Projecting Seattle Mariners' 2015 Batting Order

With the addition of Nelson Cruz, the Seattle Mariners' batting order will have a different look in 2015.

Cruz brings the skill set of a legitimate cleanup hitter, much more so than anyone on Seattle's roster a year ago. With Cruz sliding in the lineup between Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager, the Mariners will have their strongest 3-4-5, if not overall lineup, in over a decade.

There are a few questions elsewhere, but Seattle looks to have minimal weaknesses entering the season. The Mariners' only real need for the rest of the offseason is to find a left-handed right fielder, with Seth Smith emerging as a leading candidate.

With all but one hole addressed either at the 2014 deadline or this winter, the Mariners' projected batting order for 2015 has taken definite shape.

1. Austin Jackson, CF

2. Dustin Ackley, LF

3. Robinson Cano, 2B

4. Nelson Cruz, DH

5. Kyle Seager, 3B

6. Logan Morrison, 1B

7. Justin Ruggiano/Brad Miller, RF

8. Mike Zunino, C

9. Brad Miller/Chris Taylor, SS

Jackson's hold on the leadoff spot is tenuous entering the season. He should be able to bounce back from last year's second-half disaster with the Mariners, but things could be changed around if Jackson struggles out of the gate.

Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

If Jackson can return to hitting around his career line of .274/.336/.402, he is the best leadoff candidate on the current roster. Jackson could be bumped down a spot if the Mariners were to sign someone like Nori Aoki, but that seems less likely after the trade to acquire Ruggiano.

Ackley is a good candidate for the No. 2 spot if he can be more consistent and approach the 123 wRC+ he put up in the second half of last year. That's a huge “if,” and the ankle troubles that limited him in September are worth monitoring, so Ackley's position at the top of the lineup is in limbo as well.

Despite struggling while batting second often in his career, Ackley was confident after last July's surge, via Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times: 

"I told him (Lloyd McClendon) now I’m in a position where my swing feels the same every day, And I have that confidence that I’m going to hit wherever they put me, whether that’s one or two or seven or eight or nine. I’m not going to try and change my mindset at all."

Cano figures to bat third in every game he plays. The only thing that will change in 2015 is who is batting behind him.

Cruz joins Seattle's lineup as a prototypical cleanup hitter. While Seager might post similar overall offensive numbers from the No. 5 spot, Cruz's power behind Cano's lofty OBP is too tempting for Lloyd McClendon to shuffle things around much.

Morrison enters the 2015 season at a key juncture in his career. He has shown flashes of enough ability to hold down the first base job and slide in nicely behind the Mariners' strong 3-4-5, but he has struggled with injuries and inconsistency.

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

D.J. Peterson is coming quickly and appears to be the long-term option at first base, but he won't be up until late in the summer—if at all—this season.

The Mariners filled half of a right field platoon by trading for Ruggiano last week, via Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News-Tribune: 

Ruggiano will start in right field against lefties (career 128 wRC+) and projects to bat in the bottom third of the order. He could also see some time in left and even move up to second in the order if Ackley starts to struggle.

Finding a platoon partner for Ruggiano is Seattle's top priority for the remainder of the offseason. As the roster currently stands, converting Brad Miller into a utility player and starting him in right field against right-handers looks like the best option.

For now, Zunino will bat near the bottom of the order due to his poor average and OBP. As he gets more professional experience, Zunino should continue to improve, and he has the power to hit in the middle of the order further down the road in his career.

It's early in Chris Taylor's MLB career, but so far he looks like a solid-average, low-power hitter with some speed. Taylor fits in well at the bottom of the order and will likely platoon with Miller at shortstop, although he could be a potential trade chip.