Looking Back: Mariners Top Prospects of 2010 Review
With the season winding down, I thought it would be appropriate to look back at my 2010 top prospect lists and see how I did in my projections and how each team’s farm system held up over the course of the season.
This needs to be emphasized: the list below reflects each prospect’s status prior to the 2010 season. This is not a new list. Please keep that in mind.
The next team up is the Seattle Mariners:
1. Dustin Ackley | CF/2b | Age – 22 | Grade – A-/B+
Moved from a B+ to an A-/B+ grade before the season started and ranked him as the 17th best prospect in baseball. His plate discipline has been excellent, but he hasn’t shown the power many thought he would hit for. In addition, he has struggled to make the kind of hard contact that would allow him to maintain a high batting average. I still like him, but his stock is down.
2. Adam Moore | C | Age – 25 | Grade – B-
Hasn’t hit at the MLB level. You’ll notice a theme with these reviews: catching prospects with decent but not great numbers have performed poorly this year.
3. Gabriel Noriega | SS | Age – 19 | Grade – B-
Of all the prospects I ranked this year, I probably felt the least confident about Noriega. His defensive potential is excellent, but he’s proven to be extremely raw offensively. The red flag I should have taken more seriously was the high K%. Click here for an updated report on Noriega…
4. Carlos Triunfel | 2b/3b/SS | Age – 20 | Grade – B-
Every year is the year Triunfel will show off his power potential. And every year he leaves us disappointed. I noted in his report heading into the season his swing is more conducive to contact over power and that held true this season. The bigger concern might be his extremely low BB%. He’s still young, so he shouldn’t be written off, but his stock is certainly down.
5. Alex Liddi | 3b | Age – 21 | Grade – B-
He really hasn’t had that bad a year, though it might look that way after playing all of 2009 at High Desert. The most important number to me, however, is his alarmingly high K%.
6. Nick Franklin | SS | Age – 19 | Grade – B-
One of the organization’s big breakout performers has surprised many with the kind of power he’s been able to generate…has slowed down after a tremendous start to the season. Click here for an updated report on Franklin…
7. Michael Pineda | RHP | Age – 20 | Grade – B-
The other big breakout this season comes from Pineda. He’s now seen as a potential front of the rotation starter. Very importantly, Pineda stayed healthy throughout the entire year.
8. Guillermo Pimentel | OF | Age – 16 | Grade – C+
Very young and shown some good power potential, but his K:BB ratio is just brutal — and he was billed as somebody with an advanced approach at the plate for his age…
9. Rich Poythress | 1b | Age – 22 | Grade – C+
No question he’s been aided by High Desert, but he’s had a quality season.
10. Mario Martinez | 3b | Age – 20 | Grade – C+
A second straight poor season in Clinton for Martinez. I’m down on him right now. Click here for an updated report…
11. Dan Cortes | RHP | Age – 23 | Grade – C+
Cortes has always been seen as a guy who would benefit from a switch to the bullpen and so far that projection has proven to be right. He’s been excellent since transitioning to the bullpen and is just one promotion away from landing a spot in the Seattle bullpen.
12. Greg Halman | CF | Age – 22 | Grade – C+
Again he’s showing huge power and making very little contact. However, he’s also been much more productive in Triple-A this year, as shown by his .880 OPS in 2010 and .697 OPS in 2009.
13. Mauricio Robles | LHP | Age – 21 | Grade – C+
Continues to miss bats, but command problems still exist. Like Cortes, Robles might benefit from a move to the bullpen.
14. Julio Morban | CF | Age – 18 | Grade – C+
He’s been hampered by a shoulder injury this season. Still very young…he’ll be a difficult guy to place in next year’s rankings.
15. Dennis Raben | OF/1b | Age – 23 | Grade – C+
Has had an injury plagued pro career. Big time power, but questionable plate discipline and low contact rate are red flags…
HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order) – Ezequiel Carrera (OF) | Matt Tuiasosopo (3b/2b/UTI) | Tyler Blandford (RHP) | Maikel Cleto (RHP) | James Jones (1b/OF) | Mike Carp (1b/LF) | Steve Baron (C) | Kanaoke Texeira (RHP) | Josh Fields (RHP) | Kyle Seager (2b) | Brian Moran (LHP) | Nick Hill (LHP) | Kenn Kasparek (RHP) | Steven Hensley (RHP) | Jharmidy DeJesus (1B/3b) | Johermyn Chavez (OF)
Some interesting players among the honorable mentions. James Jones has emerged as a sleeper prospect for 2011. Kyle Seager has had a very nice year, but he also plays in High Desert. Another High Desert hitter putting up huge numbers is Johermyn Chavez, but main thing for Chavez is he’s lowered his K%. Brian Moran has the makings of a left handed specialist.
Even better than the emergence of prospects from the honorable mentions are the breakthroughs of prospects not mentioned at all. Seon Gi-Kim has had a strong season and just made his first appearance with Pulaski of the Appy League. Ramon Morla is another intriguing prospect playing for Pulaski. Vincent Catricala has had a nice season in Clinton, though he’s a guy without much defensive value. Matt Cerione, also in Clinton, was able to overcome four months of so-so play with one monster August. James Gillheeney doesn’t have big time stuff, but he’s pitched at three levels with success at each stop. There is also Yoervis Medina, who started the season in SS-Everett, but is now pitching in Triple-A. However, the big breakthrough is Ji-Man Choi. The catcher from Korea tore up the Arizona Summer League and is now more than holding his own in the California League. He turned 19 in May.
The Mariners also traded for Justin Smoak, Blake Beavan, Matt Lawson, and Josh Lueke, with the later three all adding depth to the organization. As for Smoak, I still like him, but I’ve been mystified by his offensive struggles.
The Bottom Line
Somewhat of a mixed bag for the Mariners’ farm system. Ackley has been a disappointment, but the book on him is hardly finished and he’s still highly regarded as a prospect. A few of the high level guys have fizzled out a bit and that doesn’t exactly bode well for current High Desert hitters. You have to like the breakouts of Franklin, Pineda, and Choi and there are numerous intriguing sleepers down in the lower levels of the organization.
