It seems as if the former 2004 3rd rounder has been toiling in the Seattle Mariners farm system forever, but the fact remains that Tuiasosopo will be just 22 years old on opening day. A former top quarterback recruit at the University of Washington, Tuiasosopo is athletic and very strong. He began his career as a raw project and has slowly begun to develop his skills. He is remarkably agile in the field and should be an above average defensive 3B. His bat is showing signs of life as well. Until recently, he had worked on being a better contact hitter, allowing balls to travel deeper into the zone before inside-outing them to the opposite field, but he showed an increase in power production over the second half of the '08 season at AAA Tacoma and has drove the ball with authority during his spring training outings this season. Plate discipline continues to be an issue that Matt needs to refine. Last season he walked 49 times while striking out 120 times between Tacoma and Seattle. His work ethic and makeup, however, continue to be catalysts that fuel his rapid improvement and when blended with his strength and athleticism, they should propel him to much greater accomplishments in the years to come.
2009 Projection: Tui has opened some eyes within the organization this spring. The M's are at a crossroads as Adrian Beltre's impending free agency and near certain departure from the team looms large. There is talent at the lower levels in the form of Jharmidy DeJesus, Mario Martinez and, perhaps, Carlos Triunfel, but there is no one other than Matt Tuiasosopo to fill Beltre's shoes for the next couple of seasons. This is a big year for Matt to make the developmental jump from prospect to major league player. Beltre's presence in the middle of the M's lineup and his Gold Glove at the hot corner should force Tuiasosopo back to Tacoma for more everyday work. Watch the power numbers and plate discipline. If Tui can continue his hot hitting, a mid-season trade of Beltre will become a greater reality.
It took a while, but the M's finally signed their 1st round selection from the 2008 draft, Pitcher Joshua Fields. Last season, Fields made a strong case to the baseball world that he was the most dominant closer in college baseball earning 18 saves and striking out 63 hitters in just 37.1 IP for the Georgia Bulldogs en route to a trip to the College World Series. Fields has two dominating pitches, a 94-96 MPH heater and a devastating 12-6 curveball that could be the best in all of baseball very soon. Fields has the demeanor of a closer, he attacks hitters with his plus stuff and works quickly. He is loose-limbed and shows the durability to throw on back to back days. While his curve is nearly unhittable, his fastball is too straight and Fields has shown an inability to command it lower in the strike zone. Against the quick bats of the American League, this could be a major problem late in games, increasing his proneness to give up the gofer ball. Aside from that fact, Fields was widely regarded as the top closer in the '08 draft and one that is close to being MLB ready. In an organization like Seattle's that is welcome news.
2009 Projection: Don't be surprised to see the M's push Fields quickly. He could start at High-A High Desert or AA West Tennessee, but wherever he is, he is sure to move quickly. Last year, Fields averaged an insane 15.3 K's per 9 innings. While that trend is surely going to diminish somewhat, he should be able to average more than one per inning at each of his minor league stops. Watch the walk totals though, as Fields has been unable to average less than 5 walks per 9 innings in either of his collegiate seasons. Surrendering walks and being a flyball pitcher could prove disastrous down the road for this otherwise bright young closer. The M's don't have a surefire closer at this time as J.J. Putz now pitches on the East Coast. If no one steps forward this season, there could be a chance for Fields to do so at the end of the 2009 season.
Carp was a key addition to the trade that sent former All-Star J.J. Putz to the New York Mets. Carp rebounded from a lackluster 2007 season to become an Eastern League All-Star at AA Binghamton, hitting .299 with 17 HR 72 RBI 29 doubles and a sterling 79 BB/88 K ratio. His fluid left handed swing and evolving power potential evokes comparisons to Lyle Overbay and John Olerud. Defensively, Carp is a decent 1B and has spent some time in the outfield as well. Like Overbay and Olerud, he is a below average runner and fringe average athlete. He doesn't have the prolific power that other 1B prospects do, but his blend of patience and good line drive rates should prove to be valuable for a franchise that is in a rebuilding mode.
