Post by Mariners GM (Tyler) on Jan 28, 2019 9:09:14 GMT -6
SP Prospects:
1) Tanner Houck (BOS) #10 Grade B: Age 23 ETA: 2020, first round pick in 2017 from University of Missouri, posted 3.63 ERA in 22 innings in NY-P with 25/8 K/BB, 21 hits allowed; posted 3.33 ERA in 95 innings for the Mizzou Tigers with 95/24 K/BB; fastball varies between 90 and 98 but works well even at the lower velocities due to hard sinking action; slider flashes plus but needs more consistency, as does his rudimentary change-up; usually throws strikes and has workhorse build; potential number three starter if off-speed pitch develops as hoped. ETA 2020.
Crossfire delivery that plays up nasty slider with big horizontal movement. Best suited for a bullpen role, with the ability to dominate right-handed batters.
Over the years, Houck’s repertoire has seen several iterations. First a two-seam fastball-slider combo was his bread and butter at Missouri. Then the Red Sox organization decided they thought he would be better off utilizing a four-seam fastball to pair with his slider. The trackman data backed up the change in attack, but by mid-June it was obvious the experiment didn’t work. On June 10, Houck had compiled a 6.15 FIP and a 15.4 BB% over his first 60 innings. Houck and the Red Sox scrapped the four-seamer and went back to his pitch mix from college. The righty finished the season on a high note, pitching to a 2.98 FIP, 26.2 K%, 8.2 BB%, .206 BAA, and an exceptional 0.39 HR/9. Optimism abounded Houck as he entered the off-season.
The 2019 version of Houck mixed two fastballs, the aforementioned slider, and a changeup in the mid-80s. This season I saw a fair amount of Houck between Double-A Portland and a late season stint in Triple-A Pawtucket. This gave me the opportunity to get a feel for his pitch mix, and let me be clear his two-seamer and slider are legitimate plus offerings. First, his sinker sits mid-90s with armside run and fade, making it a deadly pitch at the bottom of the zone. The need to add a four-seam was apparent as the two seam elevated tends to bleed into the middle of plate due to its sharp downward break. It’s also effective mostly to his armside, as once again its movement makes it tough to place on the gloveside. Overall the pitch should drive a heavy amount of ground ball contact, and be an effective swing and miss offering when sequenced with his slider and four-seam fastball variation.
His slider is the jewel of his arsenal in my humble opinion. A 3000+ rpm frisbee slider, Houck abuses righties as he places the pitch effectively on both sides of the plate for loads of swinging strikes. It lacks much vertical break, but has extreme horizontal movement due to its vertical spin axis. His low three-quarters arm slot and long arm action play up the pitch and add to the discomfort of right handed hitters. The slider generated a majority of the swing and miss in my looks.
Mechanically, Houck is unique, setting up on the first base side of the rubber before stepping toward third in a motion that brings all of his force in an east to west. As noted earlier it plays up his slider, but is also behind the lack of success he had with the four-seamer. Beyond the unique motion there’s a fair amount of effort leading me to believe he’s likely destined for a bullpen role. His changeup is still a work in progress, even if it shows flashes of effectiveness it’s often waning. A high leverage reliever is what I imagine Houck’s ultimate role, with an outside chance to start if his changeup improves.
2) Sam Carlson SEA #12/15 ETA: 2023 Grade B-: Age 20, second round pick in 2017 from high school in Minnesota; prototype pitcher’s body with athletic 6-4, 195 frame; fastball as high as 96-97 MPH, mixes in very good change-up and erratic but promising slider; makeup and mound presence also positives; threw three innings in rookie ball until being shut down with vaguely-described arm soreness, not supposed to be a big deal but he’s a pitcher so caution is advised until we see what kind of workload he can handle; not everyone likes his mechanics but Carlson is certainly the highest-ceiling arm in the system; personally I like him but I have a Midwestern bias; ETA 2022.
A sore elbow last July revealed that Carlson, a second-round pick from 2017, needed Tommy John surgery. He’s likely to miss all of 2019 and the Mariners will want to preach caution with what was once considered a top five prospect in the system. Seattle’s infusion of talent and Carlson’s injury drops him down here but you’d be wise to keep him in the back of your mind as he heals.
The righty broke out his senior year of high school when he jumped from high 80s velocity to 92-95 where teams started noticing him. With the Mariners he’s touched 97 already and has a chance to sit 93-95, giving him a plus pitch that might be rated a touch higher thanks to its sinking and arm-side run action. He has a slurve-type breaker with a hell of a bend and a changeup that he’s already shown feel for in the past. The only things to note are a present head whack at the point of release and working to avoid finishing so upright that it limits his extension.
Presuming that his stuff is back after Tommy John, Carlson, whose upside can be that of a SP3, is a great flier in deep dynasty leagues. ETA: 2022
High upside/high risk former prep righty coming off TJS, but had primetime stuff coming out
The biggest mystery flavor prospect in the system is Carlson. The Mariners 2017 second round pick was considered by many to be a top 10-15 overall player in the class and signed for well above slot value. Unfortunately, after just three (admittedly encouraging) innings in 2017, Carlson was shut down with elbow soreness and eventually had TJS in mid 2018, costing him the ’18 and ’19 season.
Reportedly in full health now, Carlson could quickly shoot back into the top 10 or even top five if he still has his full stuff. The cold weather Minnesota prep arm flashed a mid 90s sinker that touched 96 with a changeup considered by many to be the top of its kind in the loaded 2017 class. He also flashed a solid breaker that would fluctuate between slider and curveball shape. He also has considerable projection to his 6-4 190 frame and at just 20 years old, won’t be too far behind the curve in terms of development.
It’s no guarantee that Carlson is the same guy he was pre TJS, but until further notice, he still has his lofty SP2 upside, but with considerable risk. He will be one of the bigger storylines for the system in 2020 and should have a hard innings cap. (Editor’s Note: In February 2019, Eddy included Carlson a buy low pitcher)
3) Taylor Hearn TEX #18 Age 25 ETA: 2019, fifth round pick by Washington Nationals in 2015 from Oklahoma Baptist University, traded to Pirates in 2016; posted 4.12 ERA in 87 innings in High-A with 106/37 K/BB, 65 hits; eye-turning if you see him in person, athletic lefty with 90-98 MPH fastball, flashes plus slider and average change-up; looks impossible to hit on the right day but is inconsistent due to mechanical/command problems and frequent injuries; I really like his upside but the risks are high as well; ETA 2020.
Long, lanky lefty who can provide some electricity out of the bullpen if the elbow cooperates.
Hearn is a long, lanky lefthander who came over to the Texas organization along with Sherten Apostel when the Pirates acquired Keone Kela.
As Hearn climbed to the upper levels, his control eroded. His command was spotty to begin with. As a result, he’s become more fastball dependent and also easier to hit. It’s a big fastball, getting a 70-grade from some outlets. It plays up in shorter stints. Combined with the lack of an effective secondary pitch and the attendant command issues, I think Hearn’s most likely role is that of a reliever, where he can be effective and likely dominant at times. The ceiling is still the potential to be a major league starting pitcher, but the clock is really ticking on that now.
4) Enyel De Los Santos PHI #8 Grade B-: Age 24 ETA: 2020, from the Dominican Republic, traded from the San Diego Padres to the Phillies for Freddy Galvis in December 2017; posted 3.78 ERA in Double-A with 138/48 K/BB, 131 hits; another hard-thrower with mid-90s fastball, throws strikes, curveball and change-up both have moments but often not in the same game; I think he’s a bit more likely to remain a starter than the similar (but taller) Franklyn Kilome but other observers like Kilome a little better; ETA 2020.
Interesting but inconsistent arm with promising two pitch combination.
Enyel De Los Santos has a case to be the biggest enigma of the system. De Los Santos spent 2018 season dominating in Triple-A, pitching 126.2 innings and posting a 2.63 ERA and 1.16 WHIP before making his big league debut later that season. He made a pair of starts and five relief appearances in the big leagues that year, totaling 19 innings while holding his own with a 4.74 ERA and 1.42 WHIP.
Then came 2019 and the new Triple-A baseballs. Pitching for the same Lehigh Valley team, De Los Santos saw his 2.63 ERA jump to 4.40 and his 1.16 WHIP jump to 1.23. He also struggled in the bigs over a start and five relief appearances with a 7.36 ERA and 1.64 WHIP.
I caught the right-hander in the minors last summer and the year before, and the mid to upper 90s fastball that helped him emerge in 2018 was still there. Unfortunately for him the changeup wasn’t quite the same weapon it had been for him in 2018, while the breaking ball didn’t really improve and the command stayed spotty despite not walking a ton of guys.
Some of the reason for the changeup taking a step backwards could likely be attributed to the new ball in 2019, as it has taken some pitchers longer than others to get used to it for grips and movement. Obviously with the 2019 Triple-A ball being the same as the big league ball, that can create some doubt as to what he can or can’t do in the future. His third pitch is a slurve, with some real variation between looking like a slider and a curve on different pitches. It’s a slightly below average pitch, but one that could tick up a grade with a slightly more defined shape to it.
De Los Santos is a talented arm possessing a 60 grade fastball that can touch 98 mph and a change that has at times looked like a second plus pitch. The biggest thing he can do is get the change to look more like the pitch we saw in 2018, but if he can improve his slurvy breaking ball or spotty command then his chances of starting increase exponentially. If we don’t see at least one of those three things improve, his future is more of a long reliever, or an up and down piece between Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley.
As is, he is likely ticketed to start in Triple-A and get a call whenever the Phillies need an arm in 2020. -MP
6) Luis Ortiz BAL #14 Age 23: If Andre the Giant has a posse, Luis Ortiz has a fan club. Dating back to his Texas days Ortiz has long been billed as an above average pitching prospect with mid-rotation upside. While some might still see that, in reality he’s more what I’ve suspected for years, a back end starter with an uninspiring profile. He doesn’t generate a lot of swings and misses with his four-pitch profile, which is led by an above average four-seam fastball that sits 92-95, an above average slider that flashes plus that he commands well to his glove side, a fringe changeup, he started to feature more last season, and an average curveball.
His pitchability and feel has long been his strength. He’s quick to home plate, controls the running game well, and throws strikes. There’s something to be said for a “sum-of-its-parts” profile, but his lack of overpowering stuff, and poor conditioning limit his overall future value. He’s the definition of a bad body, and has dealt with hamstring injuries in consecutive season. After getting some looks at the MLB level toward the end of 2018, Ortiz should be in the mix for a rotation spot at some point in 2019. This is a big year for his development, as a strong performance early could land him back on the prospect radar. ETA: 2019
7) Oliver Jaskie SEA #14 Grade C: Age 22, sixth round pick in 2017 from University of Michigan, ugly numbers so far with 6.82 ERA in 30 innings in Northwest League, 43 hits, however K/BB was pretty good at 33/13; was effective in college with 3.77 ERA over 93 innings, 119/31 K/BB; 6-3, 210 lefty with 89-93 MPH fastball, plus change-up, and a slider that needs more work; could advance more quickly than expected if he can keep command in gear. ETA 2021.
