Jun 5, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; A view of the Seattle Mariners logo during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Mariners Prospect Retires From Pro Ball at Age 25

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Jan 26, 2026 12:37 PM ET

The Seattle Mariners can cross one name off their minor-league depth chart as they prepare to begin a new season.

Outfielder Carson Jones was the Mariners' 15th-round pick in the 2023 draft out of Virginia Tech. He played three years in the organization, spanning rookie ball through High-A and appearing in 178 games.

That run came to an end recently, as the 25-year-old declared his retirement from professional baseball on Jan. 18, per the official transactions log on his roster page.

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Carson Jones' Mariners career never got off the ground

Jones was a senior-sign for the Mariners after an outstanding fourth year at Virginia Tech that saw him bat .299 with a 1.044 OPS and 14 home runs in 53 games in 2023. He went on to play rookie ball for the rest of that summer, and then built some momentum the next year with decent numbers at Low-A.

For the Modesto Nuts in 2024, Jones batted .251 with a .751 OPS in 103 games. He hit 13 home runs, and more impressively, he stole 37 bases and was only caught five times. That didn't earn him top prospect status by any means, but it was more than enough to get him to High-A for the 2025 campaign.

Ultimately, last year was the end of any real progress Jones was making toward the majors. He batted .160 with a .552 OPS in 63 games, and although he still stole 17 bases without being caught, speed doesn't help a batter much if he can only get on base at a .265 clip.

Jones' baseball career advanced farther than over 99% of players who compete at the high school level, so he'll always have that point of pride. In 178 professional games, he'll retire with a .680 OPS, 20 home runs, and 57 stolen bases.

Seattle's minor-league depth chart isn't all that impressive in terms of outfield talent, save for consensus top-10 organizational prospects Lazaro Montes and Jonny Farmelo.

More MLB: Mariners Lose Backstop to Astros in Free Agency After 8-Year Stint

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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