Seattle Mariners third baseman Ben Williamson (9) at Yankee Stadium on July 9. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Young Seattle Mariners Starter Causing Internal Battle Among Fans

Originally posted on Seattle Mariners on SI
By Brady Farkas | Last updated Jul 29, 2025 7:45 PM ET

If you scroll up-and-down Seattle Mariners related content on social media, you will undoubtedly see a bevy of different opinions on rookie third baseman Ben Williamson.

Some see him as a gritty, glove-first third baseman who plays hard and does 'the little things.'

The Mariners lose their shutout bid, but Ben Williamson makes a remarkable stop on a chopper down the line then makes a throw from his knees -- with his chest angling to the ground -- to get the lead runner once it was clear that Luis Urías would score easily. pic.twitter.com/inBPnV423r
— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) July 29, 2025

Some see him as a guy with a 78 OPS+ who couldn't hit his way out of a paper bag.

It’s not Ben Williamson’s fault. This is the player he is at this stage.

It’s the front office’s fault.

Geno salary dumped to set up Rojas/Urias platoon, dumped both guys to play post-surgery Polanco or Moore, that fails and they break glass on Ben.

Could’ve just kept Geno.
— Mariner Muse (@MarinerMuse) July 29, 2025

Others want him as a starter for life, and don't see any need to bring in Eugenio Suarez or Willi Castro at the trade deadline.

Others see him as not even a major league player.

The answer, of course, lies somewhere in the middle, as I discussed on the latest edition of the 'Refuse to Lose' podcast:

If you want to go upgrade to Geno, I would get it, and I would support it ultimately because I think it will make the offense better, and the offense might need to carry you. But this notion that Ben Williamson is no good or can't play or doesn't belong in the organization, that's not fair either. I think he absolutely provides something, and we can have a fair and balanced conversation. I can acknowledge that Ben Williamson is a good player without thinking he deserves 600 at-bats right now, and you can say he needs to improve at X, Y, or Z without saying he's not a major league player. He's been excellent defensively, he grinds out at bats. To me, he's generally a serviceable 9-hitter, I enjoy his approach to the game, I think he provides something to this team...

The latest #RefuseToLose podcast is out, and we need to have an honest conversation about Ben Williamson.

LISTEN HERE:https://t.co/Z1fQ4Z4o4d #TridentsUp #Mariners pic.twitter.com/xdv854gBKI
— Brady Farkas (@RefuseToLosePod) July 29, 2025

A former second-round pick, Williamson is hitting .256 with just one home run and a .239 on-base percentage. However, he is near the top of the defensive charts at third base, and only Ke'Bryan Hayes has more defensive saved runs than he does.