8) Brandon Miller MIA #25
9) Robert Tyler COL #25
11) Juan De Paula TOR #18 Grade C+: Age 21, signed by Seattle Mariners out of Dominican Republic in 2014, traded to Yankees for Ben Gamel; posted 2.90 ERA in 62 innings in NY-P with 53/25 K/BB, 42 hits, zero homers; fastball 90-94 with a chance for more due to projectable build, change-up is very advanced for his age and flashes a good curve, seems like a good candidate to step forward in 2018. ETA 2021.
The Giants acquired Juan De Paula as the centerpiece in the Andrew McCutchen deal. He is a great athlete with plus arm speed. His mechanics look a bit raw, and he needs to work on maintaining body and arm speed for his off speed pitches. He could also better repeat his delivery. At times De Puala would over-rotate to the the glove side. He strides home with plus torque, and his use of lower half and athletic burst are excellent. It is fair to say he gets the most out of his frame 6’3” frame 165 lb frame, although that weight appears to be dated; he looks closer to 180. The cross-body arm action can get a bit long and there is effort in the delivery, complete with head whack. In spite of these mechanical blemishes De Paula put up excellent numbers in with Staten Island. Having turned 21 in September he is a young 21 and there may be some more weight coming, which inspires hope for more consistent mid 90s velocity. A lot needs to go right for him to become a starter. Body projection and athleticism still make him an interesting guy to keep tabs on.
12)Cody Sedlock RHP (BAL) #18 Grade B: Age 24 ETA: 2021, first round pick in 2016 from University of Illinois; posted 3.00 ERA in 27 innings in New York-Penn League with 25/13 K/BB; fastball 92-94, sometimes higher; slider, curveball, and change-up are inconsistent with the softer pitches weaker than the slider; tough for hitters to square up and drive the harder stuff but command of secondaries needs improvement; some view him as future closer but will be used as starter for now to give the change-up time to come around. ETA late 2019, or 2018 if used in bullpen.
Shoulder injury robbed Sedlock of a chance to rebound from his poor full season debut in 2017. His good size and potential for three above average or better pitches led many to overlook his relatively short track record as a starter while at Illinois. This led to the always frustrating projectable college tag. It’s easy to see what evaluators liked. Sedlock at his best mixes a plus fastball that ranges from 91-97 in terms of readings, his hard slider and curveball both flash above average for different reasons, and he’ll show a fringe changeup. His struggles to work in the strike zone and lack of weapon versus left-handed hitters has been a major theme to his struggles. Now add a shoulder injury in the mix, and it spells trouble for Sedlock’s future returns. Looks like a bust at the moment. ETA: 2020
Former first round pick with injury plagued career still has some promise.
Sedlock has had a number of injuries, including Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, that have hindered his development. No longer throwing in the mid-90s, the former first round pick from Illinois now has a fastball that sits in the low 90s with two above-average secondary pitches in a slider and changeup. He’s coming off a solid 2019 where he logged 95 innings and finally looked healthy.
Where Sedlock fits in the Orioles organization is a bit of unknown. He may not have enough stuff to be anything more than a spot starter or middle reliever but that doesn’t mean he can’t be effective. It’s even possible that his velocity could play up in shorter outings which strengthens the argument for moving him to the bullpen.
13) Devin Sweet SEA #20 Age: 23 ETA: 2021 Undersized command sequencing star with major uptick in stuff during a dominant 2019.
To say Devin Sweet came from out of nowhere would be an understatement. The undrafted and undersized righty from North Carolina Central College wasn’t even particularly dominant in his four years at the small school. But after signing on as an UDFA with the Mariner’s post draft, he did look nice as a reliever in 2018. He stuck with the club in 2019, where he began the season as an reliever again, but things really took off June 16 when he made his first start.
Sweet finished the year making 15 starts between A ball and high A, going 5+ IP in every start and even throwing a complete game. As a starter, Sweet went 6-3 with a 2.26 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 102K/18BB over 91 2/3 IP. Where Sweet truly shined was was his ability to hit zone while generating swing and miss. Sweet was one of just 16 full season ball pitchers to throw over 65% strikes while getting above 13% swinging strikes and over 34% Non ball in play strikes in 70+ IP. In fact, Sweet managed a 70% strike rate with 16% swinging strike and 35.7% non BIP strikes. That’s unreal and means he actually may have even outperformed his lofty stats.
Sweet saw a jump in stuff in 2019, with his fastball jumping from 86-88 to 91-94, allowing him to miss more bats up in the zone. His best pitch is his bugs bunny changeup with exceptional drop and fade. He shows an advanced feel for how to sequence this pitch off his fastball and it’s likely a 60 grade pitch. The real key to him working as a starter however, was the development of a decent slider to keep hitters honest a 2nd-3rd time through. Sweet shines in his ability to tunnel and is a perfect fit for pitching dev wunderkind Max Weiner’s analytics minded approach. While the slider will determine if Sweet can remain a starter, he has a nice fall back as an impact FB/CU RP.
14) Adam Macko SEA #25 Age: 18 ETA: 2023 Smaller prep lefty with elite command for his age, big high spin curve, solid change up and low 90s velo with some projection. Slovakian born and raised in Ireland/Canada.
One of my personal favorites in the Mariners draft class, Macko was one of the feel good stories in the 2019 draft. The six foot lefty was born in Slovakia and learned to pitch watching videos of Justin Verlander. He later moved to Ireland at 11, winning the Irish little league world series. Eventually, his family moved to Ontario, where he was able to get into an academy and hone his craft. The Purdue commit was expected to honor his commitment, before the Mariners went overslot to sign him in the seventh round.
And they are happy they did. Macko has a very repeatable, athletic delivery that comes with a bit of effort. Macko lives 89-93 with his fastball and has the projection for more as he fills out. It’s a high spin pitch as are all of Macko’s pitches. In particular, Macko’s best pitch, a plus curveball has had recorded rates in the 2700s and has potential to become a truly special pitch. Macko adds in a solid changeup to round out his reperatoire. While Macko was in and out with his control in his debut, he displayed command beyond his age and projects to be a plus in that category.
Mack was dominant in his debut, striking out one out of every three batters he faced. But he will need to cut down on his walks. That being said, he offers the potential for three good pitches, with a potentially double plus pitch if his frame grows as expected and plus command. With how his body type and mindset fit the Mariners’ analytically minded pitching dev, it’s easy to dream of Macko becoming an impact starter. How his body develops and what the Mariners dev team does with him will tell whether he can reach his ceiling or not. But he has a solid floor as a pen arm should he fail as a starter.
15) Damon Casetta-Stubbs SEA #28 Age: 20 ETA: 2023 Prototypical frame righty with four pitches that flash average or better, still learning to put it all together consistently.
A local prep signing in the 11th round for a well above slot $325,000 in 2018, DCS does a lot of things that make him look like a future major league starter. The 6-4 225 recently turned 20 year old has a truly ideal starters frame. In addition to the frame, he has a five pitch mix with two fastballs, a slider, curve and a changeup.
DCS has reached 97 with his heat, usually living in the 92-94 range with heavy sink. His best secondary pitch is a swing and miss slider but all three offspeed flash average. He has great control, but is working to improve command. Just 19 years old during the season, DCS pitched at three levels, making it all the way to high A in his first full season, making 25 starts. His statline was better than his ERA. In particular, his 7.11 ERA at A ball were marred by such bad luck that his FIP and xFIP were a very respectable 4.28 and 4.13 respectively.
While DCS needs some seasoning, he’s been a quick mover and handled it well. His frame and raw stuff suggest that he can become an SP3/4 and handle a ton of innings if he is able to refine his command. He should begin 2020 in High A and has drawn comps to Tanner Roark and Jeff Weaver.
16) Jio Orozco NYY A+
18) Levi Prater STL
Noah Zavolas MIL
Yuery Tatiz SEA
Lane Ratliff ARZ
Michael Plassmeyer TB
Forrest Snow LAA
Tyler Herb SF
Vicente Campos PIT
David Holman COL
Reggie McClain #45 Grade C: Taken in the 16th round of the 2016 draft McClain spent the year with High A Modesto where he pitched a team high 153.1 innings going 12-9 with a 4.75 ERA while striking out 127.
Danny Garcia
Ivan Fortunato
Carlos Herrera
Dylan Silva
Nathan Bannister #36 Grade C: A four year player at the University of Arizona, Bannister was drafted in the 28th round of the 2016 draft. After spending most of last year at Modesto, he was called up to AAA Tacoma in August starting 4 games and going 1-0 with a 4.37 ERA and 1.24 WHIP striking out 18 in 22.2 innings.
Dylan Thompson TB
Gianni Zayas
Carson Cross STL
Colby Blueberg SD
Tyler Pike ATL
Mike Kickham MIA
Tom de Blok DET
Max Roberts #32 Grade C: The 6’6” lefty went 10-1 with a 1.44 ERA with Wabash Valley college before being drafted in the 7th round of the 2017 draft. He pitched 10 games in the Arizona rookie league and figures to spend his time with Clinton and/or Modesto in 2018.
Randy Bell #48: Drafted in the 10th round out of South Alabama, Bell was the number 1 starter in his senior year had 7-3 record with a 3.69 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 107.1 innings. After the draft, he pitched 13 games in short season Everett.
JP Sears NYY A+
Darren McCaughan #49: Drafted in the 12th round of the 2017 draft, McCaughan impressed in the Arizona Rookie League striking out 18 in 12 innings pitched with a 3.75 ERA 1.00 WHIP and .205 average against.
Tommy Romero TB #42 Grade C: Taken in the 15th round out of Eastern Florida State, Romero impressed in the Arizona Rookie League going 5-1 with a 2.08 ERA and 0.97 WHIP striking out 51 in 41.3 innings.
Orlando Razo
Jamal Wade Grade C
Bryan Pall
Austin Hutchison
Collin Kober
David Gerber
Scott Boches
Chris Castellanos
David Hesslink
Cody Mobley
Ryne Inman #43: A 6’5” hard throwing right hander had some impressive moments the past couple of years. In 2017 he struck out 72 in 74.1 innings.
