Mariners Top 30 Prospects: A 2021 Midseason Ranking

Prospect rankings. Whether you love them or hate them, the inevitable midseason rerank of your favorite team’s prospects has come. Minor leaguers have been given the opportunity to play out the majority of their season and display any of the improvements necessary to maintain a successful major league career.

Some have flourished. Others have flopped. Sorting through the statistics to establish a consensus top 30 list for the Seattle Mariners is a time-consuming process for the average fan. That’s why we at Sodo Mojo did it for you!

I, alongside two of my colleagues, Chris O’Day and Jason Smarr, each assembled our own top 30 prospect lists. Then, after compiling the lists and assigning point values in accordance with their relative rank in the system, a collective “Sodo Mojo Ranking” was created.

Coupled with the rankings will be a general rundown on each player in the Sodo Mojo top 30 as well as all of our personal lists besides the group’s ranking. Let’s kick things off with some of the names that just missed our list…

Mariners Top 30 Prospect Honorable Mentions

Dayeison Arias, RHP

Luis Curvelo, RHP

Tyler Keenan, 3B

Elvis Alvarado, RHP

Devin Sweet, RHP

Kristian Cardozo, RHP

All of these players received top 30 votes from members of our team, yet fell short of making it into the collective top 30. If interested, those with links on their names within the tables have interviews you can listen to. With these acknowledgments out of the way, let’s begin the rankings!

#30: Taylor Dollard

Taylor Dollard is a RHP drafted in the fifth round out of Cal Poly in last year’s abbreviated 5 round draft. Dollard would find early success this year, pitching to a 3.35 ERA with 59 K’s to just 10 walks across 37.2 innings in Low A Modesto. However, upon his promotion to High A Everett, Dollard has struggled to maintain a similar level of success. HIs 6’3 frame and starting pitcher qualities allow him to sneak on our list at #30.

#29: Patrick Frick

Patrick Frick was a 14th round draft pick out of Wake Forest in the 2019 draft class. The young shortstop possesses excellent on base skills, posting a promising slash line of .310/.433/.493 at High A Everett earlier this year. Unfortunately, similar to Dollard, Frick has struggled upon his midseason promotion to Double A Arkansas. While the struggles are a concern, there is still plenty of upside for Frick due to his ability to stick at SS coupled with strong on-base skills.

#28: Cade Marlowe

Cade Marlowe was a 20th round pick out of DII West Georgia in 2019. The outfielder has found great success in his only minor league season to date, slashing .269/.352/.531 for an OPS of .884 on the year. The only major knock on Marlowe is his advanced age of 24. Look for Marlowe to continue his success as a potential late bloomer for a Seattle system full of talented young outfielders.

#27: George Feliz

Another outfielder, Feliz was signed out of the Dominican Republic as an international amateur just last year. The 18 year old is praised for his 5 tool potential alongside a hot start in the DSL this season. Feliz has immense upside and could easily fly up prospect rankings in the upcoming years. Keep a close eye on the young Dominican stud.

#26: Victor Labrada

Yet another outfielder, Victor Labrada was signed out of Cuba as a part of the 2020 international signings. The speedy outfielder can play all three outfield positions and possesses immense potential on the base paths, having already stolen 28 bases this year. After excelling in Low A Modesto, Labrada has been middling in High A Everett. Still, at just 21 years old, Labrada remains an intriguing piece to an outfield corps becoming overwhelmingly deep.

#25: Sam Carlson

Sam Carlson is an RHP drafted out of high school in the second round all the way back in 2017. Carlson’s professional career has been a tumultuous roller coaster, as after pitching just 3 innings in his first year, the young starter required Tommy John surgery. Couple with setbacks, other injuries, and a lost season due to COVID-19, Carlson is in his first full professional season nearly four years after he was drafted. Maintaining his dynamite changeup, Carlson still possesses plenty of talent to dream on and can finally begin his professional career injury free.

#24: Bryce Miller

Bryce Miller is a RHP recently drafted out of Texas A&M. The young right hander was primarily a reliever in college until he converted to starting his final year in College Station. He found enough success to warrant a fourth-round selection in the 2021 draft as the Mariners first college selection.

#23: Gabriel Gonzalez

Gabriel Gonzalez is a tantalizing young outfield prospect signed out of Venezuela in this year’s 2021 international amateur class. Still growing into his frame, Gonzalez projects to have major potential at the plate and is athletic enough to stick in the outfield. Off to a scorching hot start for the Mariner’s DSL team, Gonzalez is another high upside player to keep close tabs on as he progresses through the lower minors.

#22: Starlin Aguilar

Similar to Gonzalez, Starlin Aguilar was a top signee in this year’s international amateur class. Hailing from the Dominican Republic, Aguilar’s sweet swing has earned him the nickname “Baby Devers,” likening him to his fellow countryman Rafael Devers of the Boston Red Sox. With his prowess at the plate and the ability to play at both 2B and 3B, Aguilar has an incredibly high ceiling and could quickly ascend up prospect rankings.

#21: Michael Morales

Another high upside youngster, Michael Morales was Seattle’s third round selection in this year’s draft. An RHP out of Pennsylvania, the high schooler has earned high remarks for his use of technology to best enhance his pitch repertoire.

Coupled with a fastball already in the low 90’s and a projectable frame, Morales could be a major beneficiary of Seattle’s professional grade strength training and advanced pitching instruction. The M’s have shown they have a knack for developing young pitching, and Morales is yet another ball of clay for the team’s development program to optimize.

