Despite a disappointing rookie year for Justus Sheffield, this is one of the most improved systems in the game, and the Mariners can really thank three players for that. We already knew Evan White was good, and he did take a small step forward with his power, but three guys really exceeded their already high expectations: outfielders Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez and pitcher Logan Gilbert. Those three now look like legitimate stars, while White and guys like Justin Dunn, Kyle Lewis, Jake Fraley, and Cal Raleigh look like they'll be effective contributors as soon as 2020. They also have a nice, strong relief corps in the upper minors between Sam Delaplane, Joey Gerber, Art Warren, Wyatt Mills, and the recently acquired Aaron Fletcher and Taylor Guilbeau, and that's a whole bullpen right there. The system might still be a little shallow in the infield dirt behind White, but the rest of the system is looking a lot better than it did a year ago.
Affiliates: AAA Tacoma Rainiers, AA Arkansas Travelers, High A Modesto Nuts, Class A West Virginia Power, short season Everett AquaSox, rookie level AZL and DSL Mariners
Catcher
- Cal Raleigh (2020 Age: 23): Raleigh was a third round pick out of Florida State in 2018, and a huge first full season meant that he turned out to be more advanced on both sides of the ball than originally anticipated. Skipping over Class A entirely, he slashed .251/.323/.497 with 29 home runs and a 116/47 strikeout to walk ratio over 121 games at High A Modesto and AA Arkansas. Raleigh is a switch hitter with a lot of power from both sides of the plate, and while there was some swing and miss in his game in college, he managed to keep the strikeouts reasonably low and get to his power consistently in 2019. Defensively, Raleigh was a bit rough with both the arm and the glove when he entered pro ball, but he's smoothed it out surprisingly quickly and now looks like he'll stay behind the plate. At this point, he looks like he'll be the Mariners' catcher of the future, one who provides most of his value with his bat by hitting 20-25 home runs annually with decent on-base percentages.
- Carter Bins (2020 Age: 21): Bins, an over slot eleventh round pick out of Fresno State in 2019, doesn't quite have the ceiling of Raleigh but he could be a nice backup down the line. In his pro debut, he slashed .208/.391/.357 with seven home runs and a 56/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 49 games at short season Everett, which was about expected given his pre-draft profile. He was a streaky hitter in college and continued to be in pro ball, showing some power and good patience at the plate, though that patience did lead to a high strikeout rate. Bins is also a very good defensive catcher, taking pressure off his bat, and his profiles as the kind of guy who could hit 10-15 home runs annually in the majors with decent on-base percentages he gets more consistent at the plate.
- Keep an eye on: Jose Caguana
Corner Infield
- Evan White (2020 Age: 24): White has an interesting profile as a rare glove-first first baseman. Of course, the Mariners didn't draft him in the middle of the first round out of Kentucky in 2017 without thinking he would be an impact hitter, and the bat has held up in pro ball with a .293/.350/.488 slash line, 18 home runs, and a 92/29 strikeout to walk ratio over 92 games at AA Arkansas in 2019. He came into pro ball with a flat, line drive-oriented swing, but the Mariners got him to start hitting the ball in the air a little more in 2019 and it helped improved his ISO from .153 in 2018 to .195 in 2019 despite moving to a more pitcher-friendly league. That likely will be the difference in him becoming a future impact player for the Mariners, one who can now hit 15-20 home runs annually with high on-base percentages. That would be just a decent projection for a first baseman, except that he's such an exceptional defender around the bag that he'll be a big net-positive on defense. White will likely take over as the starting first baseman in 2020 and he's an early contender for the AL Rookie of the Year Award if he can maintain the strides he's made with his power production.
- Joe Rizzo (2020 Age: 22): Rizzo was a second round pick out of high school a town over from me in Virginia in 2016, so I played against him a few times in high school. Very much a bat-first prospect, he took a few years to get going at the plate while he was pushed aggressively by the Mariners, but he finally started to get it figured out in 2019 when he slashed .295/.354/.423 with ten home runs and a 94/45 strikeout to walk ratio over 129 games at High A Modesto. He's a bit undersized at a listed 5'10" (probably a little smaller than that), and it took a little bit for him to tap into his power. That power is more to the gaps than over the fence, and he set a career high with 30 doubles in 2019, and he has a strong enough approach at the plate to make it play up. It will have to, because he's below average at third base and he's too short to play first base. He doesn't turn 22 until right before the start of the season, so he has time to continue to develop, but his future is contingent on maintaining the strides he made at the plate and proving it wasn't a California League mirage.
- Austin Shenton (2020 Age: 22): Shenton may have been a fifth round pick out of Florida International University, but he's every bit of a hometown guy for the Mariners in that he grew up in Bellingham and spent a year at Bellevue Community College before transferring to FIU. He impressed in his pro debut to earn his spot in this writeup, slashing .298/.376/.510 with seven home runs and a 44/19 strikeout to walk ratio over 53 games at short season Everett and Class A West Virginia. A hit over power guy at FIU, he lifted the ball more in pro ball and hit for more power than expected while keeping his strikeout rate at a reasonable level. A third baseman for now, he's fairly mediocre there, so there's a chance he shifts positions to second base or the outfield. If he can keep up the power surge he showed in a small sample in 2019, his bat should profile wherever he ends up.
- Keep an eye on: Jake Scheiner, Bobby Honeyman
Middle Infield
- Donnie Walton (2020 Age: 25-26): Walton, a fifth round pick out of Oklahoma State in 2016, has always hit just enough to stay relevant, but in 2019 he turned it up a notch and hit himself up to the majors. He hit .300/.390/.427 with eleven home runs, ten stolen bases, and a 72/63 strikeout to walk ratio over 124 games at AA Arkansas, then hit .188/.316/.188 with a 5/3 strikeout to walk ratio in a brief, seven game call-up to the majors. He's not the most physical guy in the lineup at 5'10", but he's hit well due to very strong plate discipline and the ability to hunt his pitch in favorable counts. While that may not lead to a full time starting role, it bodes well for his ability to continue to hit at the major league level. He's a good with the glove but with a fringy arm, he fits better at second base than at shortstop. Expect to see him in the majors in a utility capacity in 2020.
- Joseph Rosa (2020 Age: 23): Rosa was a well-regarded prospect until he hit just .217/.299/.285 in Class A in 2018, but he bounced back nicely in 2019 by slashing .271/.366/.386 with four home runs and a 98/50 strikeout to walk ratio over 118 games at Class A West Virginia and High A Modesto. Rosa is probably a bit light on tools if he wants to end up a full time starter, but he has a strong enough game across the board, especially with his strong plate discipline, to make it work as a utility infielder down the line. Now that he's started to get things figured out at the plate, he might start to move a little more quickly, too.