Kyle Davis
Lance Thonvold
Joe Peeler
Jared West
Alexandre Roy
Spencer Herrmann Grade C
Andres Torres #38 Grade C: The right hander out of Venezuela looked sharp in short season Everett going 7-2 with a 3.65 ERA in 15 starts. Expect the talented pitcher to continue raise his stock in 2018.
Jose Aquino
Adbiel Medina
Wilton Perez
RP:
Art Warren SEA #15 Grade C+: Age 24, 23rd round pick in 2015 from Ashland; posted 3.06 ERA with 67/25 K/BB in 65 innings in High-A; burns radar as high as 98 MPH, also has plus breaking ball; pure stuff may be a bit better than Festa’s but his command is not as advanced; like Festa and Rumbelow he’s got a shot at being a very useful middle reliever, maybe more, if his command holds. ETA late 2019.
Seth Elledge STL Grade C+: Age 22, fourth round pick in 2017 from Dallas Baptist; posted 3.24 ERA with 42/8 K/BB in 25 innings between Northwest and Midwest Leagues; another hard-throwing fastball/slider guy, can hit mid-90s, good combination of plus stuff and ability to throw strikes so far; ETA 2020.
Wyatt Mills SEA #23 Grade C+: Age 22, third round pick in 2017 from Gonzaga, posted 1.77 ERA with 29/9 K/BB in 20 innings between Northwest and Midwest Leagues; doesn’t throw quite as hard as Elledge, working in low-90s, but has a good slider and deception ability; yet another bullpen arm who could be quite useful down the line. ETA 2020.
A tall lanky righty with a successful four year college career, and a deceptive side armed delivery. Mills looks like a ready made MLB pen arm less than a year out. His two pitch mix consists of variations of his fastball, with a four-seam and two-seam grip, as well as a tight slider in the 82-83 range Mills pounds inside versus right-handed batters. His fastball sits low 90s, popping 95 at max effort. His low arm slot and quick cross-body delivery allows his stuff to play up, but it’s his ability to command and control his pitches from his bizarre mechanics that separate him from other low slot two-pitch types in the minors, as Mills has little trouble throwing strikes and picking his spots. An arm I’d be willing to bet sees some time in the MLB bullpen come July-August. ETA: 2019
Darin Gillies SEA #25 Grade C: Drafted in the 10th round in the 2015 draft Gillies had a solid year in 2017 with AA Arkansas going 3-3 with a 3.32 ERA/1.29 WHIP and .231 opponent batting average. The hard throwing right hander impressed in the Arizona Fall League and should start the season with AAA Tacoma. He projects to be a middle reliever in the majors and could make his debut as early as this season.
Raymond Kerr SEA #27 Age: 25 ETA: 2020 Converted UDFA starter is now a multi inning reliever who touches 101 with a 60 slider and solid changeup with projection remaining, but needs to improve command.
Yet another fourth-year senior from a small school who became an UDFA for the Mariners, Kerr is much more electric than the previously mentioned names. Since signing, Kerr has seen a truly meteoric rise in stuff. An athletic and still projectable 6-3 185 at 24 years old during the 2019 season, Kerr has big stuff but doesn’t know how to command it yet.
A starter until midway through the season, Kerr struggled mightily to maintain his command through starts. On June 30, he made the switch to a bullpen arm and the results were tremendous. From that date on, Kerr had a 1.13 ERA and struck out 44 batters in just 30 innings with only 12 walks. While command issues are still there, they are toned down and he has had an impressive Arizona Fall League.
What really makes Kerr stand out though is his stuff. Kerr lives 95-99 out of the pen and has touched 101 at times. He has a nice two-plane slider and 60 grade splitter that he can use on lefties. More than enough to get by as a multi inning reliever. He will also mix in the occasional cutter and changeup. The raw stuff says fireman role or potentially a dominant closer. It also gives him a floor of seeing the majors. His whacky delivery and command issues are still cause for concern though. Whether Kerr reaches his ceiling as a true closer or is stuck as stuff-only reliever is yet to be determined, but it’s clear he’s a dude and damn fun to watch.
Sam Delaplane SEA #30 Age: 24 ETA: 2020 Major league ready reliever throws mid to high 90s sinkers and a 2700 RPM slider. Struck out 120 batters in 68 IP.
Yet another 5-11 former small school starter senior sign from eastern Michigan, Delaplane has really taken the Mariner’s minor leagues by storm. Delaplane followed an insane 2018 where he struck out 38.8% of batters, with an even better 2019 where he struck out over 45% of batters he faced! In his eight AFL innings, he has struck out 15 batters with just 1 walk with a 1.13 ERA and 0.75 WHIP.
Delaplane does this with a dominant two pitch mix. His mid 90s heat has big time life, sitting 94-96 and generating whiffs up in the zone. He follows that up with a hard mid 80s slider with big time drop and big time spin rates. While Seattle has a glut of high level RP deserving of praise like Joey Gerber, Art Warren, Taylor Guilbeau, Wyatt Mills and Aaron Fletcher to name a few; what sets Delaplane apart is his command and sequencing. He knows exactly where and how to set hitters up.
Delaplane should spend a good portion of 2020 in the bigs and has the upside to be a legitimate set up man as soon as this year.
Thomas Burrows ATL Grade C+
Jack Anderson: Anderson split his time between Clinton and Modesto in 2017 posting a 3-5 record with a 2.51 ERA and 1.20 WHIP striking out 75 in 71.2 innings of work out of the bullpen.
Michael Koval
Matt Clancy
Joe Pistorese: Another bullpen arm that spent most of last year with the Modesto Nuts the left hander has an above average strikeout rate and projects to be a late inning relief pitcher.
David Ellingson
Kyle Wilcox #41: Wilcox has impressed many in the organization with his athleticism and his ability to throw three pitches effectively. The hard throwing righty struck out 52 in 33.1 innings in Clinton last year with a 3.78 ERA in 21 games. Has the potential to be a late innings reliever in the majors.
Matt Walker: Walker is a crafty off speed pitcher worked out of the bullpen with High A Modesto going 4-5 with a 4.19 ERA and 6 saves in 42 appearances.
Lukas Schiraldi MIA
Michael Rivera
Jeffeson Medina TEX
Noah Zavolas MIL
Brian Moran MIA
C:
Luis Campusano SD #5 Age: 21 ETA: 2021 Legit two-way catching prospect with an advanced recognition of the strike zone.
Campusano burst onto the scene this past season, cementing himself as one of the elite catching prospects in baseball. There’s real potential for him to be an above-average two-way catcher, which, given the state of the catching position across major league baseball right now, would make Campusano a real asset.
He made massive strides at the plate with Lake Elsinore in 2019, improving his OPS by 195 points and wRC+ by 42 from his 2018 campaign. Campusano essentially saw an improvement in literally all offensive aspects of his game. He started to hone some of that 60-grade raw power in game this year and continued to show an above-average recognition of the strike zone, walking nearly as much as he struck out.
Campusano has the tools to be an above-average defensive catcher. He has above-average arm strength and calls a strong game, but it’s the little things like a quicker transfer, or a slight improvement in pitch framing, that would truly elevate his defensive skills. His next real test will be with the Sod Poodles in Double-A, but if Campusano hits well in the Texas League, the Padres may have a budding star behind the dish in their future.
Cal Raleigh SEA #7 Age 22 ETA: 2021 The Florida State product is a switch-hitting catcher with above-average raw pop. He was inconsistent during his time in Tallahassee as he showed promise during his freshman and junior campaigns but struggled to get it going as a sophomore. He hit after entering the Mariners system and gives them an offensive oriented catcher. On defense, Raleigh has no standout tool with an average arm and average defensive abilities. He’s an underrated part of a nice Mariners draft. ETA: 2021.
Switch hitting catcher with home run power who’s made major strides in framing and a firm grasp of analytics and leadership.
The deeper I dug into the Mariners system, the more I came to appreciate how integral Raleigh is to what the Mariners want to do and the further he moved up my rankings. Coming out of Florida State as a third round pick who got late first round money, Raleigh was mostly known for his bat. While Raleigh delivered with the bat hitting 29 home runs and an .820 OPS, it was Raleigh’s advancements as a catcher and a leader that saw him rise up my list.
Raleigh, a two time academic All ACC team finisher, is said to have a fantastic understanding of analytics and studies tape like an NFL QB. As mentioned in the article linked in the Gilbert blurb, Raleigh became the unquestioned leader of any clubhouse. His game calling ability was showcased by every pitcher he caught having better stats with him catching for them than without him. He also made big strides in his framing and receiving, while showing an arm that plays at the position. He will continue to improve at the position, but it’s now clear he can stick at the position.
While I have some concerns about strikeout rate that jumped from 19.8 percent in A+ to 29.6 percent in his smaller Double-A debut, much of that is by design with his well over 50 percent fly ball rate that should lead to monster home run totals. Additionally, Raleigh has maintained solid walk rates and was fairly unlucky with his .276 BABIP. His OPS was also .167 higher on the road in Double-A, where the Arkansas power sap was in full effect.
Raleigh is a catcher who’s rapidly improving, is a perfect fit for the system he’s in, makes his pitchers better, is a leader in the clubhouse and has an approach perfectly geared for the juiced ball (which he hasn’t even seen yet).
Chase Vallot KC #12 Grade C+: Age 21, compensation round pick in 2014 from high school in Louisiana; enormous power and a patient approach but strikes out a frightening amount; hit .231/.380/.438 with 22 doubles, 12 homers, 64 walks, and 127 strikeouts in 281 at-bats in High-A; one of the more unique hitters in minor league baseball; defense remains shaky with 12 errors and 10 passed balls in 59 games; it would be honestly tempting to just make him a DH and tell him to concentrate on hitting; the power is a real impact tool but remains to be seen if he can deploy it at higher levels
David Banuelos
Tyler Marlette
Jason Goldstein
PJ Jones
Troy Dixon
Daniel Santos
Ismerling Mota
Adam Moore
1B:
Gabe Moncada
Dalton Kelly
Ryan Uhl
Rob Fonseca
Leurys Vargas
Ryan Garcia
2B:
Donnie Walton SEA #30 Grade C
Joseph Rosa Grade C+: Age 20, interesting sleeper who has received little notice but has always played well, hit .296/.374/.531 in Northwest League after hitting .305/.345/.455 in rookie ball in ’16; New York native signed as an undrafted free agent in summer of 2015; switch-hitter listed at 5-10, 165, holds career slash line of .298/.369/.436; rough with the glove, limited to second base tools-wise and has been error-prone so far, but the bat bears close watching. ETA 2022.
