Kyle Lewis is the Real Deal for the Seattle Mariners
Herb Nightengale
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Seattle Mariners rookie outfielder Kyle Lewis will look to make his mark on Major League Baseball in 2020.
Kyle Lewis was drafted in the first round by the Seattle Mariners in 2016. He started his professional career that year in short-season Single-A ball with the Everett Aqua Sox. Unfortunately, a significant knee injury in August cut his season short; he only played in 30 games. In 2017, another injury reduced him to only 49 games.
He missed the first month of 2018 with yet another injury. It looked like Lewis’career would be over before it ever got started. When he finally got on the field, it took only 50 games for him to be promoted from Class A Modesto to Double-A Arkansas.
2019 was the first year he played a full season since turning pro. He ended up playing in 122 games for Arkansas, posting a batting average of .263 with 11 home runs and 62 RBI. While those numbers are modest, the Mariners felt he was worthy of a September call up to Seattle, after the Arkansas Travelers finished the Double-A playoffs.
To the Bigs
Lewis justified the organization’s faith in him. In each of his first three major league games, he hit a home run. In all, Lewis banged six long balls during September as part of his .268 average, 13 RBI month.
His performance was good enough for Seattle Mariners General Manager Jerry Dipoto to say after the season that Lewis would be one of the team’s regulars in 2020. During this year’s spring training, before it was canceled due to COVID-19, Lewis struggled. His place in the lineup, however, wasn’t in doubt.
When summer camp began Lewis once again showed again what he is made of. The imposing 6-4, 205-pound muscular outfielder hit three home runs in the M’s first two intrasquad games. He enters the 2020 season as one of the Mariners top hitters.
Of course, a handful of late-season MLB at-bats isn’t an accurate predictor of his future success. So far, he’s off to a good start in 2020. Lewis gave Seattle fans a glimpse of what he could do on opening day when he took Houston’s defending Cy Young winner Justin Verlander downtown. He hit another home run on Saturday, followed by a game-winning single in Game 3.
Lewis may be part of what could be the best outfield the Seattle Mariners the team may ever have, along with top prospects Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez.