Seattle Mariners Farm Report, Best Performers of April

A Ball- West Virginia Power

If AA Arkansas was the best group of player, West Virginia is the most exciting. Three of the Mariners Top 5 prospects spent all of April there and they all showed out. But like Newsome in Modesto, there is one player who stands above the rest for the Power and that is Jarred Kelenic.

The prize of the off-season, Kelenic actually went through a rough stretch early in April, going 2-25 in one week. That only makes his numbers that much more impressive. Currently, he is slashing .344/.438/.622 with 5 home runs (6 if you count one hit in a game that was delayed by rain), 4 steals, 10 doubles, and 31 hits.

Kelenic looks like the absolute stud the Mariners envisioned when they traded Edwin Diaz for him. Kelenic is just 19-years-old and already looks like one of, if not the best player in the Sally League. We could be looking at a future star, and he may not be in West Virginia much longer. There is no reason to rush Kelenic, but there is also no reason to hold him at a level he is too good for.

Offensive Player of the Month: Jarred Kelenic

Speaking of not keeping a dominant player down just for the heck of it, April’s pitcher of the month for West Virginia is no longer with West Virginia. The Mariners 2018 first-round pick Logan Gilbert got his first taste of pro ball for the Power and to say he dominated the league is an understatement.

In his 19.2 innings, Gilbert struck out 30 batters while walking only 5, cruising to a 1.83 ERA and a 0.71 WHIP. Sally League hitters didn’t stand a chance against Gilbert’s combination of low-to-mid-90’s heaters and sharp curveballs.

Instead of just sticking with status quo, the Mariners promoted Gilbert to Modesto, where he may pitch for the rest of the season. Gilbert dominated with 2 pitches so by moving him up in competition, the hope is to see him get to a third and fourth pitch.

It isn’t out of the realm of possibility that Gilbert finishes his year at AA Arkansas, but Gilbert has already shown the Mariners more than enough to be excited about.

Pitcher of the Month: Logan Gilbert