Cesar Izturis Jr SEA #26 Grade C
Asdrubal Bueno
Luis Chevalier
Carlos Fernandez
Joe Venturino
Tyler Smith
Chris Baker SD Grade C+
Chris Mariscal #44: After a blistering start in Modesto last year, Mariscal earned a promotion to AA Arkansas. Combined he had a .285/.368/.402 slash line and projects out to be a utility infielder in MLB.
3B:
Milkar Perez SEA #24 Age: 18 ETA: 2024
Rare Nicaraguan prospect has solid raw power, good approach and a legit 70 grade arm at 17, but struggles with launch angles.
One of the true sleepers in the system, Milkar is one of the extremely rare J2 signings from Nicaragua. His $175,000 signing bonus is 2018 was the tops in the country, but looks like a steal after his first season as a 17 year old in the DSL.
Despite expectations he’d be more raw than a traditional Dominican or Venezuelan player due to lack of reps against polished prospects, Perez was one of the DSL M’s most advanced players. Known mainly for his absolute cannon arm that has drawn 70 tool grades at just 16, Perez is still working on his glovework, but should be a plus third baseman in time with the ability to fall back to right field. He isn’t the quickest player on the diamond, but has gotten quicker since he got into the training facility.
Where he really stands out has been at the plate. Still growing into his broad six foot frame, Perez has hit for more raw power than expected with all four of his home runs clearing the fence by more 20 feet, including one over 430 feet to dead center. What’s more is that they all went to completely different parts of the field. Perez often struggled to get the ball air born in 2019, but he should showcase above average power as he learns to launch the ball. In addition to the power, Perez was patient at the plate, drawing a 13.2% BB rate and limiting strikeouts. He has a solid hit tool and got on base 38.1% of the time. Not bad for a player supposed to be behind the curve.
All in all, Perez has big upside with a potential above average hit and power, plus his 70 grade arm. There’s risk in a DSL player, but he’s the kind of person who shows tools that will excite scouts and writers who have yet to see him. Blaze Alexander is a good comp for Perez.
Osmy Gregorio TB
Nick Zamarelli Grade C
Johnny Adams #46 Grade C: After being drafted in the 22nd round in 2017, Adams opened eyes with short season Everett with a .316/.374/.445 slash line with 5 home runs in 52 games. He showed defensive versatility playing 3B, 2B and SS. An intriguing prospect, he will be interesting to watch in 2018
Jordan Cowan #39 Grade C: Cowan reached base safely in 99 of 120 games with an at bat. He has both speed and is an intelligent baserunner with 18 stolen bases and 67 runs scored last year.
Eugene Helder #47 Grade C: The third base prospect out of Aruba spent most of last season in Everett before finishing the season at AAA Tacoma. Combined he had a .296/.336/.401 slash line.
Conner Hale
David Greer
Logan Taylor
SS:
Carson Tucker CLE
Bryson Brigman MIA #18 Age 23 Grade C: The third round pick from the 2016 draft spent last season at Single A Clinton hitting just .235 with 2 HR. His speed and defense are his top qualities; he stole 16 bases last year while mainly playing shortstop. He projects to be a be a backup middle infielder in the majors.
Acquired from the Mariners in the Cameron Maybin swap, Brigman is not unlike the guy just above him. The 5-foot-11 middle infielder shows an innate ability to make contact with the ball. The righty crouches in the box and strikes with good bat speed that lets him get to the pitch in most quadrants of the zone. His shortening of the zone also helps with his selectivity. He’s a fringe defender at shortstop so the keystone is his likely destination. Brigman’s plate skills give him a floor as a utilityman once he reaches the majors.
Erick Mejia KC AAA
Jack Reinheimer MIN AAA #23 Grade C+
Alexander Campos OAK #23 Rk
Mateo Gil STL
Taylor Perez
Julius Gaines
Carlos Vargas
Steve Branche
Kevin Santa
Connor Hoover
Louis Boyd
Martin Peguero
Rayder Ascanio STL
OF:
Julio Rodriguez SEA #2 Age 18 ETA: 2021, signed out of the Dominican Republic in July 2017 for $1,750,000; hasn’t played yet; wouldn’t rank this high in most organizations due to lack of data but lack of system depth moves him up; scouting reports say he has at least 60-grade power and a strong throwing arm, right field profile; reports on hitting polish are mixed but given his age that’s understandable; basically we need to see him in action before saying anything more; ETA 2023.
Advanced 18 year old with potential to compete for triple crowns if he hits his lofty ceiling.
Just 18 years old, Julio Rodriguez is already starting to become a bit of a legend. Many were surprised to see the teen debut in full season ball straight from the DSL even after a dominant spring training. More were surprised to see him post an .850 OPS at that level despite missing time with a fractured wrist. The hype really got out of control when high reached High A, where he was the second youngest player in the league by three months to Wander Franco. He produced a .462/.514/.738 OPS at that level in the last 17 games of the year. He ended up posting a .397 OBP in the Arizona Fall League where he was four years below average age and had a surprising four steals.
While 12 home runs in 84 games in a year you fractured your wrist is solid, it doesn’t really do Julio’s raw power justice. J-Rod is growing into 70 (maybe more) raw power and with his plus hit tool, 70 game power isn’t out of the question as he matures. Power isn’t all Rodriguez brings at the plate however. He has an advanced feel for the zone with plus ball-to-barrel skills and should hit for average and get on base at a high clip. As he continues to grow into his massive frame that’s already an athletic 6-4 225 at just 18, it’s likely he will move off of his current centerfield position to a corner and slow down a little bit. Luckily, he has a 70 grade arm as well and can be a plus defender in RF.
In addition to the on the field tools, Julio is a star off of the field. He refused to sign with any team that wouldn’t allow him to continue his education, something he’s held to since joining the Mariners system. He’s already completely fluent in English. He’s also one of the best follows on Instagram and Twitter, constantly at other games or messing with teammates on IG live. The kid has natural charisma and like roommate Kelenic, has shown leadership beyond his age.
Anytime you outhit Wander Franco at the same age and same level, people will take notice. While Franco is ahead for now, Rodriguez’s charm and triple crown skillset could make this a fun debate for No.1 prospect in baseball sooner rather than later.
George Feliz SEA #26 Age: 17 ETA: 2025 Mariners biggest 2019 J2 bonus has a five tool skillset and has drawn many comparisons to Victor Robles.
While Kristian Cardozo was the biggest name the Mariners signed in their 2019 international class and arguably the top pitcher in the entire class, it was Feliz who got the highest bonus; signing for $900,000. Feliz is from the same academy as Julio Rodriguez and is known for having a similar makeup off of the field, which is a big plus.
On the field, Feliz is a very different player. He is a five tool centerfielder who shows the makings of both plus hit and run tools. He has very good bat speed, driving the ball and has a chance for average to above power. He has a solid and accurate arm and gets great reads in the outfield.
Feliz has drawn a ton of comps to Nationals star Victor Robles and has the upside to become a similar player, perhaps even with more pop! Robles was worth over 4 war in his first full season and was a top 10 prospect for years, so Feliz could wind up being a true impact player. However, Feliz has yet to debut and there is a massive amount of risk in a 16 year old kid yet to have his minors debut. Feliz should spend the year in the DSL in 2020.
Evan Carter TEX
Luis Liberato SEA #9 Grade C
Anthony Jimenez SEA #10 Grade C+: Age 22, signed out of Venezuela in 2013, hit .298/.362/.482 with 19 walks, 73 strikeouts, 24 steals in 228 at-bats in Low-A; like Rosario, Jimenez has some interesting tools and put them to good use in ’17, although he’s two years older and thus has less projection; 60-runner, surprising power in 5-11, 170 frame, though contact issues will need to be ironed out as he moves up; tools fit well in center field; ETA late 2020.
Ronald Rosario SEA #13 Grade C+: Age 20, signed out of Dominican Republic in 2013; hit .294/.355/.516 with six homers, 11 walks, 40 strikeouts in 126 at-bats in Northwest League; solid production for this league, shows solid-average power potential and a good throwing arm, runs pretty well despite just one stolen base, although fits best in corner outfield spot; destroyed right-handed pitching (.320/.377/.567), quite worthy of notice in a thin system although strike zone judgment needs more work; ETA 2021
Keegan McGovern SEA #24 Age 23: The Mariners drafted McGovern out of the University of Georgia in the ninth round in 2018. McGovern was a four-year starter while in Athens, and was a first-team all-SEC selection in 2018 when he hit .319/.431/.644 with 18 homers. He’s proven to be more than just a traditional senior-sign to this point as he has plus raw power and is a good athlete. He dealt with a back injury while in school and it brought the overall production down, especially his junior season when he only managed to hit a pair of homers. His average speed and arm have made him primarily a left fielder since entering pro ball, and I think he can carve out a career as a platoon outfielder. ETA: 2021
Eric Filia SEA #21 Grade C
Scott Hurst STL #27
Wes Rogers COL
Dimas Ojeda
Austin Grebeck
Jansiel Rivera
Ricky Eusebio
Gus Craig
Luis Veloz
Danny Contreras
Hersin Martinez
Billy Cooke #31: Cooke was drafted in the 8th round of the 2017 draft and played 3 games in Everett before going to Clinton for the remainder of the season. He earned the Sun Belt Conference player of the year leading off for Coastal Carolina University hitting .353 with 10HR’s and stealing 21 bases.
Johnny Slater
Gabriel Guerrero CIN
Stefen Romero Fgn
Andrew Aplin
Gareth Morgan LAA Grade C
Trey Griffey NFL
Donovan Tate NCAAF
Other Prospects:
Maikel Cleto P
Pat Venditte, RP (PHI) (2021)
Rob Wooten, RP (CIN) (2019) AAA
Jason Hagerty, C (SD) AAA
Travis Harrison, 3B (MIN) AA
Tyler Bortnick, SS (MIL) AAA
Oscar Hernandez, C (BOS) AA 42 AB
Edwar Cabrera, SP (HOU) AAA 5.2 IP
Patrick Kivlehan, 3B CIN (2022)
2018 FYPD
Grayson Rodriguez LHP (BAL)
Mateo Gil SS (STL)
2017 FYPD
Tanner Houck RHP (BOS)
Scott Hurst OF (STL)
Luis Campusano C (SD)
2016 FYPD
Delvin Perez | SS | (STL)
Cody Sedlock | RHP | (BAL)
2015 FYPD
Taylor Hearn | LHP | (PIT)
Carson Cross |RHP | (STL)
Dispersal Draft
2014: Colby Blueberg | RHP | SD High A
2015: Gage Hinsz | RHP | PIT A C+
2016: Chris Baker, SS, SD A C+
2017: no pick
2018: Jose Maldonado RHP PIT
1) Tanner Houck (BOS) #10 Grade B: Age 23 ETA: 2020, first round pick in 2017 from University of Missouri, posted 3.63 ERA in 22 innings in NY-P with 25/8 K/BB, 21 hits allowed; posted 3.33 ERA in 95 innings for the Mizzou Tigers with 95/24 K/BB; fastball varies between 90 and 98 but works well even at the lower velocities due to hard sinking action; slider flashes plus but needs more consistency, as does his rudimentary change-up; usually throws strikes and has workhorse build; potential number three starter if off-speed pitch develops as hoped. ETA 2020.