- Noelvi Marte (2020 Age: 18): Marte signed for $1.55 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2018, then had a weirdly streaky pro debut that featured 26 consecutive hitless at bats at one point and a streak of 11 multi hit games in a 15 game stretch at another. Overall, he slashed .309/.371/.511 with nine home runs, 17 stolen bases, and a 55/29 strikeout to walk ratio over 65 games in the Dominican Summer League, all at just 17 years old. He's an electric player, one who can hit for power and who got to it consistently in the DSL without striking out too much. He also has easy plus speed that enables him to be a force on the bases, and while it hasn't quite translated to his defensive game yet, it should help him there down the line. Marte is an aggressive hitter who will have to learn to control the strike zone once he starts to face more advanced pitchers, but he also will play all of 2020 at just 18 years old and has plenty of time to figure it out. He's a high ceiling talent for sure, though we don't know where his future lies on the diamond. For now, he's a shortstop and does have the potential to stick there if he gets more consistent.
- Keep an eye on: Jose Caballero, Mike Salvatore, Patrick Frick, Juan Querecuto
Outfield
- Jarred Kelenic (2020 Age: 20-21): Kelenic was on the older side for a high school prospect when he was drafted sixth overall by the Mets out of the Milwaukee area in 2018, turning 19 a month later, but he certainly made up for any perceived lost time by shooting up to AA in his first full season. Acquired from New York as part of the return for Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz, Kelenic slashed .291/.364/.540 with 23 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and a 111/50 strikeout to walk ratio over 117 games at Class A West Virginia, High A Modesto, and AA Arkansas in 2019. Drafted for his advanced bat, he showed more power than anticipated as well, proving to be as complete of an all-around hitter as you can be in your age 19-20 season. Kelenic manages the strike zone very well for his age, had no problem against much older pitching, and tapped into some raw power that could help him hit 20-25 home runs annually at the major league level, with high on-base percentages. He's also a solid defender with a good arm, one who might not be a Gold Glover in center field but who could get the job done there, and his instincts on the bases helped his above average speed play up. He's probably not quite on superstar level, but he's one of the top prospects around at this point as someone who could impact the game in a variety of ways. Given how wide-open the Mariners outfield situation is, Kelenic might even be able to break through to a starting role at some point in 2020.
- Kyle Lewis (2020 Age: 24-25): Lewis was a potential top five pick in the 2016 draft after a massive season at Mercer, and the Mariners were ecstatic when he ultimately fell to them with the eleventh overall pick. However, it's been anything but a smooth ride for the Atlanta-area native as his pro debut was cut short by a bad knee injury that continued to linger into 2017 and even 2018. Fully healthy for perhaps the first time in three years this year, Lewis had his best pro season yet, slashing .263/.342/.398 with eleven home runs and a 152/56 strikeout to walk ratio over 122 games at AA Arkansas. Earning a call-up to the Mariners in September, he slashed .268/.293/.592 with six home runs in an excellent 18 game debut, though his 29/3 strikeout to walk ratio was just a bit worrisome. All the lost time from the knee injury probably cut down Lewis' ceiling a bit, but with his plus raw power and quick swing, the last thing for him in his development is really just to lock down the strike zone, which he can get to doing now that he's finally healthy. Controlling the zone will be the key to getting to his power consistently against big league pitching, though it take a little bit for him to figure it out consistently. The Mariners' outfield situation is wide open in 2020, with only Mitch Haniger having a locked down starting spot, and Lewis should have the inside track to earning a starting role out of the gate.
- Jake Fraley (2020 Age: 24-25): Fraley, originally a competitive balance pick out of LSU by the Rays in 2016, came over in the Mike Zunino/Mallex Smith deal a year ago. Fraley hit just .211/.279/.339 in an injury-shortened 2017, but turned it around in another injury-shortened 2018 where he hit .347/.415/.547 in High A. He proved that the turnaround was real in 2019, slashing .298/.365/.545 with 19 home runs, 22 stolen bases, and an 89/34 strikeout to walk ratio over 99 games at AA Arkansas and AAA Tacoma, then hit .150/.171/.200 with a 14/0 strikeout to walk ratio in a tough 12 game MLB debut. That power might be a bit of a mirage, as he has never been much of a power hitter before this season and he did spent 38 games in the hitters' heaven of the Pacific Coast League (where he hit eight of his 19 home runs), though he also began to lift the ball a bit more in 2019 and that tells me it's probably not a complete mirage. Fraley makes good, consistent, quality contact when healthy, and he adds great speed that really helped him on both sides of the ball. As I said with Lewis, that's a wide-open outfield situation in Seattle, and I wouldn't call it a stretch to think he could snag a starting spot at some point in 2020. Fraley could hit 10-15 home runs annually with solid on-base percentages and some speed, but the big thing will be staying on the field because his 111 games in 2019 came on the heels of playing just a combined 96 from 2017-2018.
- Braden Bishop (2020 Age: 26): Bishop's bat is a bit light, but his glove got him to the majors in 2019 and it will at least keep him hanging around the fringes while he tries to get that bat over the hump. In 2019, he slashed .271/.358/.471 with eight home runs and a 53/25 strikeout to walk ratio over 50 games at High A Modesto and AAA Tacoma, though you do have to take into consideration the hitter-friendly nature of both of those affiliates. He also spent some time with the major league club and slashed .107/.153/.107 with a 21/3 strikeout to walk ratio in 27 games. Bishop isn't a power hitter but does a good job of making consistent contact and using his plus speed to take extra bases when his hits fall into the gaps, and he does have a little over the fence pop when he gets into one. The bat was a bit exposed in his brief time in the majors in 2019, though he's a hard worker and should be able to get his hit tool to work just enough to carve out a fourth or fifth outfielder spot. The calling card is his defense, as he's excellent in center field and at the very least makes for a valuable defensive replacement late in games. In addition, Mariners fans will find Bishop will be easy to root for for a couple of reasons. First off, though he grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, he's a product of the University of Washington, and secondly, he and his younger brother Hunter (a Giants' 2019 first rounder) run a charity called 4MOM, which works to spread awareness and raise money for Alzheimers research in honor of his late mother.
