Nos. 11-20 boasts upside and warmth

POSTED: Nos. 31-40
POSTED: Nos. 21-30

Monday: Nos. 6-10
Wednesday: No. 5
Thursday: No. 4
Friday: No. 3
Saturday, Feb. 27: No. 2
Sunday, Feb. 28: No. 1
Monday, March 1: Finest Instruments
Tuesday, March 2: What number of Mariners prospects can be No. 1 elsewhere?
Wednesday March 3: Projected 2024 Lineup, Rotation, Bullpen
Thursday, March 4: Projecting the Prime 10 Prospects after the season

The Seattle Mariners farm system is as deep because it’s ever been. There’s big-league expertise past the membership’s Prime 20. Under is prospects Nos. 11-20.

Vital word: There’s not a major distinction between 20 and 13, at the least not as a lot as seven complete spots in a very good farm system would counsel, however right here’s a fragile steadiness between upside, threat, and ETA.

20. Milkar Perez, 3B
Perez continues to be uncooked and since he lacks athleticism is restricted defensively. The Mariners consider his arm energy and arms enable him to work at third base, however there are questions as as to whether or not his energy will.

He’s a change hitter however is best from the left aspect and the distinction could also be stark sufficient to finally abandon the efforts from the precise aspect. For now, he reveals above-average uncooked energy as a lefty.

Perez’s calling card is bat-to-ball abilities that generate onerous line drives due to good bat velocity. However the energy is vital right here, as he’s not athletic sufficient to undertaking to the outfield, although his arm would play, and a transfer throughout the diamond to first does nothing however add strain to the bat.

He’ll need to hit regardless, and if the ability doesn’t come he’ll need to hit an terrible lot to profile as a daily. The Mariners like a loot of the intangible, nonetheless, and a .280/.350/.450, doubles-driven bat isn’t that removed from what Kyle Seager delivered to the desk in his prime, so… no sneezing.

TOOLS

19. Jake Fraley, OF
Like Bishop, Fraley is beginning to run out of time to indicate he’s a solution to a query Seattle is asking.

What we all know is Fraley can run some and canopy floor within the outfield. He displayed improved energy in 2018 and 2019 after including some bulk to his body, however his recreation plan in his quick stints within the majors was uncovered and he wasn’t given a whole lot of time to make changes.

The swing is brief sufficient and the bat velocity is above-average, however he’s had issues staying again on mushy stuff and since he could not profile in heart he’s unlikely to function something greater than a part-time possibility if he doesn’t piece collectively a success + doubles bundle on the plate.

He’ll be 26 in Could and has a shot to interrupt camp with the massive membership. His shot to indicate he’s greater than an additional could also be restricted to some weeks of at-bats, or include one other crew.

TOOLS

18. Levi Stoudt, RHP
After Tommy John surgical procedure two summers in the past, Stoudt’s arm energy is all the best way again as he touched 97 this previous fall. He got here to professional ball with an above-average split-grip changeup projecting to be plus or higher in time.

He’s going with the slider as his breaking ball of alternative, however has a curveball in his pocket if he ever desires to return to it; it was below-average at Lehigh, however flashed depth.

I’m not as excessive on Stoudt at this stage as most others as a result of he’s but to throw an expert pitch and lacks bodily projection at 6-foot-1 and 200 kilos — to not point out has the zipper on his resume now, and is already 23.

I believe there’s an excellent probability he’s a reliever, however has a shot to be a very good No. 4 or a light-weight if issues break proper, and the very fact he tasks for common command lends confidence to the median projection. He’s at the least two and a half years away in a rotation function, but when he’s transitioned may transfer quickly to the majors as a legit three-pitch arm able to pitching in high-leverage conditions.

TOOLS

17. Connor Phillips, RHP
Phillips is definitely extra of a undertaking than is Stoudt, however there’s much more projection within the body (6-2/190) and regardless of technically being a school draftee (McLennan JC, TX) he received’t flip 20 till Could.

He’s tagged 98 mph along with his fastball and his cruising velocity is a straightforward 92-95 with some run. He added curveball final summer time, however his onerous slider has flashed plus and every now and then final spring confirmed a median change.

He’s additional away from his ceiling, however there’s in all probability one other step for Phillips that isn’t there for Stoudt, and each include there personal dangers. For Phillips, it’s inconsistent management and command, and a supply that’s come aside with runners on base.

TOOLS

16. Andres Muñoz, RHR
Muñoz is a straightforward scouting report. Previous to the damage he was 97-102 mph with a median slider that performs up as a result of the speed is actually burning cheese.

Muñoz will not be afraid to throw in on right-handed batters, and his warmth reveals efficient run to his arm aspect and tons of life on the prime of the zone.

The management issues stem primarily from his high-effort supply yanking him onerous to the first-base aspect of the mound at launch level. If he can keep in-line extra all the pieces, together with (as ridiculous because it sounds) the triple-digit warmth. However there are additionally some arm path changes that might me made to assist him with consistency.

How a lot the Mariners need to mess with that with the righty coming off March, 2020 Tommy John surgical procedure stays unclear, however a wholesome Muñoz sees the majors this season and when he does it’s must-see TV, regardless that it will shock nobody if he wasn’t dwelling within the upper-90s proper out of the gate.

One purpose the Mariners could be aggressive in attempting to wash up Muñoz’s mechanics is his historical past of arm points, nearly solely with the elbow.

Seattle is hoping he will be their reduction ace shifting ahead, and the stuff means that’s believable. There’s only a methods to go for it to happen so I’ve a tough time rating him larger than this.