Crossfire delivery that plays up nasty slider with big horizontal movement. Best suited for a bullpen role, with the ability to dominate right-handed batters.
Over the years, Houck’s repertoire has seen several iterations. First a two-seam fastball-slider combo was his bread and butter at Missouri. Then the Red Sox organization decided they thought he would be better off utilizing a four-seam fastball to pair with his slider. The trackman data backed up the change in attack, but by mid-June it was obvious the experiment didn’t work. On June 10, Houck had compiled a 6.15 FIP and a 15.4 BB% over his first 60 innings. Houck and the Red Sox scrapped the four-seamer and went back to his pitch mix from college. The righty finished the season on a high note, pitching to a 2.98 FIP, 26.2 K%, 8.2 BB%, .206 BAA, and an exceptional 0.39 HR/9. Optimism abounded Houck as he entered the off-season.
The 2019 version of Houck mixed two fastballs, the aforementioned slider, and a changeup in the mid-80s. This season I saw a fair amount of Houck between Double-A Portland and a late season stint in Triple-A Pawtucket. This gave me the opportunity to get a feel for his pitch mix, and let me be clear his two-seamer and slider are legitimate plus offerings. First, his sinker sits mid-90s with armside run and fade, making it a deadly pitch at the bottom of the zone. The need to add a four-seam was apparent as the two seam elevated tends to bleed into the middle of plate due to its sharp downward break. It’s also effective mostly to his armside, as once again its movement makes it tough to place on the gloveside. Overall the pitch should drive a heavy amount of ground ball contact, and be an effective swing and miss offering when sequenced with his slider and four-seam fastball variation.
His slider is the jewel of his arsenal in my humble opinion. A 3000+ rpm frisbee slider, Houck abuses righties as he places the pitch effectively on both sides of the plate for loads of swinging strikes. It lacks much vertical break, but has extreme horizontal movement due to its vertical spin axis. His low three-quarters arm slot and long arm action play up the pitch and add to the discomfort of right handed hitters. The slider generated a majority of the swing and miss in my looks.
Mechanically, Houck is unique, setting up on the first base side of the rubber before stepping toward third in a motion that brings all of his force in an east to west. As noted earlier it plays up his slider, but is also behind the lack of success he had with the four-seamer. Beyond the unique motion there’s a fair amount of effort leading me to believe he’s likely destined for a bullpen role. His changeup is still a work in progress, even if it shows flashes of effectiveness it’s often waning. A high leverage reliever is what I imagine Houck’s ultimate role, with an outside chance to start if his changeup improves.
2) Sam Carlson SEA #12/15 ETA: 2023 Grade B-: Age 20, second round pick in 2017 from high school in Minnesota; prototype pitcher’s body with athletic 6-4, 195 frame; fastball as high as 96-97 MPH, mixes in very good change-up and erratic but promising slider; makeup and mound presence also positives; threw three innings in rookie ball until being shut down with vaguely-described arm soreness, not supposed to be a big deal but he’s a pitcher so caution is advised until we see what kind of workload he can handle; not everyone likes his mechanics but Carlson is certainly the highest-ceiling arm in the system; personally I like him but I have a Midwestern bias; ETA 2022.
A sore elbow last July revealed that Carlson, a second-round pick from 2017, needed Tommy John surgery. He’s likely to miss all of 2019 and the Mariners will want to preach caution with what was once considered a top five prospect in the system. Seattle’s infusion of talent and Carlson’s injury drops him down here but you’d be wise to keep him in the back of your mind as he heals.
The righty broke out his senior year of high school when he jumped from high 80s velocity to 92-95 where teams started noticing him. With the Mariners he’s touched 97 already and has a chance to sit 93-95, giving him a plus pitch that might be rated a touch higher thanks to its sinking and arm-side run action. He has a slurve-type breaker with a hell of a bend and a changeup that he’s already shown feel for in the past. The only things to note are a present head whack at the point of release and working to avoid finishing so upright that it limits his extension.
Presuming that his stuff is back after Tommy John, Carlson, whose upside can be that of a SP3, is a great flier in deep dynasty leagues. ETA: 2022
High upside/high risk former prep righty coming off TJS, but had primetime stuff coming out
The biggest mystery flavor prospect in the system is Carlson. The Mariners 2017 second round pick was considered by many to be a top 10-15 overall player in the class and signed for well above slot value. Unfortunately, after just three (admittedly encouraging) innings in 2017, Carlson was shut down with elbow soreness and eventually had TJS in mid 2018, costing him the ’18 and ’19 season.
Reportedly in full health now, Carlson could quickly shoot back into the top 10 or even top five if he still has his full stuff. The cold weather Minnesota prep arm flashed a mid 90s sinker that touched 96 with a changeup considered by many to be the top of its kind in the loaded 2017 class. He also flashed a solid breaker that would fluctuate between slider and curveball shape. He also has considerable projection to his 6-4 190 frame and at just 20 years old, won’t be too far behind the curve in terms of development.
It’s no guarantee that Carlson is the same guy he was pre TJS, but until further notice, he still has his lofty SP2 upside, but with considerable risk. He will be one of the bigger storylines for the system in 2020 and should have a hard innings cap. (Editor’s Note: In February 2019, Eddy included Carlson a buy low pitcher)
3) Taylor Hearn TEX #18 Age 25 ETA: 2019, fifth round pick by Washington Nationals in 2015 from Oklahoma Baptist University, traded to Pirates in 2016; posted 4.12 ERA in 87 innings in High-A with 106/37 K/BB, 65 hits; eye-turning if you see him in person, athletic lefty with 90-98 MPH fastball, flashes plus slider and average change-up; looks impossible to hit on the right day but is inconsistent due to mechanical/command problems and frequent injuries; I really like his upside but the risks are high as well; ETA 2020.
Long, lanky lefty who can provide some electricity out of the bullpen if the elbow cooperates.
Hearn is a long, lanky lefthander who came over to the Texas organization along with Sherten Apostel when the Pirates acquired Keone Kela.
As Hearn climbed to the upper levels, his control eroded. His command was spotty to begin with. As a result, he’s become more fastball dependent and also easier to hit. It’s a big fastball, getting a 70-grade from some outlets. It plays up in shorter stints. Combined with the lack of an effective secondary pitch and the attendant command issues, I think Hearn’s most likely role is that of a reliever, where he can be effective and likely dominant at times. The ceiling is still the potential to be a major league starting pitcher, but the clock is really ticking on that now.
4) Enyel De Los Santos PHI #8 Grade B-: Age 24 ETA: 2020, from the Dominican Republic, traded from the San Diego Padres to the Phillies for Freddy Galvis in December 2017; posted 3.78 ERA in Double-A with 138/48 K/BB, 131 hits; another hard-thrower with mid-90s fastball, throws strikes, curveball and change-up both have moments but often not in the same game; I think he’s a bit more likely to remain a starter than the similar (but taller) Franklyn Kilome but other observers like Kilome a little better; ETA 2020.
Interesting but inconsistent arm with promising two pitch combination.
Enyel De Los Santos has a case to be the biggest enigma of the system. De Los Santos spent 2018 season dominating in Triple-A, pitching 126.2 innings and posting a 2.63 ERA and 1.16 WHIP before making his big league debut later that season. He made a pair of starts and five relief appearances in the big leagues that year, totaling 19 innings while holding his own with a 4.74 ERA and 1.42 WHIP.
Then came 2019 and the new Triple-A baseballs. Pitching for the same Lehigh Valley team, De Los Santos saw his 2.63 ERA jump to 4.40 and his 1.16 WHIP jump to 1.23. He also struggled in the bigs over a start and five relief appearances with a 7.36 ERA and 1.64 WHIP.
I caught the right-hander in the minors last summer and the year before, and the mid to upper 90s fastball that helped him emerge in 2018 was still there. Unfortunately for him the changeup wasn’t quite the same weapon it had been for him in 2018, while the breaking ball didn’t really improve and the command stayed spotty despite not walking a ton of guys.
Some of the reason for the changeup taking a step backwards could likely be attributed to the new ball in 2019, as it has taken some pitchers longer than others to get used to it for grips and movement. Obviously with the 2019 Triple-A ball being the same as the big league ball, that can create some doubt as to what he can or can’t do in the future. His third pitch is a slurve, with some real variation between looking like a slider and a curve on different pitches. It’s a slightly below average pitch, but one that could tick up a grade with a slightly more defined shape to it.
De Los Santos is a talented arm possessing a 60 grade fastball that can touch 98 mph and a change that has at times looked like a second plus pitch. The biggest thing he can do is get the change to look more like the pitch we saw in 2018, but if he can improve his slurvy breaking ball or spotty command then his chances of starting increase exponentially. If we don’t see at least one of those three things improve, his future is more of a long reliever, or an up and down piece between Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley.
As is, he is likely ticketed to start in Triple-A and get a call whenever the Phillies need an arm in 2020. -MP
6) Luis Ortiz BAL #14 Age 23: If Andre the Giant has a posse, Luis Ortiz has a fan club. Dating back to his Texas days Ortiz has long been billed as an above average pitching prospect with mid-rotation upside. While some might still see that, in reality he’s more what I’ve suspected for years, a back end starter with an uninspiring profile. He doesn’t generate a lot of swings and misses with his four-pitch profile, which is led by an above average four-seam fastball that sits 92-95, an above average slider that flashes plus that he commands well to his glove side, a fringe changeup, he started to feature more last season, and an average curveball.
His pitchability and feel has long been his strength. He’s quick to home plate, controls the running game well, and throws strikes. There’s something to be said for a “sum-of-its-parts” profile, but his lack of overpowering stuff, and poor conditioning limit his overall future value. He’s the definition of a bad body, and has dealt with hamstring injuries in consecutive season. After getting some looks at the MLB level toward the end of 2018, Ortiz should be in the mix for a rotation spot at some point in 2019. This is a big year for his development, as a strong performance early could land him back on the prospect radar. ETA: 2019
7) Oliver Jaskie SEA #14 Grade C: Age 22, sixth round pick in 2017 from University of Michigan, ugly numbers so far with 6.82 ERA in 30 innings in Northwest League, 43 hits, however K/BB was pretty good at 33/13; was effective in college with 3.77 ERA over 93 innings, 119/31 K/BB; 6-3, 210 lefty with 89-93 MPH fastball, plus change-up, and a slider that needs more work; could advance more quickly than expected if he can keep command in gear. ETA 2021.