- Julio Rodriguez (2020 Age: 19): Kelenic's breakout was among the biggest stories on the Seattle farm this year, as it should have been, but it cause another huge breakout to go a bit under the radar. The Mariners signed Julio Rodriguez out of the Dominican Republic for $1.75 million in 2017, then after a successful debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2018 (.315/.404/.525), they skipped him all the way up to A ball for 2019. Despite the massive jump in competition, playing the season at just 18 years old, and missing time with a fractured hand, Rodriguez passed with flying colors by slashing .326/.390/.540 with 12 home runs and a 76/25 strikeout to walk ratio over 84 games at Class A West Virginia and High A Modesto. He has good raw power from a simple, leveraged right handed swing, and given his age and size (listed 6'4", 225), he should easily add more and end up with true plus power down the road. He also manages the strike zone very well for his age, which enabled him to get up to High A at 18 years old, and that enables him to get to the barrel very consistently and will help him easily tap his power as he gets stronger. Really, there are just two things left for Rodriguez to figure out at the plate, and since he's set to play all of 2020 at 19 years old, he has plenty of time to do it. He needs to start lifting the ball more to get to his power, which should be no problem with his swing, and and he needs to stay within himself consistently at the plate; at times, Rodriguez would pull off the ball and try to do too much, but when he kept everything in line and stayed through the ball, that's when he was at his best. It's a really high ceiling for a really talented player already.
- Keep an eye on: Eric Filia, Dom Thompson-Williams, Cade Marlowe
Starting Pitching
- Logan Gilbert (2020 Age: 22-23): The Mariners drafted Gilbert in the middle of the first round out of Stetson in 2018, but held him out of game action after a long college season. They turned him loose in 2019, and the results were remarkable – Gilbert posted a 2.13 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and a 165/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 135 innings at Class A West Virginia, High A Modesto, and AA Arkansas. The Orlando native has a deep arsenal of effective pitches, led by a fastball that added a tick of velocity this year and now sits consistently in the mid 90's. He adds a slider, a curveball, and a changeup, all of which are effective, and the changeup especially took a step forward in pro ball. He also got more consistent with his command, and his 6'6" frame helps give him extra extension and make everything play up. Not that this was unforeseen, as he was an extremely highly regarded draft prospect in 2018, but he's a more complete pitcher than he was at this point a year ago and now looks like he could be a very good #2 starter, perhaps as soon as 2020.
- Justin Dunn (2020 Age: 24): Back in 2016, Dunn went to the Mets in the middle of the first round out of Boston College, but a rough 2017 set him back a bit as a prospect. He bounced back effectively in 2018, re-establishing himself as a top prospect, and he joined Kelenic and others in being shipped to Seattle in the Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz deal that offseason. In his new organization in 2019, Dunn posted a 3.55 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and a 158/39 strikeout to walk ratio over 131.2 innings at AA Arkansas, then reached the majors for a brief cup of coffee, allowing two runs on two hits and nine walks over 6.2 innings, striking out five. One of the better athletes in the system, Dunn sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball and adds a slider, a curve, and a changeup, and all are gradually improving. The slider is likely his best weapon at this point, but he has worked hard to make himself into more of a complete pitcher and it shows. He's gotten more consistent with his command, walking just 7.1% of his opponents in AA this year, and I'd be pretty comfortable attributing the high walk rate in his MLB debut to rookie jitters. Overall, he looks like a #3 or a #4 starter who could contribute in 2020.
- Justus Sheffield (2020 Age: 23-24): Given how shallow the Mariners are in starting pitching at the major league level, I'm not going to knock Sheffield to the bullpen just yet, as he does have the inside track to winning a spot in 2020. However, given his struggles with command, I'm not sure how long he'll last there. In 2019, he posted a 4.13 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP, and a 133/59 strikeout to walk ratio over 133 innings at AA Arkansas and AAA Tacoma, as well as a 5.50 ERA and a 37/18 strikeout to walk ratio in 36 major league innings. There's no question about his stuff, which is easily the best in the Mariners' system. He sits in the mid 90's with his ground ball-inducing fastball, adding a power slider that can be an out pitch when located and a changeup that has come along nicely. However, his command is well below average, making his stuff play down across the board, and even at 23 years old he remains much more of a thrower than a pitcher. However, he has shown the ability to throw consistent strikes at times, and he could be just a few small adjustments away from figuring it out and developing into a #2 or #3 starter. However, guys like Gilbert and Dunn have probably passed him on the depth chart, and if he fails to put it together in 2020, he could find himself as an effective lefty fastball/slider reliever.
- Ljay Newsome (2020 Age: 23): As far as I know, there haven't been any major leaguers to come out of Southern Maryland recently, but Ljay Newsome is looking to become the next. A 26th rounder out of high school in 2015, he's worked his way up slowly but broke out in 2019, posting a 3.54 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and a 169/17 strikeout to walk ratio over 155 innings at High A Modesto, AA Arkansas, and AAA Tacoma. Newsome's carrying tool has always been his pinpoint command, though the rest of his stuff is a bit fringy. His fastball did take a step forward and is now consistently in the low 90's, and he adds a slider, a curve, and a changeup. The slider has some nice, late break, and it's probably his best secondary pitch, but everything really just comes back to his ability to command it. Few minor leaguers can hit their spots like Newsome, and now with his added fastball velocity, he has legitimate aspirations of becoming a #4 starter in the near future. The ceiling is pretty limited, but the floor is pretty high.
- Ricardo Sanchez (2020 Age: 23): Sanchez was originally an Angels prospect but went to the Braves in 2015 for Kyle Kubitza, then got sold to the Mariners after the 2018 season. Always talented, he's faced constant questions about his work ethic that have slowed his development and caused him to be extremely inconsistent throughout his time in the Braves system. He continued to be inconsistent in 2019, but it seems that the change of scenery helped him at least get on the right track. In 2019, he had a 4.44 ERA, a 1.34 WHIP, and a 135/38 strikeout to walk ratio over 146 innings at AA Arkansas, getting more consistent with his solid stuff and command while setting a career high in innings by a long shot. He sits in the low 90's with his fastball, which has some running life, and he adds a curve and a changeup that can both miss bats when they're on. At present, he's probably a #4/#5 starter, but with the gains it looks like he's made with his work ethic, he could end up as more.
- George Kirby (2020 Age: 22): The Mariners had success with a small school college starter in Logan Gilbert last year, so they grabbed another one in the first round in 2019, taking George Kirby from Elon. Kirby is a pretty similar pitcher to Gilbert, if with a bit lighter stuff and a bit better command, but he's just as good. In his pro debut, he posted a 2.35 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and a 25/0 strikeout to walk ratio over 23 innings at short season Everett, and when you add that to his Cape Cod League and college stats, he had an absurd 156/7 strikeout to walk ratio in 124 innings overall. He sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball and adds two distinct, effective breaking balls in a slider and a curveball, as well as a changeup. For a command-first type, that's more than enough stuff, and it gives him more upside than you'd expect. There's a very good chance that a year from now, he's in the same spot that Gilbert is now, which is certainly a great place to be.
