2022 Seattle Mariners Weekly Prospect Update 5/21/2022
This is Week 3 of our series about the top prospects in the Seattle Mariners system.
In the third installment of our Prospect Progress Report, we have a bit of movement amongst the Seattle Mariners‘ top prospects. Over the last week, the M’s demoted highly-touted prospect Jarred Kelenic so he could find the “fun in the game again.”
Kelenic was sent down to Tacoma to find his swing and get his mind right. Mariners General Manager Jerry Dipoto said he just wants the struggling slugger to have fun playing the game again and for Kelenic to stop adding so much pressure on himself.
The GM is giving him good advice; Kelenic should listen. It seems as if he’s trying to make the Hall of Fame on every swing. The 22-year-old Wisconsin native needs to calm down, go to the plate with a solid plan, and understand what the pitcher is trying to do with him.
Immensely talented, Kelenic is also a very intense player. He will benefit greatly by simply slowing down. The greats (which he is trying to be) always talk about how the game slowed down for them at some point. Well, Kelenic needs to slow down, and the hits will come. He has produced at each stop so far, and it’s too early to label him a Quad-A player.
Scott Servais on Jarred Kelenic:
— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) May 13, 2022
“Stepping back right now is the right thing, and he understands it. He wasn't totally shocked. Obviously, he's gone through this before being sent down last year. The reaction last year was much different than it was today.”
K-Lew’s Return is close
Another “prospect” on the farm getting his work in is Kyle Lewis. He’s currently on a 20-day rehab assignment with the Tacoma Rainiers. K-Lew is nine games into his rehab assignment and has 34 at-bats so far, with a .324/.410/.647 slash line with 12 RBIs.
It appears that his bat is back to its excellence of 2020. Now, the Seattle Mariners need to see if his body will hold up to the grind of the summer to come.
Look for the Mariners to call him up next week. When his rehab time is up, and the Seattle Mariners are back from their eastern road trip. Once Lewis is activated, Seattle will use him mainly as a designated hitter, with a few games sprinkled in the outfield.
The not so big named players
Sam Haggerty is putting together a very nice season thus far, to the tune of .311/.381/.906, 5 home runs, 21 RBI, and 22 runs scored. He’s also a terror on the base paths with 13 stolen bases already.
If the uber-utility man keeps this up, it will be hard for the Seattle Mariners not to give him a look. Even more so because so many Seattle players are struggling at the plate.
Infielder Edwin Arroyo is another name to watch. The second-year pro is hitting .296 with 7 homers, 28 RBI, and 28 runs scored in 33 games in 2022 for the Low-A Modesto Nuts. He’s only 18-years-old but has a Major League frame at 6-0, 175 pounds already. With 7 steals, Arroyo also has some speed on the bases. At this pace, it won’t be too long before the Seattle Mariners promote him to Double-A.
The New Guy
Finishing off the top five this week is the new guy Prelander Berroa. The 5-11, 170-pound right-handed starter was recently picked up from San Francisco in exchange for Donovan Walton. Berroa is a fastball/slider pitcher with upper 90s heat.
The question is, what’s his future as an MLB starter or reliever? Last season as a starter, Berroa turned in a 12.31 K/9 rate, but can he do that over the course of a full major league season at the highest level? Some scouts see Berroa as a very nice bullpen option going forward.
Since he’s new to the organization, the Mariners are likely to let him remain a starter. Or until they can determine if he’ll be more effective as a reliever.
It will be interesting to see how this coming week plays out for the Seattle Mariners farm system. Lewis’s rehab time is ending just as Kelenic arrives in Tacoma.
Prelander Berroa is through 4IP, 4H, 3R, 2ER, 3BB, 7K, 73-46. Frogs up 5-3.
— Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) May 21, 2022
Following on the heels of George Kirby, who will be the next M’s youngster to make his successful MLB debut this year?