-base percentage. While those numbers are unimpressive on their own, he did hit 25 home runs with the Rockies in 2024, also hitting .218. His power is impressive, but the numbers are skewed by playing in Coors Field, so we'll see if they can translate to Seattle should he get a chance with the Mariners.
How could he fit in with Seattle?
While the power is interesting, he frankly seems like a lottery ticket at this point. Toglia is a first baseman, and Josh Naylor is solidified in that spot for the next four years. Even at designated hitter, the Mariners have a glut of options, including Lazaro Montes, Michael Arroyo, Dominic Canzone, Luke Raley and Cal Raleigh.
That's a tough group to crack, but Toglia is a switch-hitter, which gives him somewhat of an advantage as the Mariners try to improve their standing against left-handed pitching.
He has also played 51 games in right field in his career, giving him a little verstility.
Colorado Rockies first baseman Michael Toglia (4) bats against the Cincinnati Reds in the second inning at Great American Ball Park. Katie Stratman-Imagn ImagesWhat's next for the Mariners?
The M's can continue to make low-flier roster moves until after the World Series, but free agency and trading season can't truly start until the World Series, which could wrap up on Oct. 31.
Until then, the Mariners need to hire a manager after moving on from Dan Wilson, and they also need to hire large portions of a coaching staff after making significant changes there as well.
Of note
On the managerial front, we caught up with ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney on the most recent 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast on Thursday. Olney talked about what the M's need in a new manager, a few noteworthy candidates and more, including his impressions of what Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander have been saying this offseason.
You can listen to the episode in the YouTube player below:
