Cooper Criswell
#18 RP · Mariners
Height
6'6"
Weight
200 lbs
Age
29
College
North Carolina
Experience
5 yrs
Bats/Throws
R/R
D+
D
—
Fan Verdict
Grade this player:
Career StatsD+
| Year | Team | GP | ERA | W-L | K | WHIP | IP | SV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career |  | 58 | 4.263158 | 9-8 | 128 | 1.3801169 | 0.0 | 2 |
Current Contract
Length
1 year
Total Value
$800K
Guaranteed
$480K
AAV
$800K/yr
Guaranteed %60%
Performance Analysis
D+
FCA+
Cooper Criswell grades out as a below-average reliever in his fifth MLB season, struggling to establish himself as a reliable bullpen piece despite the Mariners' reputation for developing pitching talent. At 29, he represents the kind of depth arm that teams acquire hoping lightning strikes, but his D+ performance grade reflects middling production that hasn't translated into consistent value for Seattle's pitching staff. The trade from New York positioned him in a competition for rotation depth, though his relief role suggests the organization views him more as organizational filler than a legitimate starter candidate. Headlines around his "fight for the fifth rotation spot" have given way to a more realistic assessment of his capabilities as a depth piece who may struggle to maintain even a roster spot. The cautiously optimistic sentiment around his arrival has been tempered by on-field reality, with media framing shifting from rotation competition to questions about his overall role sustainability. For a veteran reliever in what should be his prime years, Criswell's current trajectory suggests he's running out of opportunities to prove he belongs in a major league bullpen long-term.
Fan & Media Sentiment
D
Negative
NegativeNeutralPositive
The narrative around Cooper Criswell in Seattle is about as understated as acquisitions get, and that muted reception earns him a D sentiment grade that aligns closely with the modest expectations the move generated. Coverage has been uniformly low-key, framing the 29-year-old right-hander as a depth acquisition from the Mets for cash — the kind of transaction that barely registers beyond a beat writer's transaction log, with the prevailing media read being that he fills a swingman and bullpen reinforcement role without any expectation of impact pitching. That framing is entirely consistent with his D+ performance grade, which signals below-average production from a player who profiles as organizational depth rather than a trusted leverage option. The Mariners have been active in roster churn recently — adding Brendan Donovan, claiming Rhylan Thomas off waivers, and logging several IL-related signings — which paints a picture of a front office patching holes wherever it can, and Criswell fits squarely into that transactional pattern rather than standing out as a deliberate upgrade. Sitting at 18-20 and on the outside edge of the AL West playoff picture, Seattle needs more than serviceable depth pieces to climb, and the cooling sentiment trend over the last 30 days reflects a fanbase losing patience with moves that feel like roster maintenance rather than genuine reinforcement. The bottom line is that Criswell arrives with no buzz, limited upside expectations, and a public perception that mirrors exactly what the front office paid for him — which, given the cash-only price tag, may be precisely the point.
Recent Games
| Date | OPP | Result | AB | H | R | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed, 5/6 | vs ATL | W 3-1 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
| Sun, 5/3 | vs KC | L 2-3 | - | - | - | 0 | - | - | - |
Transaction History
News & Buzz
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About this player
Cooper Criswell is a player in his 5th MLB season listed at RP for the Mariners. FanVerdicts maintains four independent grades for every MLB player on an active roster — Contract Value Index for the deal itself, Performance for on-field production, Sentiment for media and fan reaction, and Fan Verdict for community voting. Current grades for Cooper Criswell: Contract Value Index pending, Performance D+, Sentiment D, Fan Verdict pending.
Every grade refreshes on its own cadence as new data lands. Performance recalculates when MLB game stats post; Sentiment updates with new media coverage and fan discussion; Contract Value Index recomputes when contract terms change; Fan Verdict reflects live community voting on this profile. Contract details below show the structure (years, total value, average annual value, guarantees) the Contract Value Index grade is computed against.
For league-wide context, the MLB hub has team rankings, GM report cards, the transactions feed, and live scoreboards. The MLB player rankings page sorts every active player by performance and contract value within their position.