Quick Look
Even after surrendering three prospects to acquire Cliff Lee, I like Seattle's system. The Mariners lack blue-chip prospects after their top two, but they have a nice mix of players after that who look like future contributors. GM Jack Zduriencik has done an excellent job in his year at the helm, reshaping the organization and arguably positioning the M's to be the team to beat in the AL West in 2010.
Top Prospects
Dustin Ackley, of
Age: 21 Level: none-Triple-A
Ackley rolls out of bed hitting line drives. The 2009 2nd overall pick hit over .400 every year in college, set a College World Series record for hits, and held his own against advanced pitching in the Arizona Fall League straight out of college. Ackley has strong pitch-recognition skills and a sweet lefthanded stroke designed for contact. He goes berserk when he gets in a groove. The 6-1, 185-pounder launched 22 home runs in his last season at North Carolina (and may have the pop to hit 10-15 a year at the major league level), but power is not Ackley's game. He played 1st base in college because of an arm injury, but will play the outfield as a pro. Ackley has plus speed and solid athleticism that should translate well there. He played the left side of the infield in high school, and some would like to try him at 2nd base, but he believes he'll wind up an outfielder. Ackley's value would be highest if he sticks in center, but his polished bat will be good enough to make him an above-average big leaguer anywhere. He could rise as quickly as White Sox infielder Gordon Beckham did.
Michael Saunders, of
Age: 23 Level: MLB
Saunders struggled in his first taste of the majors in 2009 (.221/.258/.279), but the Canada native still offers an intriguing blend of upside and polish. Saunders throws and runs well enough to play all three outfield positions. He flashed excellent defensive skills in his time in left field in Seattle. At 6-4, 210, the lefty batter has some raw power at the plate. He focuses getting on base, though, and his career high in home runs is 15. His career MiLB line is a maintainable .279/.364/.452. He is sound fundamentally, and can bunt and steal some bases. Saunders does fan often (24.2 K% in the minors), a byproduct of him working deep counts. Having already reached the big leagues, Saunders is now primed to develop into an above-average starting outfielder.
Nick Franklin, ss
Age: 18 Level: Short-Season-Low A
Franklin was taken in the 1st round of the '09 draft. He looked good in his pro debut and is ready to start 2010 in a full-season league. Franklin has a compact swing that allows him to hit for contact. The switch-hitter probably won't be a power threat, particularly with wood. The Florida native does project to stay up the middle, thanks to his range, hands, and instincts. He won over scouts with his performance during showcases last year, and he has speed and athleticism to go along with his gamer mentality. Some think his tools aren't overwhelming enough, but I buy into Franklin as a legitimate shortstop prospect with exciting potential.
Adam Moore, c
Age: 25 Level: MLB
An offensive-minded 6th-rounder coming out of Texas-Arlington in 2006, Moore has worked hard to make himself a more complete backstop. He steadily climbed the ladder and reached Seattle for a 24 PA cameo last year. Moore has some pop from the right side and is an above-average hitter for a catcher. He doesn't walk or strike out excessively. The 6-3, 220-pounder has an above-average arm and is a steady receiver and blocker. He lacks agility and speed, but is fine for a catcher. Moore is essentially maxed out, but he has the tools to be a solid all-around MLB catcher starting this season.
Michael Pineda, rhp
Age: 21 Level: High A-Double-A
A Dominican righty who steamrolled the Midwest League in 2008, Pineda was limited to 47 IP in 2009 because of lingering elbow issues. Pineda has fine command of a low-90s fastball and an advanced changeup. He has bulked up and his 6-5, 250 frame bodes well for durability. The problem is that his arm action is awkward and is believed to be the root of his elbow problems. Pineda is still young, but he has yet to develop a consistent breaking ball. Seattle may send him back to High A or challenge him in Double-A (I'd choose the latter). Before he reaches his high ceiling, Pineda needs to iron out his delivery, but he is one good season away from becoming one of the better pitching prospects in the game.
