Looking At The Seattle Mariners Top Prospects Part 3

We continue our series on the Mariners’ top 30 prospects. We will now look at prospects #11 through 15. It would be a big surprise if any of these guys we will see in Seattle in 2020 except possible outfielder Braden Bishop.

#11. Isaiah Campbell, right-handed pitcher selected as a competitive balance pick in 2019. This coming season will be his first in the major leagues as the Mariners kept him out of action though he was supposed to have pitched for Everett.

His fastball averages low to mid-90s though he can reach 98 miles per hour. Scouts figure he could become the third starter. Right now, they will use him as a starter in the minor leagues. His two primary off-speed pitches are the splitter and curveball.

#12. Sam Carlson: right-handed pitcher drafted in the second round out of high school in 2017. Hasn’t pitched for the Mariners as of yet because of his elbow. Going into 2018 he was the Mariners #3 prospect. Last July he had Tommy John surgery. The Mariners are hoping he will see some action during the summer in Arizona. In December he turned 21 so still has a bright future long as he doesn’t have any additional injuries. He and Campbell might be the next pitchers in line behind Gilbert and Kirby.

#13 Noelvi Marte: signed with as the Mariners as an international player out of the Dominican Republican. This coming season will be his first playing professional ball in the USA at 18 years of age. He will begin at shortstop; however, the Mariners could move him to third base or second. He has speed so he could end up in centerfield, but with the talent, the Mariners have in the outfield right now it will probably won’t happen.

Just like Julio Rodriguez and Jarred Kelenic, he could be up with the Mariners at a very young age. The Mariners will give him whatever time he needs before bringing him up to the majors. When he does we will see him in the lineup on a regular basis.

#14: Braden Bishop outfielder out of the University of Washington drafted in the third round in 2015 by the Seattle Mariners. He is one of the oldest members of the top 30 prospects. The last two seasons he has been hurt that has curtailed his progress.

Last season he was on the 28-man roster that made the trip to Japan taking on the Oakland A’s in a two-game series. He went into the second game replacing Ichiro in his last game before announcing his retirement. Bishop was optioned to triple-A Tacoma on the Mariners return to Seattle.

The Mariners recalled Bishop on April 30 then was sent back two weeks later. At the beginning of June, he was called up again because of injury to Mitch Haniger. Bishop was expected to have his chance playing in centerfield; however, he landed on the injured list himself with a lacerated spleen. He made several rehab appearances in August before being recalled during the September callups.

Bishop is known as a very good defensive centerfielder playing mostly as a  replacement late in games. His time in Seattle he hit only .107 in 27 games. The Mariners will give him a chance to make the ball club out of spring training this year; however, for him to get in a lot of playing time he will have to hit major league pitching. He does make the ball club he will probably be the fourth outfielder. It will all depend on how Jake Fraley and Kyle Lewis do as well since they are ahead of him on the depth chart.

#15: Juan Then, right-handed pitcher signed in 2016 out of the Dominican Republic. Was traded to the New York Yankees in November 2017. The Mariners re-acquired him in June 2019 for first baseman-designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion.

Juan Then began the summer in short-season Everett starting six games before being promoted to low-level A West Virginia team where he 3 games. The Mariners feel Then has a high ceiling in his potential at the still young age of 19. He could start this season at West Virginia or high-level A Modesto where he will be at some point anyway next season. It will be interesting to see how he does this coming season.

So this is the look at the Mariners number 11 thru 15 prospects. Up next will be 16 thru 20.