Mariners Draft: Favorite MLB Draft Prospect at every position

Pete Crow-Armstrong, Harvard-Westlake (CA)

There are very few players that Seattle could take as an under slot player at six, or as an over-slot pay at 43, that I would be happy with. Pete Crow-Armstrong is one of them. His profile reminds me an awful lot of one Jarred Kelenic coming out of high school and if there is a 25% chance that is what he becomes, I’m in.

Crow-Armstrong is a well-rounded player with above-average or better tools across the board, with the exception of in-game power. But PCA has a good swing and a quick bat, so power could emerge with better prep as we have watched with Kelenic. He plays hard, should be able to handle centerfield, and carries the same Grady Sizemore comparison as Kelenic. Yeah, I’m in.

Robert Hassell, OF  Independence (TN)

Set to join Crow-Armstrong at Vanderbilt this fall, Hassell, like PCA, has above-average or better tools across the board. Hassell trades some of the speed and defensive value of PCA for a bit more power and projection, but looks like safe bet to be at least a solid, everyday corner outfielder. Evaluators are split on his power tool as the current swing is designed more towards line drives than fly balls, but there is enough projection to see 25 home run seasons in Hassell.

Hassell’s hit tool alone will likely get him drafted in the Top 15 and, like PCA, has a strong commitment to Vanderbilt, so you’d need to give him Top 15 money in round two to move him out of Nashville and into your organization.

Tyler Gentry, OF Alabama

It’s easy to go with Zac Veen or Garrett Mitchell, both of whom I have ranked in my Top 10, but I’m giving my last spot to Tyler Gentry, an RHH outfielder for the Alabama Crimson Tide. The 6’2″, 210 lbs outfielder is solidly built with average or better tools across the board and was one of the best bats in the shortened 2020 college season.

Gentry controls the zone, has power from foul line to foul line, can handle centerfield, and should be above-average in right field with a strong arm. If that sounds familiar to you, I just described Mitch Haniger. Obviously, Gentry has a long way to go to earn that comparison, but from tools and size perspective, it’s a comparison I’m comfortable with.

There you have it. My favorite prospect at each position. While there are a few top talents on this list, most of them are going to be drafted later than 20, which may be a product of my hyper-focus on players who won’t go in the Top 6. The draft is three weeks away and if any of these players get their name chosen by the Mariners, I’ll be one happy person.