Alex Liddi, 3B
Age: 21 Level: High A-Double-A
Liddi, a rare Italian prospect, stumbled to a .315 wOBA as a teenager in Low A for two years. Freed from the MWL doldrums and released into the Cal League in 2009, Liddi went .345/.411/.594 with 23 homers. I remain skeptical how much of his breakout year can be attributed to pure improvement rather than the hitter's havens in which he played, but Liddi is certainly a prospect. The 6-4, 176-pounder is starting to tap into his power and some believe he will produce enough to profile at third. He likes to take pitches the other way. Liddi does, however, have an unorthodox hitting style, and he whiffs often (23.8 career K%). Despite a big frame, he is regarded as a strong defender at the hot corner. Double-A will be a strong barometer of Liddi's ultimate potential.
Carlos Triunfel, inf
Age: 19 Level: Double-A-Triple-A
Triunfel signed for $1.3 million out of the Dominican Republic in 2006. The 5-11, 205-pounder proceeded to progress rapidly, reaching High A at age 17. He lost time in 2009, however, as a fractured fibula truncated his season to 44 PAs. Triunfel's feel for hitting is still well ahead of the curve. He has strong hand-eye coordination and the bat speed to be an excellent contact hitter. Triunfel is an impatient hitter, though, with a 5.2% career walk rate. He has decent hands and a cannon arm, but his stocky frame and substandard range will push him to second or third base. Triunfel has very little present power, and does not profile well at the latter. He'll return to Double-A as a 20-year-old in 2010 in need of a broader offensive toolset.
Gabriel Noriega, ss
Age: 19 Level: Rookie-Low A
Gifted with plus range, hands, and infield actions, Noriega makes all the plays at short and gives observers reason to believe he will play shortstop in the big leagues. The native of Venezuela has some contact ability (and hit .311/.360/.456 in the Appalachian League at age 18), but he has work to do offensively. Noriega, a righthander, strikes out too often (26.2 K%) and needs to focus on getting on base. The 6-2, 170-pounder is an average runner. Likely ticketed for Low A, Noriega will be a MLBer if he hits.
Shawn Kelley, rhp
Age: 25 Level: MLB
Back in 2007, when Vanderbilt hosted the Nashville Regioanl, the #1 Commodores faced 4-seed Austin Peay in the opener. Conventional wisdom pegged the Governors as a pushover, but Vandy coach Tim Corbin opted to start his ace David Price to be safe. The move payed off, as Kelley kept his team neck-and-neck with a brilliant, 10-inning performance. Vanderbilt prevailed in a 2-1 epic, but Kelley put his name on the map.
Kelley was drafted in the 13th round that summer, and made it to Seattle as a reliever in 2009. The 6-2, 215-pounder pounds the zone with a 93 mph fastball and a plus slider. He doesn't keep the ball on the ground enough, but he posts strong strikeout rates and has good enough stuff to be a 7th- or 8th-inning reliever in the short-term and the long-term.
Steven Baron, c
Age: 19 Level: Rookie-Low A
Baron stood out as a defense-oriented high school catcher last spring. The Miami native was Seattle's supplemental 1st-round pick. Baron has a plus arm in addition to good footwork and soft hands. He may lack the strength to survive against pro pitchers, though. The 6-0, 195-pounder has holes in his swing and will never be confused with an offensive powerhouse. The Mariners are optimistic that he'll run into some homers and line drives, but Baron likely will not hit for a high average or post strong OBPs. The track record with defense-first prep catchers isn't great, but Baron shut down the running game in his pro debut and has the tools be at least a backup.
Others: RHP Daniel Cortes; LHP Mauricio Robles; OFs Greg Halman, Guillermo Pimentel, James Jones, and Ezequiel Carrera; 3Bs Mario Martinez and Matt Tuiasosopo; 1Bs Rich Poythress and Mike Carp
Impact Talent: C+
Farm System Depth: B
2010 Breakout Prospect
Julio Morban, of
Age: 17 Level: Rookie-Short-Season
A highly-touted Dominican amateur, Morban signed for $1.1 million in 2008 and got his first pro action in the Arizona League last summer. A shoulder sprain limited him to DH duty for much of the season. Morban held his own (with an encouraging .247 IsoP) and displayed a sweet lefthanded swing, but his control of the zone was nonexistent (7-49 BB-K in 165 PAs). Morban has decent athleticism and instincts (and a strong arm), so he might be able to stick in center, but his bat is his meal ticket in any case. Once he gets his feet under him and makes more adjustments, he could rocket up the Mariners' depth chart.
Michael Saunders foul ball from 2006
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