Prospect Insider - Postseason Top 25

Postseason Top 25

By Jason A. Churchill

By 11-05-2008

These are the top 25 prospects in the Mariners organization. Only players who retain major league rookie status are included -- those with fewer than 130 major league plate appearances or 50 major league innings pitched.

1. CARLOS TRIUNFEL, SS: The organization's top talent, Triunfel, 18, sputtered in his second pro season until a breakout month of July. He hit .341 with seven home runs and 17 stolen bases over the final 53 games to re-establish himself among the better prospects in baseball.

"If he keeps showing plus power, he's going to move quickly and end up in the big leagues at 20 or 21 years old," said a scout for a rival American League club. "He's shown a much better approach at the plate. He was more selective the second half, and he's making his swings count."

Despite the first-half struggles, Triunfel is among the game's top 20 prospects, and if he develops as a middle infielder, he'll be a premium player. Look for him in a Mariners uniform in 2011.

2. ADAM MOORE, C: Moore had perhaps the most consistent season of any prospect in the organization, hitting .335 with 12 home runs after a ho-hum April and .353/.439/.580 after the All-Star break. His defense has room for improvement, but his raw physical skills suggest he can fill those gaps with more experience, and his work ethic implies that he's certainly going to do so.

Moore, 24, will report to the Arizona Fall League next month to continue his trek to the big leagues, which could begin as early as 2009.

3. PHILLIPPE AUMONT, RHP: Aumont's first pro season was a success, but the sore elbow that held him out for two months is a long-term concern considering the right-hander's natural three-quarters arm slot.

Aumont's development of an effective breaking ball and his health are the only obstacles in his way. His mid-90s fastball with tremendous sink should carry the 2007 first-round draft pick a long way.

4. MICHAEL SAUNDERS, LF: Saunders, 21, possesses above-average tools, though he lacks plus power and profiles better in center field than in a corner. He's used an advanced approach at the plate, good speed and arm strength and a smooth, consistent swing to put up solid numbers at every stop along his path to the majors, hitting .290/.374/.484 at Double-A West Tennessee this season before spending a month with Triple-A Tacoma.

"He's a nice player, a very good athlete" said an AL scout, citing Saunders' lack of power as a nonissue at this stage. "He's an everyday player for me, and there's even a chance he's more than that."

5. GREG HALMAN, CF: Halman is the best pure athlete in the system, combining plus speed with unmatched raw power. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Netherlands native split his season between Class A High Desert and Double-A West Tennessee and piled up 63 extra-base hits, including 29 home runs. He is headed for the Arizona Fall League.

"If he learns to take his fair share of walks, he's a star," said a National League scout. "The strikeouts aren't much of an issue otherwise, and he brings a lot to the table in terms of defense and speed."

6. JUAN RAMIREZ, RHP: Ramirez's 91-94 mph fastball and developing breaking ball keep him near the top of the Mariners' depth charts. He might be the most polished of their high-ceiling pitching prospects.

"He had a heckuva year, and he was only 19 most of the season," said an AL farm director. "He threw strikes, and with quality stuff. He's got a chance to be a frontline starter."

7. MICHAEL PINEDA, RHP: Pineda, 19, could be the front-runner for the organization's minor league pitcher of the year after going 8-6 with a 1.95 ERA in 26 appearances, 21 starts. He fanned 128 and issued just 35 walks in 138 1/3 innings, and ended the season with a one-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts.

Said a scout: "He's a higher-probability arm than you typically get in Low-A ball. He's very projectable with his long frame and the leverage he creates on his pitches. If the velocity takes a jump and he maintains his command, he's another frontline starting pitcher. "

8. MATT TUIASOSOPO, 3B: Tuiasosopo, 22, is another of the club's top prospects who struggled early and tore the cover off the ball as the weather warmed up. Earning him a September call-up were the 13 home runs he pounded out over the season's final 12 weeks, including seven in August when he hit .337/.408/.640.

9. DENNIS RABEN, 1B/RF: Raben's understanding of hitting, and his natural and consistent swing mechanics suggest he's at least a big league asset at the plate. If he develops as expected, the M's second-rounder could see the majors in less than two seasons.

Scout: "He's just a hitter that gets it," said an opposing manager in the Northwest League. We see some of that at this level, but he's up there with the more polished hitters we see every summer."

10. ROB JOHNSON, C: Johnson turned his season around in June when he went on a tear after batting just .236 combined in April and May. The organization's best defensive backstop hit .363 during the second half of the season, and showed some pop, too, with eight home runs and 22 doubles while maintaining his strong contact rates.

"He's at least a solid backup," said one National League scout who caught more than 800 games in the majors. "He hits the ball and is starting to hit it harder more often, but he's already there with the gear on."

11. JHARMIDY DE JESUS, 3B: At present, De Jesus is mostly raw tools, but those physical skills suggest the Dominican possesses big-time power to go with solid athleticism. In his first professional season, De Jesus hit .309 with 10 home runs and 16 doubles and displayed above-average speed and arm strength.

12. LUIS VALBUENA, 2B: Valbuena bounced back from a poor season in 2007 to hit better than .300 at both Double-A West Tennessee and Triple-A Tacoma in 2008. He is above average defensively and makes plenty of contact. If Valbuena, 22, continues to develop the efficiency of his power stroke, there might be enough in his bat for him to play regularly at the major league level.