8) Brandon Miller MIA #25
9) Robert Tyler COL #25
11) Juan De Paula TOR #18 Grade C+: Age 21, signed by Seattle Mariners out of Dominican Republic in 2014, traded to Yankees for Ben Gamel; posted 2.90 ERA in 62 innings in NY-P with 53/25 K/BB, 42 hits, zero homers; fastball 90-94 with a chance for more due to projectable build, change-up is very advanced for his age and flashes a good curve, seems like a good candidate to step forward in 2018. ETA 2021.
The Giants acquired Juan De Paula as the centerpiece in the Andrew McCutchen deal. He is a great athlete with plus arm speed. His mechanics look a bit raw, and he needs to work on maintaining body and arm speed for his off speed pitches. He could also better repeat his delivery. At times De Puala would over-rotate to the the glove side. He strides home with plus torque, and his use of lower half and athletic burst are excellent. It is fair to say he gets the most out of his frame 6’3” frame 165 lb frame, although that weight appears to be dated; he looks closer to 180. The cross-body arm action can get a bit long and there is effort in the delivery, complete with head whack. In spite of these mechanical blemishes De Paula put up excellent numbers in with Staten Island. Having turned 21 in September he is a young 21 and there may be some more weight coming, which inspires hope for more consistent mid 90s velocity. A lot needs to go right for him to become a starter. Body projection and athleticism still make him an interesting guy to keep tabs on.
12)Cody Sedlock RHP (BAL) #18 Grade B: Age 24 ETA: 2021, first round pick in 2016 from University of Illinois; posted 3.00 ERA in 27 innings in New York-Penn League with 25/13 K/BB; fastball 92-94, sometimes higher; slider, curveball, and change-up are inconsistent with the softer pitches weaker than the slider; tough for hitters to square up and drive the harder stuff but command of secondaries needs improvement; some view him as future closer but will be used as starter for now to give the change-up time to come around. ETA late 2019, or 2018 if used in bullpen.
Shoulder injury robbed Sedlock of a chance to rebound from his poor full season debut in 2017. His good size and potential for three above average or better pitches led many to overlook his relatively short track record as a starter while at Illinois. This led to the always frustrating projectable college tag. It’s easy to see what evaluators liked. Sedlock at his best mixes a plus fastball that ranges from 91-97 in terms of readings, his hard slider and curveball both flash above average for different reasons, and he’ll show a fringe changeup. His struggles to work in the strike zone and lack of weapon versus left-handed hitters has been a major theme to his struggles. Now add a shoulder injury in the mix, and it spells trouble for Sedlock’s future returns. Looks like a bust at the moment. ETA: 2020
Former first round pick with injury plagued career still has some promise.
Sedlock has had a number of injuries, including Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, that have hindered his development. No longer throwing in the mid-90s, the former first round pick from Illinois now has a fastball that sits in the low 90s with two above-average secondary pitches in a slider and changeup. He’s coming off a solid 2019 where he logged 95 innings and finally looked healthy.
Where Sedlock fits in the Orioles organization is a bit of unknown. He may not have enough stuff to be anything more than a spot starter or middle reliever but that doesn’t mean he can’t be effective. It’s even possible that his velocity could play up in shorter outings which strengthens the argument for moving him to the bullpen.
13) Devin Sweet SEA #20 Age: 23 ETA: 2021 Undersized command sequencing star with major uptick in stuff during a dominant 2019.
To say Devin Sweet came from out of nowhere would be an understatement. The undrafted and undersized righty from North Carolina Central College wasn’t even particularly dominant in his four years at the small school. But after signing on as an UDFA with the Mariner’s post draft, he did look nice as a reliever in 2018. He stuck with the club in 2019, where he began the season as an reliever again, but things really took off June 16 when he made his first start.
Sweet finished the year making 15 starts between A ball and high A, going 5+ IP in every start and even throwing a complete game. As a starter, Sweet went 6-3 with a 2.26 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 102K/18BB over 91 2/3 IP. Where Sweet truly shined was was his ability to hit zone while generating swing and miss. Sweet was one of just 16 full season ball pitchers to throw over 65% strikes while getting above 13% swinging strikes and over 34% Non ball in play strikes in 70+ IP. In fact, Sweet managed a 70% strike rate with 16% swinging strike and 35.7% non BIP strikes. That’s unreal and means he actually may have even outperformed his lofty stats.
Sweet saw a jump in stuff in 2019, with his fastball jumping from 86-88 to 91-94, allowing him to miss more bats up in the zone. His best pitch is his bugs bunny changeup with exceptional drop and fade. He shows an advanced feel for how to sequence this pitch off his fastball and it’s likely a 60 grade pitch. The real key to him working as a starter however, was the development of a decent slider to keep hitters honest a 2nd-3rd time through. Sweet shines in his ability to tunnel and is a perfect fit for pitching dev wunderkind Max Weiner’s analytics minded approach. While the slider will determine if Sweet can remain a starter, he has a nice fall back as an impact FB/CU RP.
14) Adam Macko SEA #25 Age: 18 ETA: 2023 Smaller prep lefty with elite command for his age, big high spin curve, solid change up and low 90s velo with some projection. Slovakian born and raised in Ireland/Canada.
One of my personal favorites in the Mariners draft class, Macko was one of the feel good stories in the 2019 draft. The six foot lefty was born in Slovakia and learned to pitch watching videos of Justin Verlander. He later moved to Ireland at 11, winning the Irish little league world series. Eventually, his family moved to Ontario, where he was able to get into an academy and hone his craft. The Purdue commit was expected to honor his commitment, before the Mariners went overslot to sign him in the seventh round.
And they are happy they did. Macko has a very repeatable, athletic delivery that comes with a bit of effort. Macko lives 89-93 with his fastball and has the projection for more as he fills out. It’s a high spin pitch as are all of Macko’s pitches. In particular, Macko’s best pitch, a plus curveball has had recorded rates in the 2700s and has potential to become a truly special pitch. Macko adds in a solid changeup to round out his reperatoire. While Macko was in and out with his control in his debut, he displayed command beyond his age and projects to be a plus in that category.
Mack was dominant in his debut, striking out one out of every three batters he faced. But he will need to cut down on his walks. That being said, he offers the potential for three good pitches, with a potentially double plus pitch if his frame grows as expected and plus command. With how his body type and mindset fit the Mariners’ analytically minded pitching dev, it’s easy to dream of Macko becoming an impact starter. How his body develops and what the Mariners dev team does with him will tell whether he can reach his ceiling or not. But he has a solid floor as a pen arm should he fail as a starter.
15) Damon Casetta-Stubbs SEA #28 Age: 20 ETA: 2023 Prototypical frame righty with four pitches that flash average or better, still learning to put it all together consistently.
A local prep signing in the 11th round for a well above slot $325,000 in 2018, DCS does a lot of things that make him look like a future major league starter. The 6-4 225 recently turned 20 year old has a truly ideal starters frame. In addition to the frame, he has a five pitch mix with two fastballs, a slider, curve and a changeup.
DCS has reached 97 with his heat, usually living in the 92-94 range with heavy sink. His best secondary pitch is a swing and miss slider but all three offspeed flash average. He has great control, but is working to improve command. Just 19 years old during the season, DCS pitched at three levels, making it all the way to high A in his first full season, making 25 starts. His statline was better than his ERA. In particular, his 7.11 ERA at A ball were marred by such bad luck that his FIP and xFIP were a very respectable 4.28 and 4.13 respectively.
While DCS needs some seasoning, he’s been a quick mover and handled it well. His frame and raw stuff suggest that he can become an SP3/4 and handle a ton of innings if he is able to refine his command. He should begin 2020 in High A and has drawn comps to Tanner Roark and Jeff Weaver.
16) Jio Orozco NYY A+
18) Levi Prater STL
Noah Zavolas MIL
Yuery Tatiz SEA
Lane Ratliff ARZ
Michael Plassmeyer TB
Forrest Snow LAA
Tyler Herb SF
Vicente Campos PIT
David Holman COL
Reggie McClain #45 Grade C: Taken in the 16th round of the 2016 draft McClain spent the year with High A Modesto where he pitched a team high 153.1 innings going 12-9 with a 4.75 ERA while striking out 127.
Danny Garcia
Ivan Fortunato
Carlos Herrera
Dylan Silva
Nathan Bannister #36 Grade C: A four year player at the University of Arizona, Bannister was drafted in the 28th round of the 2016 draft. After spending most of last year at Modesto, he was called up to AAA Tacoma in August starting 4 games and going 1-0 with a 4.37 ERA and 1.24 WHIP striking out 18 in 22.2 innings.
Dylan Thompson TB
Gianni Zayas
Carson Cross STL
Colby Blueberg SD
Tyler Pike ATL
Mike Kickham MIA
Tom de Blok DET
Max Roberts #32 Grade C: The 6’6” lefty went 10-1 with a 1.44 ERA with Wabash Valley college before being drafted in the 7th round of the 2017 draft. He pitched 10 games in the Arizona rookie league and figures to spend his time with Clinton and/or Modesto in 2018.
Randy Bell #48: Drafted in the 10th round out of South Alabama, Bell was the number 1 starter in his senior year had 7-3 record with a 3.69 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 107.1 innings. After the draft, he pitched 13 games in short season Everett.
JP Sears NYY A+
Darren McCaughan #49: Drafted in the 12th round of the 2017 draft, McCaughan impressed in the Arizona Rookie League striking out 18 in 12 innings pitched with a 3.75 ERA 1.00 WHIP and .205 average against.
Tommy Romero TB #42 Grade C: Taken in the 15th round out of Eastern Florida State, Romero impressed in the Arizona Rookie League going 5-1 with a 2.08 ERA and 0.97 WHIP striking out 51 in 41.3 innings.
Orlando Razo
Jamal Wade Grade C
Bryan Pall
Austin Hutchison
Collin Kober
David Gerber
Scott Boches
Chris Castellanos
David Hesslink
Cody Mobley
Ryne Inman #43: A 6’5” hard throwing right hander had some impressive moments the past couple of years. In 2017 he struck out 72 in 74.1 innings.
