5 Mariners prospects to keep an eye on this season

Seattle Mariners prospects to follow no. 4 – Austin Shenton

Why not cheer on the local kid? Austin Shenton was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the fifth round of the 2019 draft out of Florida International University in Florida. Born in Spokane, Shenton attended Bellingham High School up north.

The 19th ranked prospect in the organization had a pretty good pro debut in 2019 and batted .298 and hit seven home runs. Shenton obviously was impacted by the absence of a 2020 season so it will be interesting to see if he can continue his good start to his minor league career.

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One of the reasons why I am intrigued by Austin Shenton is the lack of infield depth we have in the farm system. I think we all know about our star-studded pitching prospects, but the infield is somewhat of a concern in the near future. Noelvi Marte has caught the attention of more people as of late but he is just 19-years-old.

To be more direct, who is going to replace Kyle Seager? If Shenton can continue to deliver with the bat and work closely with coaches on improving his defensive skills, he might be a viable candidate.

Shenton currently has a 55 hit grade, and a 50 power grade. The 23-year-old also has a similar body build as Kyle Seager which makes me think that his power could be more along the lines of a 55 grade. Shenton stands 6’0″ and weighs 205 lbs. Kyle Seager is 6’0″ and weighs 216 lbs.

Last but not least, my fifth prospect to watch this season.