Mariners Arizona Fall League Update: 2 standouts and 2 disappointments so far

The Seattle Mariners' season ended two weeks ago, but the games go on for a handful of players in the organization. The Arizona Fall League is in full swing, and the Peoria Javelinas' roster features eight players from various levels of Seattle's farm system.

The Javelinas have split their first eight games, though their latest effort was a 13-5 takedown of the Scottsdale Scorpions that included an 11-run fifth inning. It's as good a place as any to start if we're going to touch on the Mariners' surprises and disappointments of the AFL season so far.

2 pleasant surprises for the Mariners in the Arizona Fall League

C/1B Matthew Ellis

Ellis was the offensive force for Peoria against Scottsdale on Tuesday, going 2-for-4 with a home run, four runs batted in and two runs scored. He now has a total of seven RBI in four games.

It's a nice way for Ellis to build on a regular season with High-a Everett that snuck under the radar. Even though he wasn't an everyday player for the AquaSox, he managed 17 home runs and an .845 OPS in 76 games.

As an undrafted free agent who's 26 years old, Ellis more so represents organizational depth than a true prospect. But lest anyone think that can't change, that was pretty much the book on Hunter Fitz-Gerald before a breakout 2026 season put him on the map.

RHP Adam Smith

Smith has appeared in three AFL games so far, logging 3.0 innings with two hits, a run, no walks and three strikeouts. Not overly impressive in the abstract, but those three Ks were in succession on Tuesday and were against three legit prospects: Bryce Rainer, Jett Williams and Dakota Jordan.

Smith is another 26-year-old who signed with the Mariners as a free agent, though he did so after somewhat of a more adventurous road than Ellis. Smith was originally a 14th-round pick by the San Diego Padres in 2021, and he was pitching in independent ball when the Mariners picked him up.

This is another "organizational depth" situation on paper, but Smith has a leg up on Ellis in terms of proximity to the big leagues. His strong showing in the system this year (55.1 IP, 3.25 ERA) culminated in 17 appearances for Double-A Arkansas.

2 disappointments for the Mariners in the Arizona Fall League

C Boston Smith

Smith is nominally the headliner among the Mariners prospects in the AFL, but he's gotten off to a slow start. In six games, he's taken 20 at-bats and produced just three hits, including none for extra bases.

This is following on the heels of a huge breakout season for the 23-year-old Smith, who climbed to the No. 13 spot in MLB Pipeline's rankings for the Mariners' top 30 prospects. More so than Seranthony Domínguez, he stands to be the organization's big prize from the trade that sent Luis Castillo to the South Side of Chicago in July.

It nonetheless does bear noting that Smith did some backsliding toward the end of the minor league season, posting just a .470 OPS in September. One can't help but wonder if he's simply worn down.

LHP Reid Easterly

Easterly has only gotten in two games and logged 1.1 innings in the AFL, yet his results are pretty brutal. He's been tagged for five runs (all earned) on three hits, two walks and a hit-by-pitch.

The lefty came into the AFL season hot off a strong showing with Everett, appearing in 34 games and posting a 3.39 ERA over 66.1 innings. He held lefties to a .222 average, with 28 strikeouts against eight walks in 109 total plate appearances.

The 24-year-old is another undrafted free agent, signing with the Mariners in 2025 after a college career split between Yale and Duke. Despite his rough introduction to the AFL, the fact that he's still young and left-handed should mean that he still has his share of chances coming his way.

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