- Isaiah Campbell (2020 Age: 22-23): Campbell was a top draft prospect as an Arkansas redshirt sophomore in 2018, but he elected to go back to school for his redshirt junior season and the Mariners picked him up in the second competitive balance round in 2019. He didn't pitch in pro ball, but I do really like him as a prospect. He looked really, really good at times earlier in his college career, but he also missed time due to injuries and his command often wavered when he was on the mound, causing his stuff to play down at times. However, he got much more consistent with that command in 2019, causing his stuff to play up instead of down. The stuff isn't really a question, as he sits in the mid 90's with his fastball and he gets good downhill plane on that pitch due to his high arm slot. His slider is his next best pitch, and he adds a curveball and a changeup. If he can get more consistent with those last two pitches, now that he's got solid average command, he has a really good shot at becoming a #3 or #4 starter. Even as is, I like his chances of becoming a #4 or a #5, or a power fastball/slider reliever whose stuff can play up from the high arm slot. For draft pick #76, this is great value.
- Brandon Williamson (2020 Age: 22): Williamson went in the second round out of TCU in 2019, then had a strong pro debut with a 2.35 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP, and a 25/5 strikeout to walk ratio over 15.1 innings at short season Everett. He's a 6'6" lefty who, at his best, can sit in the low to mid 90's with his fastball and add three breaking balls, but both his stuff and his command were inconsistent at TCU. He looked good in that pro debut from both a stuff and a command perspective, but the Mariners have more work to do to get him to looking like that over 150 innings instead of 15. He has #3 starter potential if he does pull it together, but probably ends up in the bullpen if he doesn't.
- Juan Then (2020 Age: 20): Then is a bit of a sleeper, though he's already been traded twice and he's still a teenager – first from Seattle to the Bronx for Nick Rumbelow in 2017, then back to Seattle for Edwin Encarnacion in 2019. This year, he had a 2.98 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and a 48/13 strikeout to walk ratio over 48.1 innings between the complex level Arizona League, short season Everett, and Class A West Virginia, as he's been brought along slowly. Though he's just 19, he's actually more about pitchability than pure stuff, showing a low 90's fastball a solid curveball, and a good changeup, which he can mix effectively for someone his age. At a listed 6'1" and 155 pounds, he's got some projection remaining, which he'll need in order to survive the rigors of a longer season – at this point, he hasn't thrown more than 61.1 innings in any of his three. He'll pitch all of 2020 at 20 years old, and with a keen understanding of the game, he just needs to work on sharpening his stuff.
- Sam Carlson (2020 Age: 21): Carlson was drafted in the second round out of a Minneapolis-area high school in 2017, but he's thrown all of just three innings so far. Elbow discomfort cut his pro debut short, and a year later, he underwent Tommy John surgery, which ended his 2018 season and kept him out for all of 2019 as well. The good news is he should be fully healthy by the time spring training roles around, and had he attended Florida instead of going to pro ball, he'd just be entering his junior season anyways, so he's still younger than recent college draftees like George Kirby and Brandon Williamson. When he's healthy, he has three potential plus pitches that he can command in a mid 90's fastball, a great slider, and a great changeup, which gives him the ceiling of a true ace. However, he has everything to prove after three years away from the mound, as he'll have to re-establish his feel for all of his pitches as well as his command. He's probably the biggest wild card in the system.
- Keep an eye on: Max Povse, Anthony Misiewicz, Penn Murfee, Adam Hill, Tim Elliott, Brayan Perez, Levi Stoudt
Relief Pitching
- Sam Delaplane (2020 Age: 25): Delaplane was a 23rd round pick out of Eastern Michigan in 2017, but since then, all he's done is strike out 270 batters in just 161.1 innings. In 2019, he had a 2.23 ERA, a 0.84 WHIP, and a 120/23 strikeout to walk ratio over 68.2 innings at High A Modesto and AA Arkansas, then tossed another 2.2 shutout innings (with five strikeouts) in the Texas League playoffs. Delaplane sits in the mid 90's with his fastball and adds a good slider with average command, but everything plays up because hitters just can't pick up the ball out of his hand. He comes from a high arm slot, almost similar to the Dodgers' Marshall Kasowski, and the ball looks like it's coming out of his ear. So even though it's a middle relief profile with his lack of a true strikeout pitch, he will likely end up as more just because you just can't track his pitches.
- Aaron Fletcher (2020 Age: 24): Fletcher was the Nationals' 14th round pick out of Houston in 2018, then came over in the Hunter Strickland/Roenis Elias deal in 2019. Between the two organizations, he posted a 2.09 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, and an 84/18 strikeout to walk ratio over 73.1 innings at Class A, High A, and AA, though he doesn't fit the typical relief profile. The lefty sits in the low 90's with his fastball and adds a good slider and a decent changeup, but he makes everything play up due to his above average command as well as his ability to be much more pitcher than thrower. He hides the ball well in his deliberate delivery, and the angle he can put on his pitches makes them play up from the left side. Additionally, Fletcher has shown the ability to be effective over multiple innings, and I honestly think he could crack it as a #4 or a #5 starter, but the Mariners seem committed to him as a lefty long reliever.
- Joey Gerber (2020 Age: 22-23): Gerber was an eighth round pick out of Illinois in 2018, and as expected, he's moved quickly through the minors. After reaching Class A in his pro debut, Gerber had a strong first full season in 2019 with a 2.59 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, and a 69/19 strikeout to walk ratio over 48.2 innings at High A Modesto and AA Arkansas, then added five shutout innings (with six K's and no walks) in the Texas League playoffs. Gerber is a fastball/slider guy that sits in the mid 90's with his fastball and gets good lateral movement on his frisbee slider, and both pitches play up because his funky delivery makes it difficult to pick them up. While his command can be just a bit shaky, he's done a good job of getting his funky delivery under control and keeping a consistent arm slot, which has helped him hit his spots more often than not. He should be in the bigs in 2020.