#10: Levi Stoudt

Drafted in the third round out of Lehigh University, Levi Stoudt is a RHP currently in Double A Arkansas. With a greatly improved velocity and 4 average or better pitches in his repertoire, Stoudt has excelled at every level he’s pitched at in his professional career. Stoudt has been a quick mover through the system and should be up with the big league team sometime in the latter half of the 2022 season.

#9: Zach DeLoach

The Mariner’s second round pick in 2020, Zach DeLoach has elevated his prospect status thanks to his exceptional results during his 2021 campaign. After tearing up High A Everett, DeLoach has maintained success at Double A Arkansas, albeit to a lesser extent.

The lefty outfielder has a pure swing and the ability to effectively play the corner outfield positions. DeLoach is another player who could easily move through the system quickly and has a chance to appear in the big leagues in late 2022 or early 2023.

#8: Matt Brash

The biggest riser in the Seattle system, Matt Brash has been lights out all season. Acquired from the Padres in a last-second deadline deal for Taylor Williams, Brash has developed into a legit starting pitcher prospect with devastating stuff.

Striking out 110 batters in 75 innings while only walking 37, Brash has been nothing short of a revelation for the M’s. His 2.27 ERA across two different levels of the minors helps display his dominance this year. Watch out for Brash. He could be a major factor for the Mariner pitching staff as soon as next season.

#7: Harry Ford

Harry Ford is a tooled up catching prospect just drafted in the first round out of North Cobb high school in Georgia. Featuring blazing speed and immense power potential, Ford is as elite of an athlete that will ever see the field. While he’s at catcher right now, he is athletic enough to play just about anywhere, with second base or the outfield common suggestions amongst evaluators.

While his pure athleticism gives him sky-high upside, high school catching prospects take a very long time to develop and are a fairly risky demographic in terms of success rate. Regardless, Ford’s natural abilities make him a tantalizing prospect and someone to closely monitor throughout his career.

#6: Brandon Williamson

Brandon Williamson is a 6’6 LHP drafted in the second round in the 2019 draft. When combining his pure stuff with his large stature and left handedness, Williamson is a prospect in the discussion for being top 100 in all of baseball. Striking out 117 batters in 76.2 innings while only walking 27 batters bodes very well for Williamson’s future as a big leaguer.

His stats may not jump off the page as a can’t-miss prospect who is dominating the minors, but between the elite K/BB ratio coupled with his raw stuff, Williamson is a major factor for the team’s rotation as soon as next year and is well worth a consideration for a spot amongst the games best prospects.

#5: Cal Raleigh

Cal Raleigh, a rare switch-hitting catcher, can absolutely rake. After slashing an absurd .324/.377/.608 in Triple A Tacoma, Raleigh has come up to the major league and shown flashes of offensive prowess. His time at the big leagues has been far from smooth sailing, however his immense power potential and greatly improved defensive abilities are undeniable. Raleigh is slated as the backstop of the future and is expected to be a major part of the Mariner lineup going forward.

#4: Emerson Hancock

The Mariner’s first-round selection in the 2020 draft, Emerson Hancock is a consensus top 100 prospect in all of baseball. Drafted out of Georgia, Hancock was seriously considered as the first overall selection that year. Fortunately for Seattle, he ended up falling to sixth overall and has been lights out his entire professional career. With a 2.50 ERA and a BAA (Batting Average Against) of .174, it’s clear Hancock sports major potential and has top of the rotation capabilities.

#3: George Kirby

The pitcher with the most potential of any other hurler in the system, George Kirby has come a long way since being drafted in the first round out of Elon. Now sporting a fastball that sits in the upper 90’s with three average or better secondary pitches, Kirby’s stuff is incredibly good. Coupled with unparalleled command (9 BB’s his entire professional career) and elite run prevention, (2.16 ERA) Kirby is a future staple of Seattle’s rotation down the line. Look for him to debut in mid-to-late 2022 or early 2023. He is a can’t miss prospect.

#2: Noelvi Marte

The best Mariner shortstop prospect since Alex Rodriguez, Noelvi Marte has the potential to be a franchise-altering talent on the infield. With blazing speed, immense raw power, and above-average contact ability, there are very few holes in Marte’s game.

There is a chance he will be forced to move to third base, however his bat is so dynamic that it frankly wouldn’t matter. He can play either position and the bat would play. Marte won’t be seeing the big leagues for at least a few more years, however, when his time comes, you won’t want to miss it.

#1: Julio Rodriguez

Julio Rodriguez. The crown jewel of the Mariner farm system. The big right fielder is one of the truly untouchable assets in all of baseball. Whether it’s leading the Dominican team to a Bronze Medal in the Olympics or destroying the competition in the minor leagues, Julio is an absolute force to be reckoned with. Slashing .323/.416/.547 as a 20-year-old in Double A Arkansas, he’s one of the best hitters at the level while simultaneously being one of the youngest players at the level.

He has an electric, loveable personality and thrives under pressure. This may sound brash, but I simply can not see a scenario where Julio doesn’t excel as a big leaguer. He wants to be great and has supreme physical traits with a fantastic work ethic. The rest of the league needs to watch out for Julio Rodriguez.

Final Compilation of All Rankings

As evidenced by the discrepancies in our personal lists, prospect ranking can be a tough science to nail down. Do you agree with our lists? Who would you have included on your top 30 rankings? Let us know! There is an abundance of interesting names in the Mariner’s farm system and we want to hear your thoughts about them. Let us know where we went wrong, or who you agree with the most! Go, Mariners!