13. GABY HERNANDEZ, RHP: Hernandez was once seen as a potential No. 2 starter when he flashed a 93-94 mph fastball and plus curveball. This season the right-hander has sat in the 88-91 mph range, and his curve has lost some bite.

14. MARIO MARTINEZ, 3B: Martinez possesses strong skills across the board, including above-average raw power and a strong throwing arm. At 18, his defense at third needs work, but he's less than a year into the position, and he's already made significant progress. His bat will have to carry him, however, which means the power has to continue to develop, but his .462 slugging percentage is a nice start.

15. NATHAN ADCOCK, RHP: Adcock was the Mariners' fifth-round selection in the 2006 draft and began to live up to much more than that in 2008. The 6-foot-5, 190-pound right-hander flashed above-average stuff and fanned more than a batter per inning pitched for Class A Wisconsin this season.

16. GABRIEL NORIEGA, SS: Noriega is very raw at age 17, but he has the potential for average power at the plate to go with above-average defense at shortstop, which inherently holds a ton of value.

The switch hitter struggled making contact in his first season in the states, but the evaluation process starts as soon as Noriega hits full-season ball.

17. JUSTIN THOMAS, LHP: Thomas is also headed for the Arizona Fall League, where he will further embrace his new role as a relief pitcher. Thomas typically sits in the low-90s with his fastball, and his breaking ball and changeup should allow for success in shorter stints.

18. SHAWN KELLEY, RHP: Kelley's success in Double-A West Tennessee this season with a 2.11 ERA and 44 Ks in 42 2/3 innings has the right-hander set up for a potential big league role in 2009. Armed with a low-90s fastball, above-average breaking ball and solid control, Kelley is set to start the year in Triple-A Tacoma as a late-inning option.

19. EFRAIN NUNEZ, CF: Nunez, 17, was part of the 2007 international signing class that included De Jesus and Noriega, but spent his 2008 season in the Dominica Summer League. The switch hitters' season was a success -- .267/.387/.441 with 15 extra-base hits in 52 games -- and he could make his stateside debut next spring. His natural skills project well in a corner, where his plus raw power and strong arm fit best.

20. MIKE WILSON, RF: Wilson is a strong power bat who smacked 27 home runs in 119 games this season in Double-A West Tennessee, also drawing 62 walks to partially balance out his 117 strikeouts. Wilson, a former second-round pick, will get his shot in Triple-A in 2009 and could see time in the majors as well.

21. MARSHALL HUBBARD, 1B: Hubbard, 26, does everything an organization wants out of its first baseman except one. He plays solid defense, makes a lot of contact, bats left-handed and draws more than his share of walks. Although his power isn't ideal for the position, Hubbard slugged .505 this season in 91 games.

22. JOHAN LIMONTA, 1B: Limonta, 25, surprised many by duplicating his California League success in the competitive Southern League and proved he could play some outfield as well as his natural first base. He has shown enough plate skills to suggest he can help in the big leagues, though it's unlikely he'll see regular time.

23. TYSON GILLIES, CF: Gillies is a superb athlete with a patient approach at the plate and some pop in his bat. He's legally deaf, however, which can present problems, including on defense as he must rely on the visual effect of the ball coming off the bat, rather than the aid of the sound. If he sticks in center, he might be a fourth outfielder.

24. DENNY ALMONTE, RF: Almonte's strikeouts are an enormous red flag, but the good news is that he does everything else well. He will work the count, sometimes too much, and has power to all fields. As a switch hitter, Almonte has more power as a lefty, but makes more contact as a righty.

25. KYLE PARKER, RHP: Parker's strengths include his plus command of average stuff, but his arsenal may play up in a relief role. Sitting in the high-80s with his four-seamer, Parker profiles as a back-end starter.

postseason-top-25

Comments
The following 4 comment(s) for this article are shown below:

1. By: Blowgun7 on 11-06-2008 14:40:33
Where would you rank the system?

2. By: Jason A. Churchill on 11-06-2008 23:19:27
Now that Clement and Balentien do not count, they are bottom third of the league, somewhere in the 20-24 range I'd think. They have as much pure talent as some in the top 15, but most of it is in A ball. The M's have no pitching above A ball, and very few projected regulars preiod.

3. By: Walrus on 11-07-2008 11:52:47
Jason, Just to understand the rankings better... Are the players put in an order of where you think they will end up as PRO's according to their current development cycle, or are they in order of where you / the Mariners rank in terms of potential trade pieces, or is there another way you would characterize the process to decide why Adam Moore is number 2 versus Valbuena being number 12. I do not have a problem with your rankings, I just want to understand the methodology better.

4. By: Walrus on 11-07-2008 12:31:10
Jason, Just to understand the rankings better... Are the players put in an order of where you think they will end up as PRO's according to their current development cycle, or are they in order of where you / the Mariners rank in terms of potential trade pieces, or is there another way you would characterize the process to decide why Adam Moore is number 2 versus Valbuena being number 12. I do not have a problem with your rankings, I just want to understand the methodology better.

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