TOOLS

15. Sam Carlson, RHP
I’m high-man on the now 22-year-old Carlson regardless of the very fact he’s coming off 2019 Tommy John and has confronted simply 13 batters in three and a half years because the Mariners chosen him in Spherical 2 of the 2017 Draft and handed him $2 million.

Why?

He possesses a projectable starter’s repertoire, together with a sophisticated changeup, sinking fastball as much as 96 mph, and potential for a median or higher slider thrown from a real three-quarters slot. He’s additionally an absolute beast, each bodily and by way of psychological toughness.

Carlson is likely one of the finest athletes within the system and as constructed himself right into a monster, including good weight and sustaining an explosive decrease half.

That is the final word high-risk, high-reward for a lot of, however I see No. 3 upside with a very good center reliever’s flooring, and I believe he’s going to maneuver just a little quicker than one would possibly in any other case suppose as a result of he’ll get a whole lot of worth out of his sinking fastball within the decrease minors.

I think about Carlson has an opportunity to start out in Modesto in Could, but it surely wouldn’t be stunning if Seattle held him again a bit to simply handle his workload in what all of us hope is his first full season in professional ball.

TOOLS

14. Austin Shenton, 3B
I may additionally he high-man on Shenton, however I consider within the hit software and suppose his energy will present up extra after he will get to the massive leagues, not not like Kyle Seager, who managed simply 22 homers in 1245 plate appearances spanning 269 minor leagues video games.

What Shenton doesn’t fairly have — or at the least hadn’t proven via 2019 — is Seager’s arms and toes at third base. I believe he finally ends up fringe-average at finest defensively on the sizzling nook, however there’s an opportunity the bat performs after which some, overlaying a transfer to a corner-outfield spot.

He sees the ball properly and could be the neatest hitter within the system. Shenton’s strengths additionally match T-Cell Park very properly; he likes to make use of each gaps for doubles, can go line-to-line involved conditions and his pull energy performs to Mobi’s right-field naturally.

Shenton could also be match to start out 2021 in Double-A Arkansas with an opportunity to see Tacoma by yr’s finish.

TOOLS

13. Jonatan Clase, CF
And I KNOW I’m high-man on Clase.

The 18-year-old child starred for the DSL membership two summers in the past, regardless of many of the consideration going to his extra well-known teammate, Noelvi Marte.

Clase swung and missed a bit an excessive amount of throughout that stint, however has bat velocity, instincts, can run for days, and has proven the group a piece ethic that makes participant improvement staffers giddy.

He’s truly grown a couple of inches and placed on some good weight, however I’m advised stays explosive out of the field and within the area. His velocity and quickness give him a strong probability to stay in heart area, although he wants a whole lot of expertise and training, and a throwing program has helped him undertaking to common arm energy.

He’s years away, and continues to be uncooked on the plate, however received’t be 19 till late Could, and when he’s anyplace close to a area is as energetic as any participant you’ve ever seen. He does nothing half-assed, and has an opportunity to affect the sport in a whole lot of methods, although energy isn’t more likely to be certainly one of them to an excellent diploma.

I’ll take a participant like Clase over a high-probability back-end starter or a reduction arm any day of the week and twice on recreation day. Clase is probably going beginning the season in prolonged awaiting the rookie season to start out.

TOOLS

12. Zach DeLoach, CF
I warned on DeLoach three weeks after the draft when a crew analyst advised me DeLoach was the most effective ’20 Draftee he noticed in 10 days watching fall ball.

DeLoach has above-average uncooked energy to his pull aspect, however in any other case is a greater wager to make use of the center of the sector, make a whole lot of onerous contact and get on base a ton.

There could also be 16-18 homers within the bat, but when there isn’t the bat could also be gentle for a nook, placing strain on his instincts to take over in heart and make up for common velocity and fringe-average arm energy.

DeLoach, too, is a left-handed bat that profiles properly at T-Cell Park, and I’m just a little extra bullish on the ability growing than some, explaining why I’ve him 4-10 spots larger.

I’d wish to see the Mariners ship DeLoach to Everett in Could to get began.

TOOLS

11. Juan Then, RHP
Then, correctly pronounced extra like ‘Tayn’ (silent ‘h’) however more likely to be Americanized to ‘Ten,’ is a bit undersized at 6-feet tall however placed on some good weight over the previous year-plus and his velocity exploded in instructs, reportedly touching 100 mph and dwelling 95-plus in brief outings.

The decrease slot he’s deployed would possibly affect his means to throw a legit, repeatable changeup in a starter’s function, but it surely’s added deception and motion to his fastball and slider.

He has an opportunity to start out, and the ceiling lies someplace in the course of the rotation, however the flooring could also be as a excessive as the subsequent Edwin Diaz. He’s a very good athlete and in years previous has thrown sufficient strikes to consider he’ll proceed to take action shifting ahead, regardless of the added effort and distinction in launch angle.

Then ought to begin 2021 in Everett, the place play-by-play nice Pat Dillon ought to have top-of-the-line rosters in AquaSox historical past from which to create extra audio recollections for the remainder of us.

TOOLS

Final Up to date on February 21, 2021 by Jason A. Churchill

Churchill based Prospect Insider in 2006 after getting his begin at InsidethePark.com. He spent a number of years overlaying prep, faculty and professional sports activities for varied newspapers, together with The Information Tribune and Seattle PI.

Jason spent 4 1/2 years at ESPN and two years at CBS Radio.

Discover Jason’s podcast, Baseball Issues, proper right here and observe him on Twitter @ProspectInsider.

Newest posts by Jason A. Churchill (see all)