- Keep an eye on: Taylor Guilbeau, Art Warren, Wyatt Mills, Dayeison Arias,
Showing posts with label Noelvi Marte. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Noelvi Marte. Show all posts
Sunday, January 5, 2020
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Reviewing the Seattle Mariners Farm System
Dealin' Jerry DiPoto has taken a sledgehammer to this farm system, sending away prospects like Luiz Gohara, Mallex Smith, Nick Neidert, Ryan Yarbrough, Emilio Pagan, Andrew Moore, Tyler O'Neill, Boog Powell, Brayan Hernandez, Pablo Lopez, Thomas Burrows, and Juan Then just to name a few of the trades since the start of 2017. What's left is a very thin system with some high-ceiling talent at the top of the prospect charts and a smattering of relief prospects and recent draftees towards the bottom. The Mariners' player development isn't the greatest, which lowers the floors of many prospects, and with the team missing the playoffs again in 2018, the team isn't in a great spot. For now, the balance leans towards hitting, with many high ceiling hitters at the lower levels and quite a few utility prospects closer to the majors. Below are the system's bright spots.
Update: Mariners have since acquired Justus Sheffield, Erik Swanson, Dom Thompson-Williams, Jarred Kelenic, Justin Dunn, Gerson Bautista, and Jake Fraley
Affiliates: AAA Tacoma Rainiers, AA Arkansas Travelers, High A Modesto Nuts, Class A Clinton LumberKings*, Short Season Everett AquaSox, complex level AZL and DSL Mariners
*Class A Affiliate will move from Clinton, IA to Charleston, WV in 2019
The Headliner: OF Kyle Lewis
Kyle Lewis was drafted eleventh overall out of Mercer in 2016, though many people - myself included - saw this as a steal for the Mariners, who seemed to be getting a top ten or even top five talent. However, after a strong start to his pro career (.299/.385/.530 in 30 games at Short Season Everett in 2016), he blew out his knee in a home plate collision and it seems he is still feeling the effects. 2017 (.257/.329/.412) and 2018 (.244/.306/.405) have both been mediocre as he still doesn't appear fully healthy, and he turned 23 in July. Now, let's get to the good news. He is still extremely talented, and pre-injury he showed plus power, plus speed, a plus arm, and quick enough hands to hit for a high average. He still shows the quick hands and gets to his power occasionally (nine home runs and 26 doubles this year), and the lack of production really isn't his fault. His hands get through the zone so quickly that with his 6'4" frame, you can't give up on him yet. It's easy to project a healthy Lewis having an Eloy Jimenez-type breakout season in 2019, and if it all breaks right, I think he could hit 20-30 home runs per season in the majors with on-base percentages in the .350 range and good defense in the outfield.
Advanced Utility Prospects: 1B Evan White, OF Braden Bishop, 3B Joe Rizzo, SS Donnie Walton, OF Eric Filia, OF Chuck Taylor
While Kyle Lewis looks to be the next star in Seattle, the guys in this section of the list, save for White, don't project to be much more than bench assets. Fortunately for the Mariners, there are quite a few of them, meaning that one could end up exceeding expectations and contributing in a significant way. We'll start with Evan White, easily the second best position player prospect in the system. A high floor, low ceiling player when he was drafted 17th overall out of Kentucky in 2017, he has performed exactly to expectations, slashing .300/.371/.453 with eleven home runs and a 108/52 strikeout to walk ratio over 124 games this year, 120 of which came at High A Modesto. As with any California League statistics, they must be taken with a grain of salt, but these pretty much tell the story: a high on-base percentage and enough power to make pitchers respect him. While the power might be a little light for a first baseman who is typically expected to provide the thump, he makes up for it with exceptional defense (not common among first basemen) and he could be shifted to the outfield if needed. Expect a productive bat that may not be able to serve in the middle of a lineup but one that could slot nicely as a #6 hitter. 25 year old outfielder Braden Bishop is already a fan favorite, and for good reason. He established a charity called 4MOM in honor of his mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimers, and he is extremely active in his philanthropic endeavor. On the baseball side, he slashed .284/.361/.412 with eight home runs and a 68/37 strikeout to walk ratio at AA Arkansas this year, showing serviceability in all aspects of offense. His glove is considered excellent in the outfield, and because he has shown some competency at the plate, he should have little trouble reaching the majors. However, since he doesn't offer much power and he's only a marginally productive on-base threat, I think it's unlikely that he ends up a leadoff hitter, but he still could be a nice bottom of the order piece. Most likely, he's a productive fourth outfielder. 20 year old infielder Joe Rizzo has seen his bat stagnate as he has moved up through the minors, slashing .241/.303/.321 with four home runs and a 108/40 strikeout to walk ratio even at hitter-friendly Modesto, and it's looking like he'll need to make some adjustments ahead of the 2019 season if he wants to remain a notable prospect. His defense is so-so, but fortunately, time is on his side and he is universally noted for his work ethic, which could help him tap the considerable raw power I still believe he possesses. He just needs to get more consistent with his approach. 24 year old infielder Donnie Walton hit much better at Modesto (.309/.402/.433) than he did after his promotion to Arkansas (.236/.325/.327), showing a classic utility projection with his defense, on-base ability, and lack of power. His solid approach (71/51 K/BB) gives him a high floor, and he'll likely be in Seattle by the end of 2019. 26 year old outfielder Eric Filia is an interesting prospect in that he was nearly 24 when he was drafted out of UCLA in 2016, has been suspended twice for drugs of abuse, and that his plate discipline is excellent despite a so-so bat. At Arkansas this year, he slashed .274/.371/.348 with just a pair of home runs, but his 30/44 strikeout to walk ratio shows great patience (12.8% walk rate) as well as great bat to ball skills (8.7% strikeout rate). That bodes well for him to be able to translate his hitting up to the majors, though his lack of power and ability to hit the ball with much authority, combined with his age at this point, will likely render him to a fourth or fifth outfielder role. Lastly, 25 year old outfielder Chuck Taylor has a similar current on-field profile to Filia, slashing .297/.377/.376 with three home runs and a nice 79/61 strikeout to walk ratio over 126 games at Arkansas. As with Filia, there's not much power, but he has shown an advanced approach at the upper levels which will help him get to the majors.