Kyle Davis
Lance Thonvold
Joe Peeler
Jared West
Alexandre Roy
Spencer Herrmann Grade C
Andres Torres #38 Grade C: The right hander out of Venezuela looked sharp in short season Everett going 7-2 with a 3.65 ERA in 15 starts. Expect the talented pitcher to continue raise his stock in 2018.
Jose Aquino
Adbiel Medina
Wilton Perez
RP:
Art Warren SEA #15 Grade C+: Age 24, 23rd round pick in 2015 from Ashland; posted 3.06 ERA with 67/25 K/BB in 65 innings in High-A; burns radar as high as 98 MPH, also has plus breaking ball; pure stuff may be a bit better than Festa’s but his command is not as advanced; like Festa and Rumbelow he’s got a shot at being a very useful middle reliever, maybe more, if his command holds. ETA late 2019.
Seth Elledge STL Grade C+: Age 22, fourth round pick in 2017 from Dallas Baptist; posted 3.24 ERA with 42/8 K/BB in 25 innings between Northwest and Midwest Leagues; another hard-throwing fastball/slider guy, can hit mid-90s, good combination of plus stuff and ability to throw strikes so far; ETA 2020.
Wyatt Mills SEA #23 Grade C+: Age 22, third round pick in 2017 from Gonzaga, posted 1.77 ERA with 29/9 K/BB in 20 innings between Northwest and Midwest Leagues; doesn’t throw quite as hard as Elledge, working in low-90s, but has a good slider and deception ability; yet another bullpen arm who could be quite useful down the line. ETA 2020.
A tall lanky righty with a successful four year college career, and a deceptive side armed delivery. Mills looks like a ready made MLB pen arm less than a year out. His two pitch mix consists of variations of his fastball, with a four-seam and two-seam grip, as well as a tight slider in the 82-83 range Mills pounds inside versus right-handed batters. His fastball sits low 90s, popping 95 at max effort. His low arm slot and quick cross-body delivery allows his stuff to play up, but it’s his ability to command and control his pitches from his bizarre mechanics that separate him from other low slot two-pitch types in the minors, as Mills has little trouble throwing strikes and picking his spots. An arm I’d be willing to bet sees some time in the MLB bullpen come July-August. ETA: 2019
Darin Gillies SEA #25 Grade C: Drafted in the 10th round in the 2015 draft Gillies had a solid year in 2017 with AA Arkansas going 3-3 with a 3.32 ERA/1.29 WHIP and .231 opponent batting average. The hard throwing right hander impressed in the Arizona Fall League and should start the season with AAA Tacoma. He projects to be a middle reliever in the majors and could make his debut as early as this season.
Raymond Kerr SEA #27 Age: 25 ETA: 2020 Converted UDFA starter is now a multi inning reliever who touches 101 with a 60 slider and solid changeup with projection remaining, but needs to improve command.
Yet another fourth-year senior from a small school who became an UDFA for the Mariners, Kerr is much more electric than the previously mentioned names. Since signing, Kerr has seen a truly meteoric rise in stuff. An athletic and still projectable 6-3 185 at 24 years old during the 2019 season, Kerr has big stuff but doesn’t know how to command it yet.
A starter until midway through the season, Kerr struggled mightily to maintain his command through starts. On June 30, he made the switch to a bullpen arm and the results were tremendous. From that date on, Kerr had a 1.13 ERA and struck out 44 batters in just 30 innings with only 12 walks. While command issues are still there, they are toned down and he has had an impressive Arizona Fall League.
What really makes Kerr stand out though is his stuff. Kerr lives 95-99 out of the pen and has touched 101 at times. He has a nice two-plane slider and 60 grade splitter that he can use on lefties. More than enough to get by as a multi inning reliever. He will also mix in the occasional cutter and changeup. The raw stuff says fireman role or potentially a dominant closer. It also gives him a floor of seeing the majors. His whacky delivery and command issues are still cause for concern though. Whether Kerr reaches his ceiling as a true closer or is stuck as stuff-only reliever is yet to be determined, but it’s clear he’s a dude and damn fun to watch.
Sam Delaplane SEA #30 Age: 24 ETA: 2020 Major league ready reliever throws mid to high 90s sinkers and a 2700 RPM slider. Struck out 120 batters in 68 IP.
Yet another 5-11 former small school starter senior sign from eastern Michigan, Delaplane has really taken the Mariner’s minor leagues by storm. Delaplane followed an insane 2018 where he struck out 38.8% of batters, with an even better 2019 where he struck out over 45% of batters he faced! In his eight AFL innings, he has struck out 15 batters with just 1 walk with a 1.13 ERA and 0.75 WHIP.
Delaplane does this with a dominant two pitch mix. His mid 90s heat has big time life, sitting 94-96 and generating whiffs up in the zone. He follows that up with a hard mid 80s slider with big time drop and big time spin rates. While Seattle has a glut of high level RP deserving of praise like Joey Gerber, Art Warren, Taylor Guilbeau, Wyatt Mills and Aaron Fletcher to name a few; what sets Delaplane apart is his command and sequencing. He knows exactly where and how to set hitters up.
Delaplane should spend a good portion of 2020 in the bigs and has the upside to be a legitimate set up man as soon as this year.
Thomas Burrows ATL Grade C+
Jack Anderson: Anderson split his time between Clinton and Modesto in 2017 posting a 3-5 record with a 2.51 ERA and 1.20 WHIP striking out 75 in 71.2 innings of work out of the bullpen.
Michael Koval
Matt Clancy
Joe Pistorese: Another bullpen arm that spent most of last year with the Modesto Nuts the left hander has an above average strikeout rate and projects to be a late inning relief pitcher.
David Ellingson
Kyle Wilcox #41: Wilcox has impressed many in the organization with his athleticism and his ability to throw three pitches effectively. The hard throwing righty struck out 52 in 33.1 innings in Clinton last year with a 3.78 ERA in 21 games. Has the potential to be a late innings reliever in the majors.
Matt Walker: Walker is a crafty off speed pitcher worked out of the bullpen with High A Modesto going 4-5 with a 4.19 ERA and 6 saves in 42 appearances.
Lukas Schiraldi MIA
Michael Rivera
Jeffeson Medina TEX
Noah Zavolas MIL
Brian Moran MIA
C:
Luis Campusano SD #5 Age: 21 ETA: 2021 Legit two-way catching prospect with an advanced recognition of the strike zone.
Campusano burst onto the scene this past season, cementing himself as one of the elite catching prospects in baseball. There’s real potential for him to be an above-average two-way catcher, which, given the state of the catching position across major league baseball right now, would make Campusano a real asset.
He made massive strides at the plate with Lake Elsinore in 2019, improving his OPS by 195 points and wRC+ by 42 from his 2018 campaign. Campusano essentially saw an improvement in literally all offensive aspects of his game. He started to hone some of that 60-grade raw power in game this year and continued to show an above-average recognition of the strike zone, walking nearly as much as he struck out.
Campusano has the tools to be an above-average defensive catcher. He has above-average arm strength and calls a strong game, but it’s the little things like a quicker transfer, or a slight improvement in pitch framing, that would truly elevate his defensive skills. His next real test will be with the Sod Poodles in Double-A, but if Campusano hits well in the Texas League, the Padres may have a budding star behind the dish in their future.
Cal Raleigh SEA #7 Age 22 ETA: 2021 The Florida State product is a switch-hitting catcher with above-average raw pop. He was inconsistent during his time in Tallahassee as he showed promise during his freshman and junior campaigns but struggled to get it going as a sophomore. He hit after entering the Mariners system and gives them an offensive oriented catcher. On defense, Raleigh has no standout tool with an average arm and average defensive abilities. He’s an underrated part of a nice Mariners draft. ETA: 2021.
Switch hitting catcher with home run power who’s made major strides in framing and a firm grasp of analytics and leadership.
The deeper I dug into the Mariners system, the more I came to appreciate how integral Raleigh is to what the Mariners want to do and the further he moved up my rankings. Coming out of Florida State as a third round pick who got late first round money, Raleigh was mostly known for his bat. While Raleigh delivered with the bat hitting 29 home runs and an .820 OPS, it was Raleigh’s advancements as a catcher and a leader that saw him rise up my list.
Raleigh, a two time academic All ACC team finisher, is said to have a fantastic understanding of analytics and studies tape like an NFL QB. As mentioned in the article linked in the Gilbert blurb, Raleigh became the unquestioned leader of any clubhouse. His game calling ability was showcased by every pitcher he caught having better stats with him catching for them than without him. He also made big strides in his framing and receiving, while showing an arm that plays at the position. He will continue to improve at the position, but it’s now clear he can stick at the position.
While I have some concerns about strikeout rate that jumped from 19.8 percent in A+ to 29.6 percent in his smaller Double-A debut, much of that is by design with his well over 50 percent fly ball rate that should lead to monster home run totals. Additionally, Raleigh has maintained solid walk rates and was fairly unlucky with his .276 BABIP. His OPS was also .167 higher on the road in Double-A, where the Arkansas power sap was in full effect.
Raleigh is a catcher who’s rapidly improving, is a perfect fit for the system he’s in, makes his pitchers better, is a leader in the clubhouse and has an approach perfectly geared for the juiced ball (which he hasn’t even seen yet).
Chase Vallot KC #12 Grade C+: Age 21, compensation round pick in 2014 from high school in Louisiana; enormous power and a patient approach but strikes out a frightening amount; hit .231/.380/.438 with 22 doubles, 12 homers, 64 walks, and 127 strikeouts in 281 at-bats in High-A; one of the more unique hitters in minor league baseball; defense remains shaky with 12 errors and 10 passed balls in 59 games; it would be honestly tempting to just make him a DH and tell him to concentrate on hitting; the power is a real impact tool but remains to be seen if he can deploy it at higher levels
David Banuelos
Tyler Marlette
Jason Goldstein
PJ Jones
Troy Dixon
Daniel Santos
Ismerling Mota
Adam Moore
1B:
Gabe Moncada
Dalton Kelly
Ryan Uhl
Rob Fonseca
Leurys Vargas
Ryan Garcia
2B:
Donnie Walton SEA #30 Grade C
Joseph Rosa Grade C+: Age 20, interesting sleeper who has received little notice but has always played well, hit .296/.374/.531 in Northwest League after hitting .305/.345/.455 in rookie ball in ’16; New York native signed as an undrafted free agent in summer of 2015; switch-hitter listed at 5-10, 165, holds career slash line of .298/.369/.436; rough with the glove, limited to second base tools-wise and has been error-prone so far, but the bat bears close watching. ETA 2022.