2009 Projection: Carp has looked very sharp in early spring training action with the Mariners, but the club seems set on giving Russell Branyan and Bryan LaHair the most playing time this season. This should land him at AAA Tacoma until roster room clears either via injury or roster expansion in September. Carp has the potential to hit for 20-25 HR per season and his LH bat is a nice fit at Safeco Field. Watch to see if he is able to replicate his numbers from last season. If so, he will figure prominently into the plans for the M's in 2010.
Michael Saunders, a native of British Columbia, Canada, continued his rapid ascension through the Seattle Mariners' farm system by playing at both AA West Tennessee and AAA Tacoma (.277 11 HR 46 RBI 12 SB 22 doubles). Saunders has 5-tool potential and is widely regarded as one of the M's best organizational athletes. His left-handed swing generates good loft and speed that could develop into 20-25 HR power in the ensuing seasons. He has above average speed that he utilizes well in the outfield, but is still struggling to use effectively on the basepaths. Last season, Saunders took a step back in his plate discipline, earning only 39 BB/96 K. This may be due to the fact that he has been promoted quite aggressively (4 times in 2 years) and has yet to catch up to more advanced pitching. This held true at AAA where Saunders' average dipped to .242 and 30 K's in 24 games. The potential is there for Saunders to be an above average MLB outfielder, but the M's may need to gently apply the brakes to his rapid development.
2009 Projection: Saunders will undoubtedly be headed to AAA to start the season. This year's go around should provide better results for the 22 year old OF. Keep an eye on the plate discipline numbers as well as his power output. The Mariners are a team in transition with LF completely wide open and CF being manned by the unproven Franklin Gutierrez. Aside from Greg Halman, Saunders is the top OF talent in Seattle's farm system. If he can return to his 2007 form, he may get a shot to earn some AB's in Safeco come September.
Moore had another solid season at AA West Tennessee batting .319 with 14 HR 71 RBI and 34 doubles. Tall and strong, Moore's righthanded swing generates good loft and power to all fields that should produce 20-25 HR. Coupled with that is sound plate discipline that earned a respectable 40 BB/77 K ratio last season. The Mariners are also quite impressed with his strong leadership skills and game-calling acumen. There are weaknesses to Moore's defensive game, though, as he has limited mobility to block balls and his footwork is below average. Mariners roving catching instructor Roger Hansen has worked extensively with the Adam over the past couple of seasons and will likely continue to do so in '09.
2009 Projection: The Mariners would love to see Moore continue to shine at AAA Tacoma this year. Given the hitter-friendly ballparks in the PCL, it is quite possible that Moore will put up some big numbers this next season. Moore's biggest challenges rest in his defensive development, but his power numbers and batting average numbers also bear watching. Moore's home run output dipped significantly in '08 but his batting average increased. Some scouts feel that Moore is not athletic enough to maintain a high batting average at the MLB level, but he has done everything to dispel that notion thus far. The Mariners would love to eventually unload the mistake that is Kenji Johjima's contract, and Jeff Clement's most useful long term future rests at the DH position. This opens the door wide for Moore, but he will likely have to wait another season.
The Mariners invested $1 million in this young infielder from the Dominican Republic and, judging from his early returns, the money was well spent. DeJesus split time between the Mariners Arizona League affiliate and short season Everett to bat .309 with 10 HR 33 RBI and 39 runs scored in 62 games. DeJesus has a big projectible frame and a quick bat that should hit for good power and a high average at the major league level. DeJesus plays the game with a high confidence and, despite his young age, he has a good feel for the strike zone. Defensively, DeJesus profiles to be a very good fielding 3B with good range and a top rate arm. While he won't steal many bags as a pro, he won't be a liability on the basepaths either. The M's have invested heavily in their international scouting and DeJesus, along with Carlos Triunfel, could be the crown jewels of their efforts.
