Sometimes the biggest bets in baseball turn into the hardest lessons. Six years after the Seattle Mariners shocked their fans by handing out a bold $24 million contract to a player who hadn’t even made his major league debut, the curious case of Evan White feels more relevant than ever.
November 25, 2019—mark that date. It was supposed to be the beginning of something special: a commitment to the future and a little hope offered to a fanbase weary from a 94-loss season. The Mariners had just gambled on White, making him only the fourth player in MLB history to sign a long-term deal before even stepping onto a big-league field. The move screamed confidence—not only in White himself but also in a young core the organization believed could eventually carry them back to contention.
A Risky Faith in Potential
At the time, the logic was sound—or at least defensible. White was projected to be a defensive wizard at first base, already pegged as Gold Glove material. His Double-A numbers backed up the idea that his bat could keep up, too: a .350 on-base percentage, 18 home runs, and strong overall consistency over 92 games. It’s easy to see why the Mariners thought they had found a cornerstone.
But baseball dreams often meet reality head-on. And that’s where things took a sharp turn.
From Gold Glove to Painful Decline
White’s first season in 2020 did bring a Gold Glove, but it was little comfort. The rest of the year was brutal—an average of just .176, a strikeout rate north of 40%, and little offensive spark even by the forgiving standards of that COVID-shortened season.
Then came the injuries. Hip surgeries. Core issues. Endless rehab cycles. Over the next few years, White managed only 66 games in the big leagues. By 2024, he was playing in the Los Angeles Angels’ system, and by 2025—his final contractual year—he was out of baseball altogether.
The result? One of the most unfortunate contracts in team history. And it’s hardly the only example of pre-debut deals that fizzled. Consider this list:
- Jackson Chourio, Milwaukee Brewers: 8 years, $82 million
- Luis Robert Jr., Chicago White Sox: 6 years, $50 million
- Eloy Jiménez, Chicago White Sox: 6 years, $43 million
- Colt Keith, Detroit Tigers: 6 years, $28.6 million
- Scott Kingery, Philadelphia Phillies: 6 years, $24 million
- Evan White, Seattle Mariners: 6 years, $24 million
- Jon Singleton, Houston Astros: 5 years, $10 million
Apart from Milwaukee’s Chourio, who looks like a legitimate 20-20 star, most of these contracts have aged poorly. The Mariners’ roll of the dice on White stands as one of the clearest cautionary tales in this category.
Dodging a Second Bullet
The story could have been even uglier. After White, Seattle flirted with offering Jarred Kelenic a similar pre-debut extension—a move that turned disastrous amid controversies over service time manipulation. The Mariners eventually offloaded both Kelenic and White to the Atlanta Braves in 2023, effectively washing their hands of two failed experiments.
Still, the episode left behind one powerful takeaway: sometimes it’s better to wait and truly know what you have before writing the big checks.
Lesson Learned (Mostly)
To their credit, the Mariners appear to have learned their lesson. They let Julio Rodríguez prove himself before securing him with a record-setting but team-friendly contract. Later, they did the same with Cal Raleigh—locking him up after his breakout 60-homer stretch in a deal now considered one of the smartest in baseball.
Yet the real test is coming again. Another crop of highly touted prospects, including Colt Emerson, is expected to make their big-league debuts in 2026. Emerson is already generating serious buzz and could crack the Opening Day roster. The question is—will Seattle be tempted to strike early again?
No one wants to see a repeat of the White experiment. But history has a funny way of repeating itself in baseball. Should teams reward potential, or make players prove their worth first? That’s the debate that will keep executives, fans, and analysts talking long after the echoes of this contract have faded.
So, what do you think? Was the Mariners’ faith in White a bold move gone wrong—or a necessary risk in the pursuit of greatness? Drop your thoughts below.
