Mariners Minor-League Roundup: Who’s Hot & Who’s Not

The Seattle Mariners are off to a fantastic start, but that is not an excuse to ignore what is happening in the minor-leagues.

The Seattle Mariners are sitting in first place in the American League West and are fresh off their first home sweep of the season. Everything is going right for Seattle, as they are widely considered one of the best teams in all of baseball this season.

However, today we will shift our focus to what’s happening on the farm.

2016 has gone better than anyone could have hoped for the Mariners thus far, and surprisingly, their minor-league affiliates have been equally as entertaining to watch. Currently, three of the four affiliates are in first place in their respective divisions.

Today we will take some time to discuss how each team is faring this season. We will also take a closer look at which prospects are hot and which are not.

We will begin the slideshow by highlighting the remarkable performance of the M’s Class-AAA affiliate in Tacoma.

Next: Tacoma Rainiers

Tacoma Rainiers: 19-14, 1st place in Pacific Coast League Northern Division

Shawn O’Malley, UTL – Hot

The super-utility man is doing his thing in Tacoma, slashing .333/.424/.462 across 78 at bats in 2016. O’Malley has 5 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run and 13 RBI through 24 games with the Rainiers. As M’s fans know, the Kennewick, WA product is threat on the base paths, and he has tallied 5 stolen bases this season. O’Malley is going to earn a promotion to Seattle soon if he can keep it rolling.

James Paxton, LHP – Hot

The veteran southpaw failed to make the Mariners out of spring training, but he is not letting that setback affect his attitude in Tacoma. Paxton is currently 4-2 with a 2.81 ERA in 7 outings. He has won four consecutive decisions. Pax-Man has posted a 30:11 strikeout to walk ratio and allowed just 1.13 walks/hits per inning in 2016. He should get another chance in Seattle before long if he can continue baffling hitters in the PCL.

Stefen Romero, 1B/RF – Hot

Romero is putting up arguably the best numbers of any player in the PCL this season. The Oregon State alum is hitting .383 with 6 home runs and 26 RBI across 28 games with the Rainiers. He has registered a .424 on base percentage and slugged .654 through 107 at bats. Romero has posted a 10:8 strikeout to walk ratio so far in 2016. Dae-ho Lee is mashing and there isn’t an immediate path to Seattle for Romero at the moment. However, he is going to force his way back into the big leagues in the very near future.

Adrian Sampson, RHP – Hot

The Redmond, WA native has been the Rainiers most consistent hurler in 2016. Sampson has posted a record of 3-2 with a 3.47 ERA in 6 starts. He has struck out 33 and issued just 4 free passes in 36.1 innings pitched. Sampson has limited the opposition to a .257 batting average and 1.10 walks/hits per inning. Barring an injury in Seattle, Sampson is unlikely to make his Major League debut before August.

Mike Zunino, C – Hot

The M’s former everyday backstop continues to give PCL pitchers fits this season. Zunino is slashing .321/.371/.651 with 9 home runs and 25 RBI across 29 games. He has also added 8 doubles to his impressive stat line with Tacoma. Strikeouts were a massive problem for Z last season in Seattle, but he has only whiffed 21 times in 106 at bats in 2016. I think Jerry Dipoto will stay patient with Zunino, but he may force the Mariners’ hand if he keeps hitting.

Next: Jackson Generals

Jackson Generals: 19-12, 1st place in Southern League North Division

Tyler O’Neill, RF – Hot

The Langley, BC native is having a stellar season with the Generals, hitting .322 with 6 home runs and 22 RBI across 29 games. He has carried the offense, as nobody else on the team has more than 2 homers or 17 RBI. O’Neill has registered a .383 on base percentage and slugged .557 through 115 at bats. Strikeouts are the biggest concern with Tyler and he has definitely done a lot swinging and missing in 2016, striking out 33 times. Look for O’Neill to get his shot in Seattle during the 2017 season.

D.J. Peterson, 1B – Not

It’s fair to say no prospect in baseball has fallen faster than D.J. Peterson the past couple years. The former top prospect is slashing just .237/.307/.360 with 2 home runs and 16 RBI across 30 games. It’s hard to believe Peterson hit .297 with 31 homers during the 2014 season. I would not be surprised to see the University of New Mexico alum traded this season before he loses all value to other clubs.

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Edwin Diaz, RHP – Hot

It doesn’t matter whether he is a starter or a reliever, this hard throwing righty is hard to hit. Diaz is 2-3 with a 3.00 ERA through 7 appearances (6 starts) in 2016. He has struck out 40 and walked 5 across 30 innings. Dipoto recently announced that Diaz would shift the bullpen, and that could facilitate a call-up to Seattle this summer. His fastball/slider combo is deadly, and I think he could be an impact reliever for the Mariners in the future.

Leon Landry, CF – Hot

The 26-year-old center fielder spent the bulk of last season playing for the Rainiers, and he has outclassed the Southern League so far in 2016. Landry is hitting .291 with 1 homer and 15 RBI across 28 games. He also has 4 doubles, 3 triples and 2 stolen bases this season. Landry is likely to find himself back in Tacoma before long.

Dylan Unsworth, RHP – Hot

Unsworth has confused hitters in the Southern League all season, and he is currently 2-0 with a 1.30 ERA through his first 6 starts of the year. The South African right-hander has posted a 23:7 strikeout to walk ratio through 34.2 innings, and has held the opposition to just 1.21 walks/hits per inning. Unsworth is slightly undersized to be a starter in the big leagues, and a move to the bullpen may be in his future.

Next: Bakersfield Blaze

Clinton LumberKings: 20-12, 1st place in Midwest League Western Division

Braden Bishop, CF – Hot

The University of Washington alum is doing a solid job for Clinton this season. Bishop is slashing .282/.350/.336 through 110 at bats. He has 3 doubles, 1 home run and 11 RBI across 28 games. Bishop has also scored 18 times and swiped 5 bases. He is never going to be a power threat, but his ability to defend center field and his high contact rate suggests he could be calling Seattle home in the years to come.

Dalton Kelly, 1B – Hot

The Mariners have very few productive first basemen in their system, but Dalton Kelly has been the exception in 2016. He is hitting .363 with 1 home run and 11 RBI through 29 games with the LumberKings. Kelly has registered a .451 on base percentage and is slugging .478 through 113 at bats. Most impressive of all, Kelly has posted a 21:17 strikeout to walk ratio this season.

Kyle Wilcox, RHP – Not

The Mariners selected Wilcox during last June’s draft, and he has failed to impress thus far in 2016. He is currently 1-1 with a 6.92 ERA in 6 outings. Wilcox’s 26:25 strikeout to walk ratio obviously leaves plenty to be desired, as does his 1.88 WHIP. He is still young, and hopefully he is able to improve as the season progresses.

James Alfonso, C – Hot

The Mariners lack depth at the catcher position in the minor-leagues, and very few backstops are producing at the plate this season. However, James Alfonso is off to a great start in Clinton. The 24-year-old is slashing .308/.363/.410 with 5 doubles, 1 home run and 12 RBI across 20 games in 2016. Alfonso may not be considered a top prospect, but he will find himself in Bakersfield this summer if he continues to hit.

Next: Mariners Analysis: Have A (Birth)day

Art Warren, RHP – Hot

Physically, Art Warren is somewhat similar to Taijuan Walker and the similarities extend to their stat sheets in 2016. Warren is 4-0 on the season with a 1.39 ERA through 6 starts with the LumberKings. He has fanned 25 and walked 10 across 32.1 innings of work. It’s becoming clear that Warren is the top young pitcher in Clinton’s rotation.