MLB Trade Rumors: Rick Porcello Could Be Great for the Seattle Mariners' Future

Young, quality arms.

Something the Seattle Mariners have plenty of.

But with most still being prospects, there's no such thing as having too many.

Well, it appears as though the opportunity has arisen for the Mariners to add another young, promising starter, as the Detroit Tigers are looking to deal Rick Porcello, and the M's are one of the front-runners, according to Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports:

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Sources: #Tigers have spoken with multiple teams about Rick Porcello. #Orioles and #Mariners among those involved. @mlbonfox

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 20, 2012"

While Porcello hasn't been all that Detroit had hoped (his career ERA sits at 4.55, while his career WHIP is over 1.40), he's still just 23 years old and wouldn't become a free agent until at least 2016. (2013 is his first year of arbitration eligibility.)

With Seattle not likely to win in 2013, it's not like the Mariners can't afford to let the young gun develop and take the chance that he reaches his potential.

By the time prospects like Danny Hultzen, James Paxton and Taijuan Walker are ready not only to pitch but to succeed at the major league level, it's very possible that Porcello could be a great fourth cog in that rotation.

Should the Mariners be able to re-sign Felix Hernandez to a lengthy extension as well, Porcello could be one of the best No. 5 starters in all of baseball in a few years' time.

There's no doubt that Porcello has the talent to succeed.

I mean, he was able to post a sub-4.00 ERA at the ripe age of 20 over the course of 31 starts.

It's just a matter of bringing down the number of hits he gives up. (He's given up over one hit per inning pitched in every season of his career.)

So long as the price tag isn't too high coming from Detroit, Porcello could be a low-risk, high-reward kind of deal for the rebuilding Mariners.

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