Starting Pitching Options: Logan Gilbert, Sam Carlson, Max Povse, Rob Whalen
There isn't much pitching talent in the system, and the group is even thinner when it comes to starting pitchers. In fact, with Michigan natives Anthony Misiewicz (5.24 ERA, 95/29 K/BB at mostly AA) and Oliver Jaskie (6.60 ERA, 77/49 K/BB at Class A) having rough seasons, the four listed in this section are the only ones with any real shot at being difference-making starting pitchers. The system's top pitching prospect, 2018 first rounder (14th overall) Logan Gilbert, has not thrown a professional pitch yet. He dominated at Stetson this year (11-2, 2.72 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 163/25 K/BB in 112 IP), showing an advanced four pitch arsenal which, when combined with his 6'6" frame, gives him a very high ceiling. However, his stuff was somewhat inconsistent in 2018, giving him some risk as a pitcher who might not be able to make his stuff translate upwards. We'll see if the Seattle development program makes an ace out of Gilbert or ends up with a relief arm. Sam Carlson, who was drafted in the second round (55th overall) out of a Minnesota high school in 2017 but who signed for first round money, is a long way off. The 19 year old underwent Tommy John surgery in July, meaning he probably won't pitch at all in 2019. When healthy, the 6'4" righty has ace-like stuff, throwing in the mid 90's and adding a wicked slider/changeup combination while controlling it all well for a teenager. Age is on his side, but we'll just have to play the wait and see game to find out if he becomes the next Felix Hernandez. 25 year old Max Povse came over in a trade from the Braves after the 2016 season, and while he seems to have AA down, he has struggled to perform in AAA. Between the 2017 and 2018 seasons, both of which were split between AA Arkansas and AAA Tacoma, he is 7-5 with a 3.43 ERA and a 92/33 strikeout to walk ratio at Arkansas but 2-10 with an 8.17 ERA and a 74/40 strikeout to walk ratio at Tacoma. The 6'8" righty has average stuff that plays up due to his height, but it looks like AAA hitting has figured him out and he'll need his stuff to take one more step forward to be successful in the majors. He has a #4/#5 starter ceiling but if converted to relief, he can probably be a solid bullpen piece right now. 24 year old Rob Whalen has been a prospect for a long time, having been drafted in 2012 out of high school in Florida. He dominated the low minors but has struggled in the upper minors, mixing his average stuff and getting mediocre results. He posted a 5.16 ERA and a 92/37 strikeout to walk ratio at AAA Tacoma this year, which isn't awful considering the context, and he really only needs to take one more step forward to be a useful #5 starter for the Mariners. More likely, he's a long reliever.
Bullpen Options: Matthew Festa, Wyatt Mills, Joey Gerber, Art Warren, Nick Rumbelow
Relief prospects tend to pop out of nowhere, either as converted starters or guys who just found something that clicked. The Mariners don't have many of these either, but they don't have much of anything and this spot isn't necessarily a weak one for them. Matthew Festa offers the best combination of major league readiness and upside, coming in with a pretty good fastball/slider combination backed up by a curveball and a changeup. He posted a 2.76 ERA and a nice 67/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 49 innings at AA Arkansas this year, reaching the majors for a few appearances with mixed results. The 25 year old has a decent shot of breaking camp with the Mariners next year, and if he doesn't he should be one of the first to be called up from the minors to do some middle relief work. 23 year old Wyatt Mills pitched very well at High A Modesto (1.91 ERA, 49/9 K/BB in 42.1 IP) but struggled with his promotion to Arkansas (10.13 ERA, 10/4 K/BB in 10.2 IP). He's a sidearming righty with a true fastball/slider combo, working more from a place of deception than of dominance. He hasn't proven that he can hold up against higher level hitting, but his upside is higher than Festa's. 21 year old Joey Gerber was just drafted in the eighth round out of Illinois this past June, but he has already made a name for himself in this system by posting a 2.10 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and a 43/11 strikeout to walk ratio over his first 25.2 innings in the minors, split between the short season Northwest League and Class A Clinton. He uses a very good, very deceptive fastball/slider combination to get outs, but with that deception comes some command problems which ultimately have not hampered him yet in the minors. Look for Gerber to be among the first 2018 draftees for any team to reach the majors. 25 year old Art Warren is a converted starter who battled shoulder issues in 2018, using his full, four pitch arsenal to rack up strikeouts but also struggling with command. He may have to drop a pitch going forward (probably his changeup), but getting healthy and throwing strikes will be his most important goal because he is clearly talented enough to pitch in the major leagues. 27 year old Nick Rumbelow makes this list really because of his proximity to the majors. He actually pitched for the Yankees in the majors as far back as 2015, but with 33.1 career major league innings he is still technically a prospect. He has mastered the minor leagues and has a 1.35 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, and a 71/19 strikeout to walk ratio over 60 innings in AA and AAA over the last two seasons, so all he really needs is an opportunity. At 27, he's probably not getting any better.
Distant Offensive Wild Cards: OF Josh Stowers, C Cal Raleigh, OF Julio Rodriguez, SS Juan Querecuto, SS Noelvi Marte, OF Luis Liberato, OF Anthony Jimenez
The reasons behind the Mariners' lack of advanced prospects comes from a combination of trades and poor player development, which is why you see all these names here at the bottom, where the Mariners actually have some depth. I'll start with the two 2018 draftees from major ACC programs. I saw second rounder (54th overall) Josh Stowers play for Louisville this year, and he's a wiry outfielder with tons of speed, patience, and a bat that was picking up as the spring progressed. He hit .260/.380/.410 with 20 stolen bases in the short season Northwest League this year, and if he can keep his strikeouts down and recognize pitches well, he could be a leadoff man in Seattle. Third rounder (90th overall) Cal Raleigh comes from Florida State and is the team's best catching prospect, and his .288/.367/.534 line in 38 games in the Northwest League was very encouraging. He has a lot to prove against more advanced pitching and with his defense behind the plate, but not a lot of catchers can swing it and he can. The next two players, Julio Rodriguez and Juan Querecuto, played all of 2018 at just 17 years old down in the Dominican Summer League. Rodriguez hit .315/.404/.525 with ten stolen bases and a 40/30 strikeout to walk ratio while showing arguably the best upside in the entire system, while Querecuto hit .243/.331/.329 with a 54/25 strikeout to walk ratio. Rodriguez is an outfielder who obviously has a long, long way to go, but he's done everything asked of him so far and could be an impact player in Seattle four or five years down the road. Querecuto, meanwhile, is more known for his defense at shortstop and his bat will need to develop considerably if he wants to make it. The defense does give the bat plenty of time, though, and takes the pressure off of it as he moves up. Noelvi Marte, who just turned 17 a few weeks ago, might be the youngest player I write about in this series because of the Mariners' lack of depth. The shortstop has big time power that should grow as he adds loft, and as a shortstop the bat has time to develop. His defense doesn't quite match Querecuto's but the bat is better. Of course, he has not appeared in the minors yet so he is completely unproven. The last two guys in this section, 22 year old Luis Liberato and 23 year old Anthony Jimenez, don't exactly qualify as "distant" but fit better here than in the utility section due to their upside. Liberato slashed .250/.317/.424 at Modesto in the High California League this year, which is decent given the hitter-friendly nature of the league. He's got power, good plate discipline, and good defense, but he'll still have to take another step forward with the bat to be any kind of impact player. Jimenez, meanwhile, slashed .262/.314/.377 with six home runs and 13 stolen bases the same level, which is somewhat disappointing. His defense and speed buy his bat time, but having just turned 23, the bat will have to pick up sooner or later.
