Ranking the Potential of Young Seattle Mariners Players
Ranking the Potential of Young Seattle Mariners Players
Ever since the end of the Bill Bavasi era in Seattle, general manager Jack Zduriencik and the Seattle Mariners have been stockpiling young talent. Many analysts, including Keith Law of ESPN, rank the Mariners as having the top-10 system in all of baseball, while Bleacher Report's own Mike Rosenbaum has them as high as fourth overall.
With all the talent the Mariners have in the minor league system, there are most certainly some who stand out more than others, especially when it comes to their potential. Whether it's being the next middle-of-the-order bat or being the next ace of the staff, the Mariners system is filled with players with tons of potential.
Over the course of this list, I will break down the top five young Mariners in terms of potential, including last seasons stats, a current major league player comparison and when Mariners fans should expect to see them make it to the show.
5. Stefen Romero: 2B, 3B, RF
2012 Minor League Stats:
Single-A High Desert: .357/.391/.581, 11 HR, 51 RBI in 60 games played
Double-A Jackson: .347/.392/.620, 12 HR, 50 RBI in 56 games played
Combined: .352/.391/.599, 23 HR, 101 RBI in 116 games played
Major League Comparison: Martin Prado
Major League ETA: 2014
Although Steven Romero's glove may not have found its home on the diamond quite yet, his bat has. In college, Romero spent most of his time manning the hot corner for Oregon State, but currently has his road blocked by Kyle Seager.
Romero spent the majority of his time in 2012 playing second base, but his path to the big leagues still remains blocked for the time being by Dustin Ackley. With that in mind, the question becomes where do the Mariners plan on putting Romero in the future?
Don't be surprised to see the Mariners start to use Romero more in the outfield moving forward, as his bat is just too good to keep out of any lineup. Romero spent time between High Desert and Jackson last season, where he proved he wasn't just a product of the hitter-friendly California League.
Romero may not translate his power fully to the big leagues, but the fact remains that he is one of the best hitters in the Mariners system. Expect Romero to resemble Martin Prado when he gets called up, as a player who will hit no matter where he is asked to play.
4. Gabriel Guerrero: Outfield
2012 Minor League Stats:
Dominican Summer League: .355/.409/.605, 11 HR, 54 RBI in 50 games played
Arizona Fall League: .333/.350/.560, 4 HR, 18 RBI, in 18 games played
Combined: .349/.393/.593, 15 HR, 72 RBI, in 68 games played
Major League Comparison: Vladimir Guerrero
Major League ETA: 2016
So, comparing a 19-year-old to Vladimir Guerrero may be a little bold, but it sure makes it easier when that same 19-year-old happens to be his nephew.
Gabriel Guerrero burst onto the scene last season in the Dominican Summer League by clubbing 11 homers while having an OPS of 1.014. When Guerrero came to the United States in the fall, he continued to show his ability by knocking in as many runs as games played while collecting 25 hits in only 18 games played.
The comparisons come into play with his Uncle Vlad with his ability to hit anything thrown at him, no matter where the ball winds up. Vladimir Guerrero was notorious for being one of the best bad-ball hitters of his time, often connecting on balls that had no business being swung at.
With an already above-average arm and unlimited raw power, Guerrero may wind up as a star out in right field for the Mariners when his time comes.
As for now, he can settle on being pickled by Dustin Ackley and hitting line drives off of Felix Hernandez.
3. Danny Hultzen: LHP
2012 Minor League Stats:
Double-A Jackson: 8-3, 1.19 ERA, 79 K's in 75.1 innings pitched
Triple-A Tacoma: 1-4, 5.92 ERA, 57 K's in 48.2 innings pitched
Combined: 9-7, 3.05 ERA, 136 K's in 124 innings pitched
Major League Comparison: Matt Harrison
Major League ETA: 2013
2012 was truly a tale of two seasons for Danny Hultzen. After absolutely dominating the Southern League, the former Virginia Cavalier earned a call-up to Triple-A Tacoma where he was given a strong dose of reality.
Hultzen's ERA was more than quadruple what it was in Jackson, and his control almost all but abandoned him as well. After walking 32 batters in 75.1 innings in the Southern League, Hultzen went on to walk 43 batters in just 48.2 innings at the Triple-A level.
Many believe that Hultzen simply ran out of gas toward the end of the season, but the walks are still something the Mariners will be keeping a close eye on this spring. If Hultzen can show that last season's control issues were a fluke, there is a strong chance he could find himself in the starting rotation at the beginning of the season.
Some people will be disappointed when they see the major league comparison, but after Matt Harrison's 2012 season, this isn't as bad as many people may think. Like Hultzen, Harrison struggled with his command early in his career and didn't get his BB/9 under 3.00 until his fourth season with the Rangers. But in 2012, Harrison posted his lowest BB/9 of his career and finished 18-11 with a 3.29 ERA (statistics courtesy of FanGraphs).
If Hultzen follows the same path, many Mariners fans will not be upset seeing the same type of numbers lining up next to King Felix for years to come.
2. Mike Zunino: C
2012 Minor League Stats:
Single-A Everett: .373/.474/.736, 10 HR, 35 RBI in 29 games played
Double-A Jackson: .333/.386/.588, 3 HR, 8 RBI in 15 games played
Combined: .360/.447/.689, 13 HR, 43 RBI in 44 games played
Major League Comparison: Buster Posey
Major League ETA: 2013
Mike Zunino may perhaps have the loftiest comparison of all the prospects listed, especially for the small sample size. But when you hit like Mike Zunino did last season, you set lofty expectations for yourself.
After signing, Zunino proved to be a man among boys in Single-A Everett. Zunino averaged a home run every 11 at-bats and simply overpowered whomever he faced. Many felt that a quick, though necessary, call-up to Double-A Jackson would have brought Zunino back to Earth, but even that didn't cool of his bat.
Sure, Zunino didn't put up the video game-like numbers he did in Single-A, but he still proved he more than belonged. Although Zunino played only 44 games, he earned himself an invite to Mariners spring training and had many fans wondering if he could potentially crack the starting lineup as soon as the beginning of the 2013 season.
Although Zunino may fail to meet that lofty expectation, his potential is limitless. His maturity and ability to handle a staff are a credit to his father, Greg Zunino, who was a longtime major league scout for the Cincinnati Reds. With a defensively shaky Jesus Montero as the only catcher in front of him, it would not be a shock to see Zunino behind the plate for the Mariners late in the 2013 season.
Expect Zunino to be at least an above-average catcher, with the potential to be a multiple-time All-Star.
1. Taijuan Walker: RHP
2012 Minor League Stats:
Double-A Jackson: 7-10, 4.69 ERA, 118 K's in 126.2 innings pitched
Major League Comparison: James Shields
Major League ETA: 2014
It was a little more difficult finding a comparison for Taijuan Walker, as his athletic set and raw talent are nearly unmatched by any pitcher in the minors today.
Although Walker's 2012 numbers don't jump off the paper, the unlimited raw potential is there for a pitcher who seems to be learning how to pitch as he goes along. The scary thing about Walker is that he may still have room to get much, much better than he is right now.
Walker offers an above-average fastball, curveball and changeup, giving him a powerful three-pitch arsenal. Walker can hit the high 90s with his fastball, and does so with a delivery Brendan Ryan called very fluid, very easy and effortless (per The Seattle Times).
Walker may have no chance of making the big leagues out of spring training, but with his continued development, it may be no shock to any one to see Walker up with the team at the end of the season.
No disrespect to James Shields, but this type of talent does not come along very often. Shields may wind up being the floor, with Walker bordering on Doc Gooden-like talent as his ceiling.