Analysis: Why Cole Young’s Spring Training Improvements Will Continue in 2026 Mariners Season

Cole Young had the second-lowest hard hit rate on the Mariners last year at 31.1%, about 10th percentile among major leaguers. He also hit the longest home run of any Mariner.

Well, not counting Cal Raleigh’s absolute tanks in the Home Run Derby. But even as the Mariner catcher hit 60 bombs in 2025, he never cracked 450 feet on any of them; his longest shot went 448 feet. Young, meanwhile, took poor Rangers starter Kumar Rocker 456 feet with a line drive to the second deck on the last day of July. It was one of just four home runs during Young’s rookie campaign, but it gave some indication that Seattle’s biggest prospect graduation of the year might have some serious pop in the tank.

But with 12 extra-base hits in 257 plate appearances, Young didn’t give much of an indication that he could do such things consistently. Indeed, while that exact nuke left the bat at 114.1 miles an hour - a maximum exit velocity in the 83rd percentile - Young hit so many weak grounders and lazy fly balls that the rest of his batted ball profile was markedly unimpressive. 

Hitting six home runs in 63 plate appearances, however, is very impressive. That’s what Young did in Spring Training this year - but does that mean anything come Opening Day?