2009 Projection:Jharmidy will likely get his first dose of full season ball this year at Low-A Clinton with a promotion to High-A High Desert a moderate possibility if all goes well. The big thing to watch for in DeJesus is his continued competence in controlling the strike zone against advanced pitching. If he struggles early on, don't be surprised to see the M's send him back to Everett to iron things out. With an offensive ceiling as high as DeJesus', the M's will exercise due diligence in developing one of their brightest prospects.
The Mariners top pick from the 2007 draft pitched well at Low-A Wisconsin this past season going 4-4 with a 2.75 ERA and a 19 BB/50 K ratio in 55.2 innings. Aumont has a nasty 95-97 MPH heater that has heavy sink, as testified by his 1.73 GO/FO ratio. Complimenting that pitch is a good slider that sits between 82-84 MPH and has the potential to be a plus pitch. Given his tall, well-built frame and good athleticism, it is conceivable that Aumont will build some more strength and stamina down the road. In spite of his considerable physical gifts, there are some concerns in Phillippe's game. He was shelved for more than a month with a sore elbow, and while the M's stated that it was a precautionary procedure to place Aumont on the DL, it also was the second time in two years that the big righthander missed game action due to injuries. Another risk factor is the fact that Aumont is still quite raw. A native of Quebec, Aumont did not play baseball until he was 15 years old and has not been exposed to the top tier competition that many of the other young prospects have toiled against over the past few years. Given his early returns against full-season competition, the Mariners do not seem to be too concerned.
2009 Projection: The key for Aumont is to stay completely healthy for an entire season. He will likely be headed to the M's new Low-A affiliate Clinton to begin the new season. Watch to see how many innings he is tossing in each start. The M's are likely to err on the side of caution with him, opting to bring him along slowly. He remains an elite prospect in Seattle's farm system and his ceiling as a big, frontline starter is stratospheric. If he continues to have injury woes, don't be surprised to see the organization make a shift to move him to the bullpen. While this may cause for his card values to take a hit, it may also be the best long term value for a rebuilding Seattle organization.
The M's went out on a limb selecting this young Miami native in the 2nd round of the 2007 draft as many other MLB officials felt that Almonte should have gone in later rounds. The tools are in place for Almonte to be a 20 HR 20 SB threat at the big league level. He has plus plus athleticism and his stronger than many scouts thought he would be on draft day. Last season, Almonte played at Low-A Wisconsin where he hit .249 with 10 HR 51 RBI and 14 SB in 100 games. Almonte is a switch hitter with good power from the left-hand side and a line drive stroke as a right-hander. His speed and arm strength make him a plus defender in RF. The biggest glaring weaknesses in Almonte's game stem from his extreme rawness, as Almonte had a horrible 29 BB/149 K ratio and he was nabbed on 10 of 24 SB attempts.
2009 Projection: Seattle had a history of rushing their prime talents too quickly through their farm system in the Bill Bavasi era. Now with Jack Zdurencik at the helm, one could only hope that Almonte will be given ample time to refine the multitude of rough spots in his game. Expect Almonte to begin the M's new Low-A affiliate Clinton. If he can make strides in his approach at the plate, he may earn a mid-late season promotion to High-A High Desert. Almonte's a long way from being a bonafide prospect and his future as a MLB regular are more a plausibility than probability at this point.
Halman transformed from over-matched whiff machine to a near 30/30 man in a little more than a season. Halman continued to hit well batting .268 with 19 HR 53 RBI and 23 SB before being promoted to AA West Tennessee where he hit .277 with 10 HR and 8 SB. Halman has a tremendously athletic frame that should add strength as he matures and he possesses considerable arm strength. His above average range and good defensive instincts that will play well at any OF position.
Colina performed pretty well to the challenge of his first full season at Low-A Wisconsin. Given his age and long lean frame, it is conceivable to expect that Colina can add strength and power numbers as he matures. Colina has average speed though he doesn't use it as well as he can on the basepaths. He has a nice line drive swing and makes good contact, though he would be best served to work on extending counts and drawing more walks. Defensively, Colina has Read the full story
H/W: 6-2 220 lb. B/T: R/R DOB: 5/10/86
