Seattle Mariners Prospect Trade Target List: AL West

Houston Astros

Colby’s pick: RHP Peter Solomon

Unlike the Angels, the Astros will absolutely be buyers this summer. There are a few interesting fits for the Astros and Mariners, including with names like Edwin Encarnacion. The Astros farm system isn’t what it used to be but still has a lot of interesting names.

The name I chose is Peter Solomon, a right-handed pitcher from Notre Dame. Solomon has good stuff, including a fastball between 93-96 mph, with a hard curveball that flashes plus, and a solid slider and changeup.

With 4 average or better pitches, Solomon should be a nearly untouchable prospect for the Mariners, but Solomon has a history of injuries and control issues. If he can stay healthy and continue to refine his command, Solomon could be a mid-rotation arm. At worst, he will be a solid, late-inning arm with a power fastball/curveball combo.

Ty’s pick: RHP Tyler Ivey

Like Solomon, Tyler Ivey has four pitches he can effectively use on most nights and appears to have the makeup of a quality future starter on paper. But the jury seems to still be out on whether or not his talents are best suited in the rotation or in the bullpen, seeing action in both roles in the minors.

Ivey hasn’t gotten a whole lot of play this year, pitching just 16 innings in his first four appearances. This seems to be fairly typical for starting pitching prospects in Houston’s system, but it does play a bit into the narrative that Ivey can’t take on a bulk of innings at a time.

As Baseball Savant pointed out in their 2019 preview of Ivey, there are some durability concerns linked to his funky delivery. So far, there’s been nothing to indicate a problem for him in the near future, but it is something to keep an eye on. The command on all four of his pitches has been present, and he’s been able to hit the strike zone on a consistent basis.

Ivey doesn’t necessarily have a plus pitch yet, but his curveball and fastball have been his two best pitches over the last year and change. Both have helped Ivey keep hitters off-balance and grasping at straws, keeping well north of a 10 K/9 throughout his young pro career.

While Ivey is a hot commodity at a premium position, the Astros are fortunate enough to have an abundance of pitching talent in their system. He can be had if the Mariners so desire. Ivey fits what Jerry Dipoto has sought after over the last year: young, controllable, and either near or already at the MLB level. By this time next year, Ivey is probably pitching in the majors, either as a starter or a reliever.