Cesar Izturis Jr SEA #26 Grade C
Asdrubal Bueno
Luis Chevalier
Carlos Fernandez
Joe Venturino
Tyler Smith
Chris Baker SD Grade C+
Chris Mariscal #44: After a blistering start in Modesto last year, Mariscal earned a promotion to AA Arkansas. Combined he had a .285/.368/.402 slash line and projects out to be a utility infielder in MLB.
3B:
Milkar Perez SEA #24 Age: 18 ETA: 2024
Rare Nicaraguan prospect has solid raw power, good approach and a legit 70 grade arm at 17, but struggles with launch angles.
One of the true sleepers in the system, Milkar is one of the extremely rare J2 signings from Nicaragua. His $175,000 signing bonus is 2018 was the tops in the country, but looks like a steal after his first season as a 17 year old in the DSL.
Despite expectations he’d be more raw than a traditional Dominican or Venezuelan player due to lack of reps against polished prospects, Perez was one of the DSL M’s most advanced players. Known mainly for his absolute cannon arm that has drawn 70 tool grades at just 16, Perez is still working on his glovework, but should be a plus third baseman in time with the ability to fall back to right field. He isn’t the quickest player on the diamond, but has gotten quicker since he got into the training facility.
Where he really stands out has been at the plate. Still growing into his broad six foot frame, Perez has hit for more raw power than expected with all four of his home runs clearing the fence by more 20 feet, including one over 430 feet to dead center. What’s more is that they all went to completely different parts of the field. Perez often struggled to get the ball air born in 2019, but he should showcase above average power as he learns to launch the ball. In addition to the power, Perez was patient at the plate, drawing a 13.2% BB rate and limiting strikeouts. He has a solid hit tool and got on base 38.1% of the time. Not bad for a player supposed to be behind the curve.
All in all, Perez has big upside with a potential above average hit and power, plus his 70 grade arm. There’s risk in a DSL player, but he’s the kind of person who shows tools that will excite scouts and writers who have yet to see him. Blaze Alexander is a good comp for Perez.
Osmy Gregorio TB
Nick Zamarelli Grade C
Johnny Adams #46 Grade C: After being drafted in the 22nd round in 2017, Adams opened eyes with short season Everett with a .316/.374/.445 slash line with 5 home runs in 52 games. He showed defensive versatility playing 3B, 2B and SS. An intriguing prospect, he will be interesting to watch in 2018
Jordan Cowan #39 Grade C: Cowan reached base safely in 99 of 120 games with an at bat. He has both speed and is an intelligent baserunner with 18 stolen bases and 67 runs scored last year.
Eugene Helder #47 Grade C: The third base prospect out of Aruba spent most of last season in Everett before finishing the season at AAA Tacoma. Combined he had a .296/.336/.401 slash line.
Conner Hale
David Greer
Logan Taylor
SS:
Carson Tucker CLE
Bryson Brigman MIA #18 Age 23 Grade C: The third round pick from the 2016 draft spent last season at Single A Clinton hitting just .235 with 2 HR. His speed and defense are his top qualities; he stole 16 bases last year while mainly playing shortstop. He projects to be a be a backup middle infielder in the majors.
Acquired from the Mariners in the Cameron Maybin swap, Brigman is not unlike the guy just above him. The 5-foot-11 middle infielder shows an innate ability to make contact with the ball. The righty crouches in the box and strikes with good bat speed that lets him get to the pitch in most quadrants of the zone. His shortening of the zone also helps with his selectivity. He’s a fringe defender at shortstop so the keystone is his likely destination. Brigman’s plate skills give him a floor as a utilityman once he reaches the majors.
Erick Mejia KC AAA
Jack Reinheimer MIN AAA #23 Grade C+
Alexander Campos OAK #23 Rk
Mateo Gil STL
Taylor Perez
Julius Gaines
Carlos Vargas
Steve Branche
Kevin Santa
Connor Hoover
Louis Boyd
Martin Peguero
Rayder Ascanio STL
OF:
Julio Rodriguez SEA #2 Age 18 ETA: 2021, signed out of the Dominican Republic in July 2017 for $1,750,000; hasn’t played yet; wouldn’t rank this high in most organizations due to lack of data but lack of system depth moves him up; scouting reports say he has at least 60-grade power and a strong throwing arm, right field profile; reports on hitting polish are mixed but given his age that’s understandable; basically we need to see him in action before saying anything more; ETA 2023.
Advanced 18 year old with potential to compete for triple crowns if he hits his lofty ceiling.
Just 18 years old, Julio Rodriguez is already starting to become a bit of a legend. Many were surprised to see the teen debut in full season ball straight from the DSL even after a dominant spring training. More were surprised to see him post an .850 OPS at that level despite missing time with a fractured wrist. The hype really got out of control when high reached High A, where he was the second youngest player in the league by three months to Wander Franco. He produced a .462/.514/.738 OPS at that level in the last 17 games of the year. He ended up posting a .397 OBP in the Arizona Fall League where he was four years below average age and had a surprising four steals.
While 12 home runs in 84 games in a year you fractured your wrist is solid, it doesn’t really do Julio’s raw power justice. J-Rod is growing into 70 (maybe more) raw power and with his plus hit tool, 70 game power isn’t out of the question as he matures. Power isn’t all Rodriguez brings at the plate however. He has an advanced feel for the zone with plus ball-to-barrel skills and should hit for average and get on base at a high clip. As he continues to grow into his massive frame that’s already an athletic 6-4 225 at just 18, it’s likely he will move off of his current centerfield position to a corner and slow down a little bit. Luckily, he has a 70 grade arm as well and can be a plus defender in RF.
In addition to the on the field tools, Julio is a star off of the field. He refused to sign with any team that wouldn’t allow him to continue his education, something he’s held to since joining the Mariners system. He’s already completely fluent in English. He’s also one of the best follows on Instagram and Twitter, constantly at other games or messing with teammates on IG live. The kid has natural charisma and like roommate Kelenic, has shown leadership beyond his age.
Anytime you outhit Wander Franco at the same age and same level, people will take notice. While Franco is ahead for now, Rodriguez’s charm and triple crown skillset could make this a fun debate for No.1 prospect in baseball sooner rather than later.
George Feliz SEA #26 Age: 17 ETA: 2025 Mariners biggest 2019 J2 bonus has a five tool skillset and has drawn many comparisons to Victor Robles.
While Kristian Cardozo was the biggest name the Mariners signed in their 2019 international class and arguably the top pitcher in the entire class, it was Feliz who got the highest bonus; signing for $900,000. Feliz is from the same academy as Julio Rodriguez and is known for having a similar makeup off of the field, which is a big plus.
On the field, Feliz is a very different player. He is a five tool centerfielder who shows the makings of both plus hit and run tools. He has very good bat speed, driving the ball and has a chance for average to above power. He has a solid and accurate arm and gets great reads in the outfield.
Feliz has drawn a ton of comps to Nationals star Victor Robles and has the upside to become a similar player, perhaps even with more pop! Robles was worth over 4 war in his first full season and was a top 10 prospect for years, so Feliz could wind up being a true impact player. However, Feliz has yet to debut and there is a massive amount of risk in a 16 year old kid yet to have his minors debut. Feliz should spend the year in the DSL in 2020.
Evan Carter TEX
Luis Liberato SEA #9 Grade C
Anthony Jimenez SEA #10 Grade C+: Age 22, signed out of Venezuela in 2013, hit .298/.362/.482 with 19 walks, 73 strikeouts, 24 steals in 228 at-bats in Low-A; like Rosario, Jimenez has some interesting tools and put them to good use in ’17, although he’s two years older and thus has less projection; 60-runner, surprising power in 5-11, 170 frame, though contact issues will need to be ironed out as he moves up; tools fit well in center field; ETA late 2020.
Ronald Rosario SEA #13 Grade C+: Age 20, signed out of Dominican Republic in 2013; hit .294/.355/.516 with six homers, 11 walks, 40 strikeouts in 126 at-bats in Northwest League; solid production for this league, shows solid-average power potential and a good throwing arm, runs pretty well despite just one stolen base, although fits best in corner outfield spot; destroyed right-handed pitching (.320/.377/.567), quite worthy of notice in a thin system although strike zone judgment needs more work; ETA 2021
Keegan McGovern SEA #24 Age 23: The Mariners drafted McGovern out of the University of Georgia in the ninth round in 2018. McGovern was a four-year starter while in Athens, and was a first-team all-SEC selection in 2018 when he hit .319/.431/.644 with 18 homers. He’s proven to be more than just a traditional senior-sign to this point as he has plus raw power and is a good athlete. He dealt with a back injury while in school and it brought the overall production down, especially his junior season when he only managed to hit a pair of homers. His average speed and arm have made him primarily a left fielder since entering pro ball, and I think he can carve out a career as a platoon outfielder. ETA: 2021
Eric Filia SEA #21 Grade C
Scott Hurst STL #27
Wes Rogers COL
Dimas Ojeda
Austin Grebeck
Jansiel Rivera
Ricky Eusebio
Gus Craig
Luis Veloz
Danny Contreras
Hersin Martinez
Billy Cooke #31: Cooke was drafted in the 8th round of the 2017 draft and played 3 games in Everett before going to Clinton for the remainder of the season. He earned the Sun Belt Conference player of the year leading off for Coastal Carolina University hitting .353 with 10HR’s and stealing 21 bases.
Johnny Slater
Gabriel Guerrero CIN
Stefen Romero Fgn
Andrew Aplin
Gareth Morgan LAA Grade C
Trey Griffey NFL
Donovan Tate NCAAF
Other Prospects:
Maikel Cleto P
Pat Venditte, RP (PHI) (2021)
Rob Wooten, RP (CIN) (2019) AAA
Jason Hagerty, C (SD) AAA
Travis Harrison, 3B (MIN) AA
Tyler Bortnick, SS (MIL) AAA
Oscar Hernandez, C (BOS) AA 42 AB
Edwar Cabrera, SP (HOU) AAA 5.2 IP
Patrick Kivlehan, 3B CIN (2022)
2018 FYPD
Grayson Rodriguez LHP (BAL)
Mateo Gil SS (STL)
2017 FYPD
Tanner Houck RHP (BOS)
Scott Hurst OF (STL)
Luis Campusano C (SD)
2016 FYPD
Delvin Perez | SS | (STL)
Cody Sedlock | RHP | (BAL)
2015 FYPD
Taylor Hearn | LHP | (PIT)
Carson Cross |RHP | (STL)
Dispersal Draft
2014: Colby Blueberg | RHP | SD High A
2015: Gage Hinsz | RHP | PIT A C+
2016: Chris Baker, SS, SD A C+
2017: no pick
2018: Jose Maldonado RHP PIT