Jarred Kelenix, Seattle Mariners. 2019 MLB Future's Game.
Logan Gilbert, Seattle Mariners.
If you watched the Seattle Mariners on the field the last couple of seasons, there hasn’t been much reason to get excited. Something is stirring beneath the surface. M’s fans have already been treated to glimpses of the future through Kyle Lewis and Shed Long Jr. More young talent is on the way, and the rest of the Major League Baseball is taking notice.
MLB Pipeline released its latest Top 100 Prospects list this week. It includes five players from the Mariners organization. Here is what you need to know about each of them.
Two Seattle Mariners prospects fell just outside the top 100.
George Kirby, RHP – The Seattle Mariners first-round pick out of Elon College in 2019 is a finesse pitcher who put up a ridiculous 107 strikeouts to 6 walks his senior year. He started the year ranked number 100 on MLB Pipeline’s rankings.
Noelvi Marte, SS – Marte was a 2018 free agent signing out of the Dominican Republic. The 19-year old is working out this summer at the Mariners alternate site in Tacoma. After an impressive showing, Marte was named the top player in the Dominican Summer League last year. Marte will climb in the rankings quickly once he gets the opportunity to show what he can do in minor league games.
Anyone paying attention to the 2020 Mariners has been wowed by Evan White’s outstanding defensive play at first base. Coming into the season, he became one of the very few prospects who had never played above Double-A to sign a Major League contract.
As the use of defensive shifts is on the rise, White’s defensive ability at first base has become more valued. Manager Scott Servais is comfortable with shifting his second baseman, Long, to the right side against right-handed hitters. He can do it because White can cover more ground than an average first baseman.
The rookie holds his own at the plate as more of a contact hitter than a power hitter. White’s future will depend on his ability to maintain a solid OPS. He should get some extra leeway at the plate, however, since his fielding abilities are elite at first base.
Emerson Hancock, Georgia Bulldogs. (Photo by Gamecock Central, via Flickr)
Logan Gilbert was the Seattle Mariners 2018 first-round pick (14th overall). After a dominating at three different minor league levels in 2019, Gilbert seemed set to make his MLB debut sometime in 2020. However, changes in the league due to Covid-19 may have altered that plan a bit. A cup of coffee with the big club no longer seems like a guarantee.
The tall, 6-6, pitcher out of Stetson University boasts a well-polished set of four pitches. With a fastball around 92–94 mph, Gilbert relies on above-average control and the ability to mix his pitches to support his high strikeout rates effectively. Expect to see him at T-Mobile by May of 2021 at the latest.
Even with their highest draft pick since 2014, the M’s still needed plenty of luck to land Emerson Hancock with the sixth overall pick of the 2020 MLB Draft. The former Georgia Bulldogs star entered the 2020 college season as the top pick in many draft boards.
Hancock profiles perfectly as a starter with four solid pitchers and a fastball that sits around 95 mph. While he is likely the last player out of these five prospects to debut, his experience in the loaded SEC over the past three years sets Hancock up for a 2022 debut. At 6-4, he could be an absolute force on the mound. The real trick, however, will be in avoiding injury.
Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners,
Julio Rodriguez signed with the Seattle Mariners as a teenager out of the Dominican Republic in 2017. He was a big name at the time, with plenty of raw talent, and his clout has only grown since then. Rodriguez has a huge personality, which he backs up with his big play on the field.
After an excellent showing in the Arizona fall league, Rodriguez climbed six spots in the rankings. The young slugger was performing well in Spring Training 2.0 until a hairline fracture to his left wrist put him on the shelf. Rodriguez has the skills to reach the majors at some point next year. Whenever he does make it up, a big personality, powerful work ethic, and extreme talent should quickly land him a spot as a fan favorite.
Jarred Kelenic was Seattle’s prize from the trade that sent closer Edwin Diaz, Robinson Cano (and his albatross of a salary) to the New York Mets in December 2018. Drafted sixth overall in 2018, by NYM, out of Waukesha West High School in Wisconsin, he raced through four levels of the minors in 173 games over the last two years.
With early comparisons to Mike Trout, Kelenic boasts a toolset that includes a smooth swing, power, speed, and excellent fielding. He continues to turn heads at the Mariners alternate site this summer with big home runs and consistent hitting. Expect to see Kelenic in the majors by 2021, if not sooner.
Are you as optimistic about the Seattle Mariners’ top prospects as MLB Pipeline? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.