Update: Mariners have since acquired Justus Sheffield, Erik Swanson, Dom Thompson-Williams, Jarred Kelenic, Justin Dunn, Gerson Bautista, and Jake Fraley
Affiliates: AAA Tacoma Rainiers, AA Arkansas Travelers, High A Modesto Nuts, Class A Clinton LumberKings*, Short Season Everett AquaSox, complex level AZL and DSL Mariners
*Class A Affiliate will move from Clinton, IA to Charleston, WV in 2019
The Headliner: OF Kyle Lewis
Kyle Lewis was drafted eleventh overall out of Mercer in 2016, though many people - myself included - saw this as a steal for the Mariners, who seemed to be getting a top ten or even top five talent. However, after a strong start to his pro career (.299/.385/.530 in 30 games at Short Season Everett in 2016), he blew out his knee in a home plate collision and it seems he is still feeling the effects. 2017 (.257/.329/.412) and 2018 (.244/.306/.405) have both been mediocre as he still doesn't appear fully healthy, and he turned 23 in July. Now, let's get to the good news. He is still extremely talented, and pre-injury he showed plus power, plus speed, a plus arm, and quick enough hands to hit for a high average. He still shows the quick hands and gets to his power occasionally (nine home runs and 26 doubles this year), and the lack of production really isn't his fault. His hands get through the zone so quickly that with his 6'4" frame, you can't give up on him yet. It's easy to project a healthy Lewis having an Eloy Jimenez-type breakout season in 2019, and if it all breaks right, I think he could hit 20-30 home runs per season in the majors with on-base percentages in the .350 range and good defense in the outfield.
Advanced Utility Prospects: 1B Evan White, OF Braden Bishop, 3B Joe Rizzo, SS Donnie Walton, OF Eric Filia, OF Chuck Taylor
While Kyle Lewis looks to be the next star in Seattle, the guys in this section of the list, save for White, don't project to be much more than bench assets. Fortunately for the Mariners, there are quite a few of them, meaning that one could end up exceeding expectations and contributing in a significant way. We'll start with Evan White, easily the second best position player prospect in the system. A high floor, low ceiling player when he was drafted 17th overall out of Kentucky in 2017, he has performed exactly to expectations, slashing .300/.371/.453 with eleven home runs and a 108/52 strikeout to walk ratio over 124 games this year, 120 of which came at High A Modesto. As with any California League statistics, they must be taken with a grain of salt, but these pretty much tell the story: a high on-base percentage and enough power to make pitchers respect him. While the power might be a little light for a first baseman who is typically expected to provide the thump, he makes up for it with exceptional defense (not common among first basemen) and he could be shifted to the outfield if needed. Expect a productive bat that may not be able to serve in the middle of a lineup but one that could slot nicely as a #6 hitter. 25 year old outfielder Braden Bishop is already a fan favorite, and for good reason. He established a charity called 4MOM in honor of his mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimers, and he is extremely active in his philanthropic endeavor. On the baseball side, he slashed .284/.361/.412 with eight home runs and a 68/37 strikeout to walk ratio at AA Arkansas this year, showing serviceability in all aspects of offense. His glove is considered excellent in the outfield, and because he has shown some competency at the plate, he should have little trouble reaching the majors. However, since he doesn't offer much power and he's only a marginally productive on-base threat, I think it's unlikely that he ends up a leadoff hitter, but he still could be a nice bottom of the order piece. Most likely, he's a productive fourth outfielder. 20 year old infielder Joe Rizzo has seen his bat stagnate as he has moved up through the minors, slashing .241/.303/.321 with four home runs and a 108/40 strikeout to walk ratio even at hitter-friendly Modesto, and it's looking like he'll need to make some adjustments ahead of the 2019 season if he wants to remain a notable prospect. His defense is so-so, but fortunately, time is on his side and he is universally noted for his work ethic, which could help him tap the considerable raw power I still believe he possesses. He just needs to get more consistent with his approach. 24 year old infielder Donnie Walton hit much better at Modesto (.309/.402/.433) than he did after his promotion to Arkansas (.236/.325/.327), showing a classic utility projection with his defense, on-base ability, and lack of power. His solid approach (71/51 K/BB) gives him a high floor, and he'll likely be in Seattle by the end of 2019. 26 year old outfielder Eric Filia is an interesting prospect in that he was nearly 24 when he was drafted out of UCLA in 2016, has been suspended twice for drugs of abuse, and that his plate discipline is excellent despite a so-so bat. At Arkansas this year, he slashed .274/.371/.348 with just a pair of home runs, but his 30/44 strikeout to walk ratio shows great patience (12.8% walk rate) as well as great bat to ball skills (8.7% strikeout rate). That bodes well for him to be able to translate his hitting up to the majors, though his lack of power and ability to hit the ball with much authority, combined with his age at this point, will likely render him to a fourth or fifth outfielder role. Lastly, 25 year old outfielder Chuck Taylor has a similar current on-field profile to Filia, slashing .297/.377/.376 with three home runs and a nice 79/61 strikeout to walk ratio over 126 games at Arkansas. As with Filia, there's not much power, but he has shown an advanced approach at the upper levels which will help him get to the majors.
Starting Pitching Options: Logan Gilbert, Sam Carlson, Max Povse, Rob Whalen
There isn't much pitching talent in the system, and the group is even thinner when it comes to starting pitchers. In fact, with Michigan natives Anthony Misiewicz (5.24 ERA, 95/29 K/BB at mostly AA) and Oliver Jaskie (6.60 ERA, 77/49 K/BB at Class A) having rough seasons, the four listed in this section are the only ones with any real shot at being difference-making starting pitchers. The system's top pitching prospect, 2018 first rounder (14th overall) Logan Gilbert, has not thrown a professional pitch yet. He dominated at Stetson this year (11-2, 2.72 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 163/25 K/BB in 112 IP), showing an advanced four pitch arsenal which, when combined with his 6'6" frame, gives him a very high ceiling. However, his stuff was somewhat inconsistent in 2018, giving him some risk as a pitcher who might not be able to make his stuff translate upwards. We'll see if the Seattle development program makes an ace out of Gilbert or ends up with a relief arm. Sam Carlson, who was drafted in the second round (55th overall) out of a Minnesota high school in 2017 but who signed for first round money, is a long way off. The 19 year old underwent Tommy John surgery in July, meaning he probably won't pitch at all in 2019. When healthy, the 6'4" righty has ace-like stuff, throwing in the mid 90's and adding a wicked slider/changeup combination while controlling it all well for a teenager. Age is on his side, but we'll just have to play the wait and see game to find out if he becomes the next Felix Hernandez. 25 year old Max Povse came over in a trade from the Braves after the 2016 season, and while he seems to have AA down, he has struggled to perform in AAA. Between the 2017 and 2018 seasons, both of which were split between AA Arkansas and AAA Tacoma, he is 7-5 with a 3.43 ERA and a 92/33 strikeout to walk ratio at Arkansas but 2-10 with an 8.17 ERA and a 74/40 strikeout to walk ratio at Tacoma. The 6'8" righty has average stuff that plays up due to his height, but it looks like AAA hitting has figured him out and he'll need his stuff to take one more step forward to be successful in the majors. He has a #4/#5 starter ceiling but if converted to relief, he can probably be a solid bullpen piece right now. 24 year old Rob Whalen has been a prospect for a long time, having been drafted in 2012 out of high school in Florida. He dominated the low minors but has struggled in the upper minors, mixing his average stuff and getting mediocre results. He posted a 5.16 ERA and a 92/37 strikeout to walk ratio at AAA Tacoma this year, which isn't awful considering the context, and he really only needs to take one more step forward to be a useful #5 starter for the Mariners. More likely, he's a long reliever.
Bullpen Options: Matthew Festa, Wyatt Mills, Joey Gerber, Art Warren, Nick Rumbelow
Relief prospects tend to pop out of nowhere, either as converted starters or guys who just found something that clicked. The Mariners don't have many of these either, but they don't have much of anything and this spot isn't necessarily a weak one for them. Matthew Festa offers the best combination of major league readiness and upside, coming in with a pretty good fastball/slider combination backed up by a curveball and a changeup. He posted a 2.76 ERA and a nice 67/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 49 innings at AA Arkansas this year, reaching the majors for a few appearances with mixed results. The 25 year old has a decent shot of breaking camp with the Mariners next year, and if he doesn't he should be one of the first to be called up from the minors to do some middle relief work. 23 year old Wyatt Mills pitched very well at High A Modesto (1.91 ERA, 49/9 K/BB in 42.1 IP) but struggled with his promotion to Arkansas (10.13 ERA, 10/4 K/BB in 10.2 IP). He's a sidearming righty with a true fastball/slider combo, working more from a place of deception than of dominance. He hasn't proven that he can hold up against higher level hitting, but his upside is higher than Festa's. 21 year old Joey Gerber was just drafted in the eighth round out of Illinois this past June, but he has already made a name for himself in this system by posting a 2.10 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and a 43/11 strikeout to walk ratio over his first 25.2 innings in the minors, split between the short season Northwest League and Class A Clinton. He uses a very good, very deceptive fastball/slider combination to get outs, but with that deception comes some command problems which ultimately have not hampered him yet in the minors. Look for Gerber to be among the first 2018 draftees for any team to reach the majors. 25 year old Art Warren is a converted starter who battled shoulder issues in 2018, using his full, four pitch arsenal to rack up strikeouts but also struggling with command. He may have to drop a pitch going forward (probably his changeup), but getting healthy and throwing strikes will be his most important goal because he is clearly talented enough to pitch in the major leagues. 27 year old Nick Rumbelow makes this list really because of his proximity to the majors. He actually pitched for the Yankees in the majors as far back as 2015, but with 33.1 career major league innings he is still technically a prospect. He has mastered the minor leagues and has a 1.35 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, and a 71/19 strikeout to walk ratio over 60 innings in AA and AAA over the last two seasons, so all he really needs is an opportunity. At 27, he's probably not getting any better.
Distant Offensive Wild Cards: OF Josh Stowers, C Cal Raleigh, OF Julio Rodriguez, SS Juan Querecuto, SS Noelvi Marte, OF Luis Liberato, OF Anthony Jimenez
The reasons behind the Mariners' lack of advanced prospects comes from a combination of trades and poor player development, which is why you see all these names here at the bottom, where the Mariners actually have some depth. I'll start with the two 2018 draftees from major ACC programs. I saw second rounder (54th overall) Josh Stowers play for Louisville this year, and he's a wiry outfielder with tons of speed, patience, and a bat that was picking up as the spring progressed. He hit .260/.380/.410 with 20 stolen bases in the short season Northwest League this year, and if he can keep his strikeouts down and recognize pitches well, he could be a leadoff man in Seattle. Third rounder (90th overall) Cal Raleigh comes from Florida State and is the team's best catching prospect, and his .288/.367/.534 line in 38 games in the Northwest League was very encouraging. He has a lot to prove against more advanced pitching and with his defense behind the plate, but not a lot of catchers can swing it and he can. The next two players, Julio Rodriguez and Juan Querecuto, played all of 2018 at just 17 years old down in the Dominican Summer League. Rodriguez hit .315/.404/.525 with ten stolen bases and a 40/30 strikeout to walk ratio while showing arguably the best upside in the entire system, while Querecuto hit .243/.331/.329 with a 54/25 strikeout to walk ratio. Rodriguez is an outfielder who obviously has a long, long way to go, but he's done everything asked of him so far and could be an impact player in Seattle four or five years down the road. Querecuto, meanwhile, is more known for his defense at shortstop and his bat will need to develop considerably if he wants to make it. The defense does give the bat plenty of time, though, and takes the pressure off of it as he moves up. Noelvi Marte, who just turned 17 a few weeks ago, might be the youngest player I write about in this series because of the Mariners' lack of depth. The shortstop has big time power that should grow as he adds loft, and as a shortstop the bat has time to develop. His defense doesn't quite match Querecuto's but the bat is better. Of course, he has not appeared in the minors yet so he is completely unproven. The last two guys in this section, 22 year old Luis Liberato and 23 year old Anthony Jimenez, don't exactly qualify as "distant" but fit better here than in the utility section due to their upside. Liberato slashed .250/.317/.424 at Modesto in the High California League this year, which is decent given the hitter-friendly nature of the league. He's got power, good plate discipline, and good defense, but he'll still have to take another step forward with the bat to be any kind of impact player. Jimenez, meanwhile, slashed .262/.314/.377 with six home runs and 13 stolen bases the same level, which is somewhat disappointing. His defense and speed buy his bat time, but having just turned 23, the bat will have to pick up sooner or later.
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